Department
of State,
Washington
,
March 25,
1874.
No. 90.]
[Inclosure.]
Mr. Wilson to Mr.
Hunter.
Consulate of the United States of America,
Matamoros
,
March 10, 1874. (Received March 24.)
[No. 161.
Sir: I have tile honor to acknowledge the
receipt of dispatch No. 99, under date of the 20th ultimo, advising me
that a warrant had been signed by the President authorizing Benj. Murphy
to receive into custody one Alexander D. Hamilton, a fugitive from
justice, and instructing me to make application to the local authorities
to deliver Hamilton into his custody, and to render him every assistance
in my power to secure the fugitive. About the middle of February,
Hamilton reached Matamoros, and put up at one of the hotels of the city.
Mr. Kingsbury, of Brownsville, Texas, late chief police justice of
Cameron County, Texas, called on me on behalf of the sheriff of Cameron
County, and asked me to apply to the local authorities of this city for
Hamilton’s arrest and detention until the police officers who were
understood to be in pursuit ef him could arrive. Gen. John N. Cortina,
being president of the ayuntamiento—mayor—and in charge of the police, I
at once applied to him for Hamilton’s arrest. General Cortina directed
the chief of police of this city to make the arrest. He went with the
chief of police of Brownsville to the hotel where Hamilton was stopping,
but as I have since learned a messenger had been sent in advance from
General Cortina to warn Hamilton, and of course he was not found, It is
alleged, and I believe it is true, that Hamilton went from the hotel
directly to General Cortina, and that he has been under his protection
up to the present time. Mr. Benjamin Murphy informs me that he had an
interview with General Cortina on the subject, and that Cortina told him
that he could have an interview with Hamilton for fifteen hundred
dollars, but that he could not be arrested; that while he, Cortina, was
aware that there was an extradition treaty between the United States and
Mexico-, that he knew a higher power than the treaty, and that Hamilton
should not be extradited.
Under these circumstances, when Mr. Murphy presented the warrant signed
by the President, I went with him before the judge of the first instance
and applied for an order authorizing the federal troops to make the
arrest, which was granted and placed in the hands of Colonel Cristo,
military commander of the city. Colonel Cristo declined to act in the
matter further than to place at the disposition of the judge whatever
troops might be required, as it was the business of the court to execute
its warrant. The judge then frankly admitted that he could not make the
arrest in opposition to General Cortina; that it would perhaps cost him
his life to attempt to use the troops to arrest Hamilton, as he would
undoubtedly be assassinated by General Cortina’s followers. This is the
situation of the case, and I think that Cortina will be able to set at
defiance all the other authorities here and continue to protect
Hamilton. I shall, however, use my best endeavors to aid Mr. Murphy in
securing the fugitive.
I am, &c.,
