The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1902-11-29
TRAGEDY IN GUATEMALA.
Be-. Of Uaitea states laissster Hunter
lkills Michhgan Man-De-
tails Are Meager.

Washington, Nov. 22.-The state de-
partment has been informed that
Godfrey Hunter. Jr.. son of tho
United States minister at Guatemala
City, on Friday shot and killed Will
liam Fitzgerald, of Grand Rapids,
Mich. Hunter has taken refuge in
the legation, and an interesting ques-
tion has arisen as to his exemption
from arrest.
Important details are lacking. 1t
is reported that Fitzgerald was shot
four times. Another important fact
developed was that young Hunter
was accompanied at the time of the
shooting by the secretary of legation.
This official is set down in the regis
ter as being James G. Bailey, of Ken
lucky, who went to his post in June,
1901. The cablegram also. rather by
suggestion than by direct statement,
gave ground for an inference that
the killing was provoked.
1t is suggested here that the shoot
ing ARRAY may have been the result
of the recent relief of DR.. Hunter
from his post as minister. The doc
tor has been steadily embroiled with
members of the American colony al
most since he assumed Office in 1897,
and lately, owing to his connection
with government railroad and
other matters not supposed to be
proper for minister to NEEDLE with,
the pressure became so acute that
oh fa
lieve him from Office. 1t may be that
Fitzgerald was connected in some
way with the charges against the
minister.
State department officials are in
doubt as to what should be done.
They have no notion of surrendering
without protest an American citizen
to the local courts of Guatemala, un-
less satisfied that the man is a proper
subject for punishment. Even then 1t
is not at all certain that the depart
ment itself has the right to waive any
legal exemption that the man might
have. international law lays down
the precept that an ambassador or
minister may not of his own accord
surrender any such exemption in his
own case.
However, as already indicated, the
state department is moving with eau
tion in this matter, preferring to de-
velop all the facts before establishing
an important precedent. The excite
ment in the neighborhood of the le
cation in Guatemala City has made j,
difficult for the state department to
obtain any information from any I'M
biased person connected with the lie.
CATION and not involved in the af-
fray. Therefore it is probable that it
will await some application from the
Guatemalan authorities for the sur
render of young Hunter, and decide
Hunters claim to exemption from ar
rest on the basis of all facts pre-
scented.
Grand Rapids, Nov. 22.-William
Fitzgerald was born here, and was
about 81 years of age. Seven or eight
years ago he drifted to Guatemala,
where he held several different gov
eminent positions. He is said by his
relatives here to have been private
secretary Of the president of Guate-
mala for some time past. The last
time he was in Grand Rapids was two
years ago. At one time Fitzgerald
was a parlor car conductor on the
Grand Rapids e. Indiana railroad.
Louisville, KY, Nov. 22.-Fitzgerald,
whom young Hunter shot and killed,
made charges about n year ago against
DR.. Hunter. He criticized sharply
the way in which DR.. Hunter conduct
ed his Office, and made some serious
affections on the minister. Fitzger-
aid, while on a trip to this country.
gave out an interview at New Orleans
in which he scored DR.. Hunter and
young Godfrey severely. He an
nounced that he would prefer charges
against DR.. Hunter at Washington,
but the matter was never taken up by