I have the honor to transmit herewith inclosed the full statement of Mr.
Mossell with respect to the grievances of himself and his family.
As yet I have not received a reply on this subject from the Haytien
Government. Hereafter I shall communicate the response which may be
made.
Meantime, I trust that my action in the premises will be approved by you.
[Inclosure 1 in No. 652.]
Mr. Langston to Mr.
St. Victor.
Legation of the United States,
Port au Prince, Hayti, July 15, 1884.
Sir: The undersigned has the honor to bring to
your attention that on the 22d and 23d days of September, 1883,
especially upon the afternoon of the last day named, the Rev. C. W.
Mossell, a citizen of the United States of America, a missionary of the
African Methodist Episcopal Church, residing in this city, preaching and
teaching school, as a missionary, with his house and home situated on
the corner of the streets, Bonne Foi, and Grande-Rue, on the northeast
corner thereof, where his wife and family dwelt and where, his school
was conducted, was with his wife and family, both upon his own premises,
in his house and yard and upon the streets, as he, with his family, was
compelled to quit the same to seek refuge and protection in this
legation, insulted, threatened, abused, assaulted, and maltreated in the
most shameful manner, not only by excited and exasperated persons of the
populace, but by members of the police force and officers of your
Government whose duty it was to protect Mr. Mossell and his family
against every abuse of their personal rights as well as against every
indignity. Driven thus from his house and home, insulted and abused, as
indicated, his house and all his property and effects utterly destroyed
by fire set by the same parties who had insulted and abused him, Mr.
Mossell has very properly sought redress in an appeal to his Government.
And now, Mr. Minister, the undersigned, in submitting this matter to the
attention and consideration of your Government, can not doubt that
prompt action will be taken by it in the examination and settlement of
this case, in the most liberal manner, as the high sense of honor and
justice, which must animate it, would dictate.
In suggesting the sum of $60,000, as one measuring, in fact, inadequately
the damages suffered and sustained in the abuse of his own personal
rights and those of his wife and family, and the indignities shown him
and them by the officers of your Government as indicated, the
undersigned feels, Mr. Minister, that Mr. Mossell makes but a reasonable
demand.
The undersigned, renewing to you, &c.,
[Inclosure 2 in No. 652.]
Mr. Mossell to Mr.
Terres.
Port-au-Prince, September 30,
1883.
Sir: The following is a statement and a matter
of fact, which will inform you of what occurred on the afternoon of the
23d of September in and around my house facing La Rue Bonne Foi,
Port-au-Prince, Hayti; it will also acquaint you of the acts of violence
which were perpetrated on myself and family and those of my
household.
On the forenoon of said date my house was fired upon, entered and
pillaged and burned. This was dona by armed men acting under and obeying
the orders of the officers of the Government of Hayti; it was done
without the slightest provocation on my part or the part of my
household; it was not done ignorantly nor through
[Page 317]
mistake; it was not an accident. It was
done with intent and purpose, arranged and determined beforehand.
It was done with the most perfect knowledge; for example, the officers of
the Government and the authorities in general knew that I occupied the
house in which I’ was found when the attack was made on my house and
property, my family, and my person.
They passed by my house the day before and the morning of the 23d, and
declared’ to me on their honor that if we remained in the house we would
not be injured.
Not only did we not provoke the attack, but we did, on the other hand,
take all the precaution possible to prevent it. We swung from the
balcony the American flag, which still waves from the wall and over the
ruins of the house in which we lived, bearing silent testimony to the
fact that Americans occupied it.
We have already said that our house was entered, we repeat, by soldiers
armed, with machetes, guns, revolvers, knives, clubs, and swords; more
than one hundred thus armed entered my house; they drew their swords on
me; they cocked and pointed their guns at me; they avowed with uplifted
hands and dreadful oaths their intentions to kill me; but, thanks be to
God, through the intervention of Providence and a man who was well
disposed, we made our escape into the street.
Three persons, however, before we left the house, were shot in it, viz:
Mrs. Pizo, a lady engaged to remain with my wife until after her
confinement, and her son, both Spanish subjects; also another little boy
about six or eight years old, a British subject, who formerly attended
our day school, was shot. He died from the effects the next day. We lost
everything, house furniture, school furniture, clothes, provisions,
piano, books, jewelry, records, and money.
What they did not carry off they destroyed and burned. As we were leaving
the house, in the greatest distress, they pulled out of our hands small
packages containing valuables. They set the house on fire before it was
possible to get out of it, and when we did get out it was with the
greatest difficulty we reached the American legation.
Myself and my wife, who was expecting every day to be confined, and was
confined four days later, were abused and assaulted in the streets; our
clothes were torn by the hands of soldiers.
The few friendly persons who were doing all they could to protect us gave
up in despair and pushed us into a house, where the door was open,
saying we can protect you no longer. A few moments after we entered the
house the soldiers outside began to fire on it.
Seeing and believing that our persons and lives were entirely insecure we
resolved; to leave the house into which we had been thrust for
protection and try, if possible, to reach the American legation.
On our way we were surrounded and followed by soldiers crying for our
blood and declaring their intention to kill us. They pushed their
revolvers in our faces and drew their machetes ever our persons. Two
different times I snatched from my breast the muzzle of the gun
violently thrust there by the strong arms of the soldiers of the
Government.
My wife was dragged and hauled in the streets until her strength failed
her, and; on reaching the legation she fell from sheer exhaustion.
It is impossible to say at the present moment to what extent both my wife
and infant baby have been injured by the terrible deeds perpetrated in
my house, and; the ill treatment she received in the streets of
Port-au-Prince, the details of which are herein recorded.
Respectfully yours,
C. W. MOSSELL,
Missionary of the A. M.
E. Church, and Superintendent of the Missions of said Church in
Hayti.
I solemnly declare that I am a citizen of the United States of
America, born 8th June, 1849, in Baltimore, Md.
