Mr. Prate to Mr. Blaine.
Teheran , June 4, 1890. (Received July 12.)
Sir: I have the honor to report that yesterday, the 3d instant, I had an interview with the prime minister, His Highness the Eminé Soultan, in which, after submitting to His Highness the account of the murderous assault made upon Mrs. Wright and the pursuit and capture of the assailant, as related in the letters from Rev. John N. Wright and Consul-General Stewart, of which copies were inclosed to you in my dispatch No. 459 of the same day, I requested that orders be given by telegraph to transfer the prisoner Minas to Tabreez, there to be tried in the presence of Consul-General Stewart, as my representative in the case, and that the governor of Salmas be brought to task for not having prevented the escape of the criminal in the first instance.
His Highness replied that the desired telegraphic instructions for the transfer of the criminal to Tabreez for trial would be immediately sent forward, and that he should at once give orders for the punishment of the governor of Salmas for neglect of duty.
Last night, after leaving His Highness, I was shocked to receive a telegram from Colonel Stewart, which (translated from the Persian) read as follows:
Mrs. Wright died from the effect of her wounds on the 1st instant. Order the criminal sent to Tabreez.
The above I at once communicated to the prime minister, who expressed profound regret at the news and stated that orders for the prisoner’s transfer to Tabreez for trial had already gone forward.
This I accordingly telegraphed to Colonel Stewart, at Ooroomeeyah, adding the request that he represent me in the prosecution of the case upon his return to his Tabreez post, which same he has telegraphed back his readiness to do, stating that he will in all probability reach Tabreez as soon as the prisoner.
At the same time, in order that you might be apprised forthwith of the serious turn of affairs, I sent you the cable message following:
Mrs. Wright dead. Criminal under arrest awaiting trial.
Pratt.
In closing, I think it proper to call your special attention to the fact that immediately on learning of Mrs. Wright’s death Sir Henry Drummond Wolff, the British minister here, upon his own initiative, telegraphed Consul-General Stewart at Ooroomeeyah to repair as soon as possible to Tabreez, there to follow out such instructions as I should give him concerning the case in question.
This action of the British minister, wholly unsolicited on my part, can not fail, I think, to be appreciated by our Government.
I have, etc.,