The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-09-19

Was Humiliated at the Hands OF the
Kaiser and How She Now Finds Her
self In Position to Collect the Debt
With Tremendous Rate of Interest
In explaining why Haiti severed dip
lomatic relations with Germany, Solon
Menos. Haitian minister to the United
States. disclosed an interesting bit Of
diplomatic history. He shows now tie
kaiser is being forced to pay the penal
ty for acts of unwarranted frightt1l-
ness committed against the republic
of Haiti twenty years ago.
In December. 1897, when Mr.. Menos
was minister for foreign affairs. the
German emperor forced Haiti to pay
$4,000 and humiliated the nation by
forcing profuse and ceremonial apollo
gies under threat of bombardment of
the National palace and the city of
Port au Prince 10y German warships
Now Haiti may force the kaiser TO pay
$20.00OU0 i'm return. German financial
interests in Haiti make it easy for this
sum to he collected. it is explained
German Attacks Police.
The trouble between Germany aud
Haiti started on Sept 2l. 1891. when
Count Schwerin, the German charge
d'affaires. came to MIR. Menos TO pro
test against the arrest 10y the Haitian
police OF u German named Emile Lu-
ders. Luders' coachman. Dorleus Pre-
sumo, had been caught stealing When
the police sought TO arrest him the
German attacked the police and was
himself arrested
Count Schwerin did not deny the
justice Of the acts of the Haitian au-
thorties but took the stand that no
German should be made amenable 10
the law for ordinary people. especially
if the German happened to be IA man
of Luders' standing
Mr. Menos told Count Schwerin that
he would do everything possible to
protect Luders' rights but that he
could not disregard Haitian laws with
out an investigation Meanwhile La
ders was tried and found guilty and
was sentenced 10 Imprisonment.
Count Schwerin demanded new
trial, with the immediate release of 1u-
ders. Appreciating the menacing atti-
tude of the German diplomat, Mr. Me
nos arranged for a new trial at once.
Wakens President Sam.
Later Count Schwerin, in the full uni
form OF uhlan. galloped up TO the i'm
peria palace after President Sam had
retired and demanded an audience.
The count presented a demand from
the kaiser for the immediate liberation
| Of Ludcrs. the dismissal Of the Judge
who had sentenced him and the punish
ment of all the police instrumental in
| hriu ing about his arrest
IA the name Of my august master
| he Emperor William, | will wait until
on nprrow noon for my reply" the count
| aid nnon leaving.
IT, Haitian authorities were astound-
| ID bN this action. 1t was diplomatic
usage for any foreign diplomat to com
municate with the president through
he minister for foreign affairs. and
Nenos felt deeply hurt.
Hut the Haitian leaders saw the dom.
neafing tactics employed by the Ger
man government and recognized the
Haitian people were absolutely at the
mercy of Germany. The American
minister. Mr.. Powell. and others coun.
seled the release OF Luders as the sim.
plest means Of staving off further trou-
ble 1t was known Germany had sew
eral cruisers in adjacent waters and
that any pretext would be seized to ad.
vertise German militarism.
New Ultimatum Sent.
Accordingly the Haitian authorities
bowed To Germany's ultimatum. and
Mr.. Menos informed Count Schwerin
The count officially declared the Incl.
dent closed. but within a few hours he
received another cable from his au-
gust master which caused him &c
come post haste to Mr.. Menos
He had been premature in accepting
l1aiti's agreement to the ultimatum
he explained A new ultimatum had
just arrived 1t demanded $4,000 pay
ment to Luders, an agreement by Halt
10 give him special privileges. an apol
ogy by Haiti to the emperor and a
ceremonial public apology to himself
Count Schwerlnl by the president
This put matters in a new light. for
Haiti could not agree to pay indem
nifty for carrying out its own laws
without humiliating itself before It's
own people and before the world
While these deliberations were going
on Count Schwerin informed Mr. Me
nos that he was going aboard a Ger
man warship and would be heard from
later. On Dec. 9 the German warships
Charlotte and Stein arrived at Port au
Prince cleared for action.
A note came from Count Schwerin
saying that diplomatic relations be