Legation of
the United States,
Lima,
Peru, August 7, 1885. (Received
September 4.)
No. 22.]
Referring again to your No. 129, of May 29, commending action of Mr. Phelps
in the Owen Young case, I regret I have to report that, although a
communication has long been promised, to which fact I referred in my No. 17,
nothing from the foreign office has been received on the subject at this
legation. In view, of this fact, on the 4th instant I addressed a note to
the minister of foreign relations, of which I inclose a copy.
[Inclosure in No. 22.]
Mr. Buck to Mr.
Urrutia.
Legation of the United States,
Lima, August 4,
1885.
Sir: I regret that I have to call the attention
of your excellency to the fact that no reply has been received at this
legation to the note written hy the late minister, of the United States,
dated April 28, 1885.
[Page 608]
I respectfully suggest to your excellency that former communications from
this legation have placed the Government of Peru in possession of the
facts respecting the assassination of Owen Young, an American citizen,
at the hacienda of Tecapa, September 27, 1884, and even the names of
witnesses have been supplied to facilitate the ends of justice.
Perhaps I should suggest that my Government approves of the vigorous note
directed to your excellency, by the late minister, Mr. Phelps, on the
date above referred to, and I regret that the continued silence of your
excellency on the subject, seems to render it necessary for me to urge
it upon your attention. With, however, the warmest hope that I soon may
be able to report to my Government that the criminal who committed the
murder has been punished, and such poor recompense has been made in the
shape of a moneyed indemnity to the family of the victim as seems
proper.
My Government feels profound concern respecting this affair, for immunity
of the murder of Owen Young from due punishment can but be regarded as
an evidence that American citizens are insecure in both life and
property in Peru. For the honor and advancement of this Republic, if I
may be permitted to express that concern resulting from a sincere
friendship on the part of my Government, as well as for the interests of
our own citizens, anxiety is felt that the criminal should be
apprehended and punished, and that reparation should be made to the
murdered man’s family.
Instructions under very recent date from my Government advise that its
minister here “take occasion to remind his excellency that a continued
failure of justice in this case cannot well fail to bring the matter to
the attention of the Representatives of the United States in Congress
assembled.
I seize, &c.,
