Evening journal., 1912-05-07
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
ene Time When Spain Did
Not PrOCraStinate
By Holland


have told how General Grant, in
his second year as President was
determined to go to war with Spain
unless that country released from
custody the American trading steam
ship, the Colonel Lloyd Aspinwall, her
captain and her crew, seized by Spain
on the ground that they we're carrying
aid to the Cuban revolutionists. BY
reason OF General Grants determined
stand, Spain released the vessel and
her crew and agreed TO abide by the
decision of court Of arbitration re-
specting indemnity.
When the Secretary of State, Ham
ilton Fish, informed President Grant
that Spain had not only ordered the
release of the Lloyd Aspinwall and
her crew, but was also ready to sub
NIT the question of indemnity to an
arbitration tribunal, the Presidents
grim countenance relaxed little.
Secretary of State Fish read the
meaning behind the Presidents grim
smile. "Mr President" he said, I'VE
shall have to accept Spain's offer to
submit the question of indemnity to
arbitration"
ply. Spain will wait for years before
agreeing to the membership of that
tribunal and then will put us OFF a
long time before paying over any
money in case the award is in our
favor"
The Secretary of State however,
again said to the President that
Spain's proposition would necesssr-
lily be accepted by the United States.
A few days later the President was
informed that two members of the ar
bitration tribunal had been selected.
One was the Spanish Minister to this
country, Juan NJ Ceballos; the other
was John S. Williams, president OF
the once famous transatlantic steam
ship line of Williams and Guion which
has now passed out of existence, rep
resenting the United States. But when
the President asked if the umpire or
disinterested member of the tribunal
had been selected he was told that the
representative of Spain would not
agree TO accept any one whose name
had been proposed Here the President
again smiled grimly, and in that smile
intimated to the Secretary of State
that his prediction of Spains procras-
tination was proving true.
At last, through certain social and
business influences. the Spanish rep
resentative agreed to accept Johannes
Roessing, consul-general to the Unit
ed States Of the North German Con-
federation The tribunal met only
three or four times; all the evidence
was offered at these few meetings.
The decision of the tribunal was that
Spain should pay to the United States
twenty-three thousand dollars, part of
the money TO be paid over TO the own
ers of the vessel and part of the crew.
Once again President Grant smiled
when he heard what the decision of
/ the tribunal was. II was clearly mis-
belief that the United States would be
! compelled to wait a long time before
the money was paid over. But within
three weeks of the time of the award
the Secretary Of State called upor
the President and said.
'Mr. President. an extraordinary
an unprecedented thing has happened
! think It is without precedent in thu
history Of diplomacy. ! was informed
this morning by the Spanish Ministe
that he had the money Of the Bloy,
Aspinwall award, in hand and by or
der Of the home government was in
structed to pay 1t over TO me. Tomor
row I shall receive the money"
True to his word the next day tn
Spanish Minister paid over to Mr.. Fisl
twenty-three thousand dollars. Tha
was within a month after the awar
was made. And the celebrity with whic
this payment was made was one O
: the mysteries Of his administratio
experience which President Grant an
. his Secretary of State. Mr.. Fish, wer
never able to explain, except on tn
ground that Spain had been badl
, scared by Grants determined stand
the Lloyd Aspinwall seizure.
(Coppright. 1912. by f. j. Edward
All rights reserved)
Tomorrow Mr. Edwards will tell
THE Unlocked for Development TIL;
Frustrated the Governments Fir
| 4