Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-11-22
MAN SLAYER MAY BE EXEMPT
Son of Minister 10 Guatemala shoots
Michigan Man and Takes Refuge
In American Legation.

WASHINGTON, Nov 21.-The State de-
partment has been informed that Godfrey
Hunter, ir. son Of the United States min
lister at Guatemala City, today shot and
killed Fitzgerald OF Grand Rapids, Mich.
He then took refuge IN the legation and
an interesting question has arisen as TO his
exemption from arrest
Important details are lacking in the re-
port OF the affair and the officers are in
doubt as to what should be done. They
have no notion Of surrendering an Ameri-
can citizen to the Guatemalan authorities
without protest, unless convinced the man
is a proper subject for punishment. Even
then II is not certain that the department
itself has the right to waive any legal
exemption Hunter might have. Interna-
tional law lays down the precept that an
ambassador or minister may not OF his own
accord surrender any such exemption in his
own case.
Young Hunter was accompanied at the
time of the shooting by the secretary OF
! legation. This oficial Is set down in the
register as being James G. Bailey of Ken
lucky, who went out in June, 1901 The
cable, rather by suggestion than by direct
statement, gives ground for an inference
| that the killing was provoked.
ality OF Godfrey Hunter, jr.. and 1t is i'm
1 possible to learn definitely whether or not
he was connected with the United States
legation at Guatemala city at the time OF
the killing. That he had been d clerk or
! typewriter in the legation has been estab-
lished, but 1t is thought this connection
has been terminated for some time. This
point will be important in establishing his
| exemption from arrest, because a legation
employe enjoys a large part OF the privi-
| leges conferred on an ambassador or min
lister. Another point that may operate in
| Hunters favor is his kinship to the min
| ister.. He was certainly a member of the
minister's family, and that fact might be
regarded as sufficient to base a claim ol
exemption.
The excitement in the neighborhood oi
the legation in Guatemala City has made
1t difficult for the department to obtair
any information from an unbiased person
connected with the legation and not in.
volved in the affray. Therefore It is prob.
able that it win await some application o.
the Guatemalan authorities for the sur.
render Of young Hunter.
1t is suggested here that the shooting
ARRAY may have been the result of tn,
recent relief OF DR.. Hunter from his pos
as minister. The doctor has been steadil!
embroiled with members Of the American
colony almost since he assumed office ii
1897 and lately, owing to his connection
with a government railroad and other mat
ters not supposed to be proper for a min
lister to meddle with, the pressure becam
so acute that the department was oblige,
to relieve him from office. 1t may be tha
Fitzgerald was connected in some way will
the charges against the minister,
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich, Nov, 21.--wiI
liam Fitzgerald was born here and wa
about "a years Of age.
Seven or eight years : 20, he went 4
Guatemala. where he held ssveraT dIfferen
government positions. He II said by hi
relatives here to have been private secre
tary of the president of Guatemala for som
time.