No. 442.
Mr. S. L. Phelps to Mr.
Bayard.
Legation of
the United States,
Lima, May 1, 1885. (Received May
26.)
No. 238.]
Sir: Inclosed herewith is a copy of a letter
addressed by me to the minister of foreign relations in regard to the
assassin of Owen Young.
[Page 599]
Mr. Urrutia, in interviews, has uniformly stated that he was expecting
replies to inquiries made by him of the court at Pacasmayo. If such have
been received they have not been made known to me.
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure in No. 238.]
Mr. S. L. Phelps to
Mr. Urrutia.
Legation of the United States,
Lima, April 28,
1885.
Sir: I have had the honor to speak with your
excellency several times, asking for information concerning the action
of the courts at Pacasmayo relative to the assassination of Owen Young
at the hacienda of Tecapa, and I feel it to be an imperative duty to
insist upon prompt and vigorous action, which has hitherto been wanting
on the part of the Government of Peru, to secure the punishment of the
criminal.
Dispatches from my Government reveal an anxiety and clear purpose in
respect to his condemnation and to the indemnification of the dead man’s
family. It should be apparent to your excellency how simple the
investigation really is, the search for the man being confined to one
hundred men in the Government service, one of whom commits a brutal and
wanton murder in the presence of more or less of his comrades. The men
are all soldiers, and therefore known to their commander. He and they
are all accomplices while concealing the perpetrator of the crime and
failing to give information regarding him. Had it been the real purpose
of the authorities at Pacasmayo, civil or military, to bring the man to
trial, he would have been condemned by court-martial long since for his
more than brutal crime.
I greatly regret the need there is to use urgent terms, but I feel that
the case is perfectly clear and that all the circumstances attending the
crime call for its fullest satisfaction, while the safety of foreign
residents in Peru will be greatly jeopardized should the assassin escape
the penalty of death.
I avail, &c.,
