No. 35.
Mr. Heap to Mr. Hunter.
[Extract.]
Consulate of the United States,
Tunis
,
February 26,
1874. (Received March 27.)
No. 167.]
Sir: Having received on the 20th instant
information from Mr. Spiz-zichino, consular agent at Bizerta, that the
men sentenced to the galleys and imprisonment on the 1st of June last
for the murder of the dragoman of that agency in December, 1872, were at
large, I immediately addressed a letter to the Bey’s prime minister,
making inquiry into the matter, a copy of which is inclosed.
The next day the minister sent Mr. Conti, a director in the foreign
office, to explain that the release of these men was owing to a mistake,
and that he would at once order their arrest and re-imprisonment. I
requested Mr. Conti to ask the minister to state this in writing, when
he informed me that the criminals were secured. Mr. Conti promised that
this should be done, but said that it would be some days before the
minister could reply to my letter, as, in consequence of a Mohammedan
festival, the foreign office would be closed for a week.
* * * * * * *
Although the minister’s explanation is unsatisfactory, as it does not
convey the real facts, I shall accept it when I am officially informed
in writing that the men are again in custody.
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure 1 in No.
167.]
Mr. Heap to
General Keredine.
Consulate of the United States,
Tunis
,
February 20, 1874.
Excellency: It is my duty to bring to your
excellency’s knowledge that I am informed that the prisoners, four
in number, who were sentenced in June last to various degrees of
imprisonment for the assassination of Mohammed Sennen, a dragoman of
the consular agency of the United States at Bizerta, are at
large.
If my information is correct, I would respectfully ask your
excellency to let me know the reasons that have caused His Highness
to release these criminals.
I was officially informed on the 1st of June, 1873, by Mr. Conti on
the part of His Highness, and so communicated to my Government, that
the four men accused of the murder had been tried by His Highness in
person and found guilty, and that one was sentenced to the galleys
for life, with hard labor, in chains, and the other to imprisonment
for life. It is, therefore, a matter of very natural surprise to
learn that these men, after an incarceration of a few months, have
been set at liberty.
The lively solicitude my Government has already exhibited to obtain
reparation for the murder of an officer attached to a consular
agency of the United States, will, I hope, convince your excellency
that they will receive the news of the release of these criminals
with the greatest concern.
I avail, &c.,
