No. 109.
Mr. Wing to Mr. Fish.
United
States Legation,
Quito,
Ecuador, October 24,
1871. (Received Dec. 15.)
No. 158.]
Sir: I have the honor to forward my
correspondence with this government relative to the arrest and
imprisonment of Dr. L. D. Wilson, detailed in my dispatch, 151, to the
Department.
Accompaniment 1 is a copy of my communication to Minister Leon, and Nos.
2 and 3 are copy and translation of his answer.
It will be observed that the affidavit of Dr. Wilson differs materially
from the statement of Minister Leon, and notably in regard to the person
who made the arrest.
Awaiting the instructions of the Department, I have, &c,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 158.]
Mr. Wing to Mr.
Leon.
United
States Legation,
Quito,
Ecuador, October 17,
1871.
Sir: Referring to the arrest and
imprisonment of Dr. L. D. Wilson, an American citizen, at Guayaquil,
concerning which I have hitherto had the honor of several
conversations with your excellency, I have the honor to state that I
find it is necessary, in view of the direct request of Dr. Wilson,
to forward the facts of the case to the State Department at
Washington for its consideration.
If in accordance with the judgment of the government of your
excellency, I will be gratified if your excellency will furnish me
with a reply hereto, embodying the circumstances of the whole case,
as detailed to me verbally heretofore by your excellency.
I feel that it is due to this government as a matter of justice that
the State Department should understand its view of the matter, in
considering the complaint of Dr. Wilson, whose treatment at the
hands of certain officials at Guayaquil I have fully explained to
your excellency.
With assurances of my very great consideration, I have, &c,
[Inclosure 3 in No.
158.—Translation.]
Mr. Leon to Mr.
Wing.
Foreign
Office, Quito,
October 23, 1871.
Sir: According to the suggestion that your
excellency made me, extra officially, of asking authorities of
Guayaquil for private information in respect to the arrest of Doctor
[Page 167]
Wilson, an American
citizen, I have received the following data, from which it appears
that Doctor Wilson presented himself at the police office,
complaining that his servant, to whom he had given the sum of $500
to change, instead of doing so, had abused his confidence and
gambled away the money; and requesting at the same time the
apprehension of the delinquent, and his being put in prison until
such time as he should refund the $500.
Immediately the most stringent and urgent orders were given for the
arrest of the servant. A patrolman, who knew neither Doctor Wilson
nor his servant, through a mistake, took one for the other. As soon
as this mistake was made known to the commissary of police, he
immediately put Doctor Wilson at liberty, after giving him the most
explicit and sincere explanations for the error that had caused his
arrest.
In effect, he appeared completely satisfied, and the police continued
their search for the servant until he was apprehended and placed in
prison. This is what occurred in the regard to which your excellency
asked for information in your esteemed dispatch of the 17th of the
present month.
This report will be most fully sent to your excellency, should you so
desire, as soon as the authorities of Guayaquil send the result of
the trial that this office has ordered him to be brought to.
I avail myself of this opportunity to reiterate to your excellency,
Sōr Ministro, the assurances of my high and distinguished
consideration, and I have, &c,
