The Savannah morning news., 1902-11-22
REFUGE IN LEGATION
WAS SOUGHT by HUNTER IN GUAT-
FMALA CITY.
KILLED WILLIAM FITZGERALD
AND CLAIMED PROTECTION OF THE
UNITED STATES.

son Oh the Intted Sntes Mihhstcr
Shot and Killed Another Ameri-
cnn-This Causes an Interesting
Question ns to Whether He should
he Delivered Up to the GuntemR-
Ian Courts for JuStice-COnsidcr-
RtiOns That Enter Into the Case.
Fitzgerald "A Michigan Man.
Washington. Nov. 21.-The State
| Department has been informed that
| Godfrey Hunter. Jr., son of the
| United States minister at Guatemala
City, to-day shot and killed William
Fitzgerald of Grand Rapids. Mich.
Hunter has taken refuge in the lega-
ton, and an interesting question has
arisen as to his exemption from ar
| rest.
Important details are lacking in the
report of the affair which has come
to the State Department, and the Off
Gals are in doubt as to what should
be done. They have no notion of sur
rendering without protest an Ameri-
can citizen to the local courts of Qua
| tema1a unless satisfied that the man
is proper subject for punishment.
| A closer inspection of the original
| advice revealed the fact that the
only name by which the man was
known was Fitzgerald; he had not
| the William. as was supposed at first.
| He was shot four times. Another inn
portant 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 register as being James g.
Bailey of Kentucky, 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 pro-
| voked.
Had Been an EmpIOye.
Not much is known here of Godfrey
| Hunter, Jr., and II is impossible to
| learn definitely whether or not he was
! actually connected officially with the
| United States legation at Guatemala
City at the time of the killing. That
he had been a clerk or typewriter in
the legation Is established, but in some
quarters il is said that connection had
been terminated for some time This
may be very important point in set
Ting the question of exemption Of
young Hunter from arrest, for Legal
ton attache or employee enjoys q large
I part Oh the eEeInptlOIS tOhieTItQ W
international law on an ambassador
or minister. Another point that may
operate in Hunters favor is his kim
ship to the minister.
The excitement in the neighborhood
of the legation in Guatemala City has
| made it difficult for the State Depart
ment to obtain any information from
any unbiased person connected with
the legation and not involved In the
ARRAY 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 presented.
Were Down on the Minister.
It is suggested here that the shoot
ing ARRAY may have been the result
| of the recent relief of DIR. Hunter
! from his post as minister. The min
lister has been steadily embroiled
with members of the American colony
| almost ever since he assumed Office
! in 1897, and lately owing to his con-
| nection with a government railroad
| and other matters not supposed to he
| proper for a minister to NEEDLE with,
! the pressure became so acute that
the department was obliged to relieve
| him from office. 1t may be that Fitz-
| gerald was connected in some way with
the charges made against the minis
! ter.
Grand Rapids, Mich, Nov. civil
| liam Fitzgerald was born here and
was about q years of age. Seven or
| eight years ago he drifted to Guate-
mala, where he held several different
| government positions. He is said by
| 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 parlor
| car conductor on the Grand Rapids
| and Indiana Railroad.