The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1902-04-12
THE MULE CAMP IN THE SOUTH
Correspondence That Has Passed Be
tween the Various Officials Inves-
tigating the Character of the Es-
adjustment Where British Officers
Send Mounts to South Africa.

Washington, April 5.-The state
department today made public the
| correspondence that has so fai
! taken place between the United
States government and the governor of
Louisiana concerning the latter's state
ment touching the shipment of live
| stock and supplies for the British army
on the South African from Chalmette
| La. There are three principal letters
and q number of appendices. The
principal letters are one from the gov
ernor of Louisiana, dated March rs,
touching the conditions at Chalmette;
reply from Secretary Hay, dated
April 4, announcing that he had or
dered an investigation. (Which will be
made by an army officer), and long
opinion from the attorney general on
the legal points involved in the Chal-
mette shipments.
Governor Heard's letter already has
been outlined in the press dispatches.
He begins with q statement that he
had received from the mayor of New
Orleans a copy of letter from Score
tary Hay calling his attention to a
threat of Samuel Pearson to commit
a breach of the peace in New Orleans,
and referring that letter to the mayor
for consideration.
Mr. Pearson's letter is one heretofore
published, dated at New Orleans, Feb.
l, and addressed to the president, call
ing attention to the conditions of af-
fairs at New Orleans and Chalmette.
The mayor transmitted this cOrre-
spondence to the governor of the state,
on the ground that the acts complained
of were permitted in the parish of st.
Bernard. out of the Jurisdiction of the
city authorities. The governor imme-
diately mrote to Sheriff Nunez of the
parish in regard to the matter. The
sheriff's reply, a part of the governors
letter, is dated st. Bernard, La, Feb.
49, He reports concisely that mules
and horses were being loaded at Chal-
mette for the British government,
either directly or indirectly, but the
loading was done by longshoremen of
the city of New Orleans, supervised by
Englishmen, who might, or might not,
be officers of the British army. Ger
tainly there was no one there in uni
form. In conclusion, the sheriff says:
There is no such thing as a British
post with men and soldiers established
at Fort Chalmette. So far as the re-
cruiting of men is concerned, 1 am sure
I can certify that it is not being done
in the parish of st. Bernard. As L I'M
derstand, the only men taken on the
ships are muleteers, who are employed
in the city of New Orleans"
Governor Heard says it is conceded
by the British officers themselves that
the animals were for the British army
in South Africa. His letter says:
'"The burghers of South Africa are
making a fight for their homes and
their liberty, which cannot but appeal
to the sense of fair play of the Amer
lean people, AS the executive of the
commonwealth of Louisiana, whose
people have always been ardent lovers
OF the Beers, I cannot but feel that
the establishment and maintenance of
a base of war supplies for the British
army upon our soil places upon me a
grave responsibility
AID THE BRITISH GREATLY.
"These mules and horses shipped
from Port Chalmette are Indispensable
to the operations of the British army.
Hence they must be considered as con-
traband of war. of greater value. it
seems. than soldiers that England can
so easily furnish from within her bor-
ders."
The governor gives it as his opinion
that it is the function of the national
and not of the state, to
enforce obedience of the neutrality
laws, yet if the duty belongs to the
state where the violation occurs. he
would not hesitate to act as the law
may warrant. and calls upon the sec
rotary of state for his view on the
matter.
In a postscript to his letter, the gov
ernor reports the arrival in New Or
leans of General Sir Richard Campbell !
Stuart, an aide of the British army, on
a tour of inspection of the transport !
in the vicinity of New Orleans. /
He also encloses a humber of news |
paper clippings and statements from
individuals as to the operations of the |
British remount service. a transcript Of |
the proceedings in court and a number |
Of letters from individuals protesting
against the continuation OF the animal !
shipments. The most important of
these is probably an affidavit of one |
Tourenne, setting forth his engagement |
for service on the transport Milwaukee,
signing articles before the British vice !
consul, being assigned to duty by Lieu |
tenant Thompson of the yeomanry of !
the British army and. acting under his i
orders to Cape Town, thence to Dur |
ban. where horses were delivered to I
British officers in uniform. and where !
The men were not allowed to go ashore, |
unless we would agree to sign with |
The recruiting officer and join the Brit |