No. 437.
Mr. Cayetano
Romero to Mr. Davis.
Washington, August 16, 1883. (Received August 18.)
Sir: When General Crook surprised, on the 15th of May last, in the Sierra Madre, Sonora, the camp of Chato, the Indian chief, in which some of the hostile Chiricahuas were, he took, after the fight which he had with them, a large number of articles which had been stolen for the most part, during their recent raids in Sonora, from citizens of that State, for it is a matter of public notoriety that those Indians invade our territory for the sole purpose of committing depredations.
The Government of Mexico has consequently instructed me to request that of the United States to order that the owners of the articles taken from the Indians be summoned to present themselves for the purpose of claiming and receiving what rightfully belongs to them.
I am further instructed to ask that the same thing may be done by both Governments in similar cases, and that, if it be deemed necessary, a stipulation be added to the agreement for the reciprocal crossing of troops, providing that if any party of troops take from the Indians articles that have been stolen by them, it shall be the duty of the commanding officer of such party to send a carefully prepared list of such articles to the nearest civil or military officer of the neighboring nation.
I avail, &c.,