BOLIVIA. GOOD OFFICES OF UNITED STATES MINISTER IN BEHALF OF GEORGE MELVILLE, A BRITISH SUBJECT, IMPRISONED IN BOLIVIA. No. 265.] Mr. Bridgman to Mr. Hay. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, La Paz, Bolivia, May 20, 1901. SIR: I have the honor to inclose herewith copy of a letter from George Melville, an Englishman who has been imprisoned at Corocoro for more than two months, accused of robbery. As illustrating the delays mentioned in another dispatch, this case is a good example. Several letters of the character inclosed have been sent to this legation, and official and personal appeals made to bring Melville to trial. One main trouble is disregard of commands from the foreign office by the local authorities at Corocoro. I can not determine as to the probability of this man's guilt or innocence, but believe he states the facts in his letter as existing. Similar cases are not infrequent here, and as no provision exists for relief are quite distressing. I am sending to-day a second request to his accuser, asking his influence to bring Melville to trial. Trusting I may be able to report definitely before long, I have, etc., [Inclosure.] GEORGE H. BRIDGMAN. Mr. Melville to Mr. Bridgman. COROCORO JAIL, May 6, 1901. DEAR SIR: I received your letter, and I am very grateful for what you are doing. I am now here fifty-four days. Will you do me an act of charity, sir, which I will endeavor to pay when I get out? I get here 10 cents a day to live on; I am sick, and half starving; kindly give me a little help. Sir, will you see if any Englishman in La Paz (Mr. Bowman) will help me? God only knows when I will be out of here. I have eight more witnesses to call up on my behalf, but can not do so, because I have no money. The actuary charges to make the orders calling them; he also charges for receiving their declarations, and the alguacil I have to pay for notifying the witnesses. For pity's sake, sir, help me if you can, so as to enable me to get my witnesses up, and so as to be able to get some food. Again thanking you for all, I am, etc., GEORGE MELVILLE. No. 278.] Mr. Bridgman to Mr. Hay. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I have the honor to state that the British subject, George Melville, who was imprisoned in Corocoro, charged with theft, has been set at liberty after repeated requests made by me to the minister of foreign relations. Melville wrote various pitiful letters, saying he was starving, etc., and begging money. Quite an amount was sent him, and since then nothing has come directly from him. I know, however, he has been discharged. I have, etc., GEORGE H. BRIDGMAN. Mr. Adee to Mr. Bridgman. No. 160.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, September 7, 1901. SIR: Referring to your No. 278, of July 1 last, I have now to inclose a copy of a note from the chargé d'affaires of Great Britain at this capital, of the 1st instant, transmitting a copy of a dispatch addressed by His Majesty's principal secretary of state for foreign affairs to you, thanking you for your good offices in obtaining the release of George Melville, a British subject, lately imprisoned at Corocoro on a charge of theft. I am, etc., ALVEY A. ADEE, [Inclosure.] Mr. Lowther to Mr. Adee. No. 240.] BRITISH EMBASSY, Newport, R. I., September 1, 1901. SIR: With reference to your note No. 2223 of the 1st ultimo, I have the honor to transmit to you herewith a copy of a dispatch addressed by His Majesty's principal secretary of state for foreign affairs to the United States minister at La Paz, thanking him for his good offices in obtaining the release of George Melville, a British subject, lately imprisoned at Corocoro, in Bolivia, on a charge of theft. I have, etc., GERARD LOWTHER. [Subinclosure.] Mr. Villiers to Mr. Bridgman. Foreign Office, August 19, 1901. SIR: I have received through His Majesty's chargé d'affaires at Washington a copy of your dispatch No. 278 to Mr. Secretary Hay of July 1 last, in which you report the release of George Melville, a British subject, imprisoned in Corocoro on a charge of theft. I have to thank you for your good offices and for all the trouble you have taken on Melville's behalf. I am, etc. (in the absence of the Marquis of Lansdowne), F. H. VILLIERS. CONDOLENCES ON ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT MCKINLEY. President Pando to Mr. Hay. [Telegram.] LA PAZ, BOLIVIA, September 14, 1901. The sad death of the illustrious President of your great Republic is sincerely deplored by Bolivia. May the Government and the American people be pleased to accept my keenest condolences. GENERAL PANDO, President. Mr. Hay to Mr. Bridgman. [Telegram.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, September 16, 1901. Make through proper channel acknowledgment of President Pando's condolence. Thank Minister Relaciores for sympathy. Such tributes highly esteemed by American people and Government. JOHN HAY. MASSACRE OF SOLDIERS-PUNISHMENT OF OFFENDERS. No. 306.] Mr. Bridgman to Mr. Hay. a LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, La Paz, Bolivia, October 28, 1901. SIR: Referring to despatch No. 111, of March 28, 1899, in which I described in brief the murder outside of Cochabamba of inoffensive soldiers in a church by savage Indians at the instigation of a wicked priest, I have to add this most gratifying news of the exhibition of justice under the rule of President Pando. Every Indian who was captured, and when proof could be maintained of guilt, was executed. The number thus punished was more than 300. The priest was immediately arrested and has been in prison for two years. Sentence of death has just been pronounced against him. This retribution, exhibited in a country so isolated and so thoroughly under the influence of the priesthood as is Bolivia, is a most decided and encouraging symptom of liberal government, and consistent with what I believe to be the honest purpose of President Pando. The influence of this particular priest is very great and his merited judgment has required the utmost firmness on the part of the Government. I have, etc., GEORGE H. BRIDGMAN. See Foreign Relations, 1899, page 105. BRAZIL. VISIT OF BRAZILIAN SCHOOL-SHIP BENJAMIN CONSTANT TO THE UNITED STATES. No. 313.] Mr. Bryan to Mr. Hay. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Petropolis, Brazil, April 2, 1901. SIR: I have the honor to inform you of the departure on the 28th of March of the Benjamin Constant, a school-ship of the Brazilian navy, from Rio de Janeiro en route for the United States. She goes under sail and will make two stops, Pernambuco and Barbadoes, before reaching Newport News, her first port in the United States. Her commander is Capt. José Martins de Toledo, who is accompanied by a complement of officers and a large number of midshipmen. I visited the ship shortly before her departure to wish Captain Toledo, his officers, and young men a happy voyage to the United States. It is a long time since any Brazilian naval officers have had an opportunity to visit the United States and I am sincerely hopeful that they will bring back impressions that will be of mutual advantage to both SIR: Referring to your interview of yesterday, announcing the approaching arrival at Baltimore of the Brazilian cruiser Benjamin Constant, I have the honor to state that I have addressed the Secretaries of the Treasury, War, and Navy, and the governor of Maryland, requesting that the vessel may be received with the customary courtesies. Accept, etc., JOHN HAY. Mr. Hay to Senhor Brasil. No. 22.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: Referring to your recent interview with the Assistant Secretary of State, I have the honor to say that the Secretaries of the Treasury, War, and the Navy, and the governor of New York have been advised of the expected arrival of the Benjamin Constant at New York, and requested to direct the authorities there to extend the customary courtesies to the vessel. Accept, etc., JOHN HAY. Mr. Hay to Senhor Brasil. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, June 5, 1901. DEAR MR. MINISTER: The President will be pleased to receive you and the officers of the Brazilian man-of-war Benjamin Constant on Friday morning, June 7, at 10 o'clock. Very sincerely, yours, JOHN HAY. MISSIONARY TROUBLES, SACKING OF AMERICAN BAPTIST CHURCH AT NICTHEROY, AND PAYMENT OF INDEMNITY. Mr. Bryan to Mr. Hay. No. 318.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I have the honor to report that on the night of April 14, at Nictheroy, a suburb of the Federal capital opposite the city and on the harbor of Rio de Janeiro, a mob sacked a Baptist Mission Church. The organ, chairs, and Bibles belonging to the American Baptist Missionary Association were carried into the street and there covered with kerosene, which the populace ignited, making a bonfire of the association's property. This and other violence against the Protestant missions is said to have been occasioned by the bitterness aroused against an ex-priest whose denunciation and exposé of former clerical associates greatly incensed the Catholics of Nictheroy. They attributed to the effects of the ex-priest's arraignment some alleged sacrilege of an altar in one of their chapels. Then, in revenge, followed attacks by a Roman Catholic mob on the Protestant missions, culminating in the violence already referred to. The American pastor, Rev. W. E. Entzinger, called on me to solicit my official aid in his efforts to recover damages for the property destroyed. I told him that before making any statement to Washington or diplomatic representations here I would have an unofficial talk with Gen. Quintino Bocayuva, President of the State in which Nictheroy lies. I first exacted a promise from the missionary that no publicity through the press be given by him or his associates prior to my intervention with the State authorities. The President assured me that he had ordered the Protestant missions well guarded and that they would continue under police protection. He promptly asked that I direct my countryman to make a statement to him personally of the losses incurred by this American Missionary Society, and promised that after careful examination full redress would be made. President Bocayuva expressed thankfulness that this legation had endeavored to allay further excitement in this religious conflict by the quiet procedure of an unofficial appeal to him, who had always advocated entire religious liberty in Brazil. |