Mr. Pratt to Mr.
Blaine.
Legation of
the United States,
Teheran, June 25, 1890.
(Received July 26.)
No. 464.]
Sir: I have the honor respectfully to submit for
your consideration the accompanying copies of correspondence (inclosures
Nos. 1, 2, 3, and
[Page 671]
4) that has
passed between Consul-General Stewart and myself relative to the trial at
Tabreez of Mrs. Wright’s assassin since my dispatch No. 463 of the 18th
instant.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 464.]
Colonel Stewart to
Mr. Pratt.
British
Consulate-General,
Tabreez, June 14,
1890.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge your
telegram of the 1st instant, as follows:
“Your telegram and dispatch received. Think criminal should he tried and
executed at Tabreez. Have written reasons.”
I have not as yet received the dispatch you mention in the above
telegram, but I quite agree that the prisoner Minas should be executed
at Tabreez. At the time I suggested he should be flogged at Tabreez and
then undergo a long term of imprisonment at Teheran Mrs. Wright had not
died and the circumstances were quite different. It was only on my
return to Tabreez that I heard that Mrs. Wright had actually died in
giving birth to a dead child. She was so weak and ill from the great
loss of blood from her wounds and was in so critical a condition from
them that she could not bear a confinement. Dr. Bradford, of the
Presbyterian Mission, was with her the last 24 hours.
There has been a preliminary inquiry at the foreign office here in my
presence, the prisoner Minas being brought in. He has, up to the last
few days, been quite free in confessing the murder of Mrs. Wright by
him, and I hoped that he could be condemned on his own confession.
Before the court, however, though he was as sharp as possible in every
other way, he declared that his mind was a complete blank as to Mr. and
Mrs. Wright, and that all events for the period about the murder had
faded from his memory. Of course, this is mere nonsense, but it forces
me to prove the murder by witnesses. I have plenty of witnesses and have
summoned from Ooroomeeyah where they now are, Mr. Mechlin, who sewed up
Mrs. Wright’s wounds; Mr. Theodore, Mrs. Wright’s brother, who was in
the next room when Mrs. Wright was stabbed; his wife, Phœbe, who was
actually in the room at the time; and the doorkeeper, who saw Minas run
away with the dagger in his hand.
I have asked that Mr. Wright should, if possible, come, though I have not
pressed it, as I think I have ample evidence without him.
This matter will only, I hope, delay the taking of evidence for a few
days. I shall do my best to get the matter settled as speedily as
possible.
I have, etc.,
C. E. Stewart,
Colonel, Her Majesty’s Consul-General,
Tabreez.
[Inclosure 2 in No. 464.]
Mr. Pratt to
Colonel Stewart.
Legation of the United States,
Teheran, June 21,
1890.
Sir: I have received your dispatch of the 14th
instant, acknowledging the receipt of my telegram of the 12th, and note
what you say of the prisoner Minas on the occasion of the preliminary
examination held in your presence, affecting to be entirely oblivious of
Mr. and Mrs. Wright and of all events that occurred at the time of the
latter’s assassination.
From this it would appear as though the accused hoped to escape the
penalty of his crime on the ground of having been non
compos mentis when the deed was committed.
Such a plea I should, of course, consider wholly inadmissible under the
circumstances, but since the defense may advance it comme demière ressource, and it is not likely that in any
event the prisoner can be further induced to testify against himself, I
can only commend your course in summoning Mr. Mechlin, Mr. and Mrs.
Theodore, and Mr. Wright to appear as witnesses for the prosecution, and
would again advise that the woman Asli, the criminal’s alleged paramour,
be also subpoenaed for the same purpose.
I am, etc.,
[Page 672]
[Inclosure 3 in No. 464.]
Colonel Stewart to
Mr. Pratt.
British
Consulate-General,
Tabreez, June 18,
1890.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of Your Excellency’s dispatch No. 1, dated 12th June, 1890.
You are quite correct in thinking that my dispatch of the 31st May,
suggesting that the murderer Minas should be taken to Teheran to undergo
a long term of imprisonment, after having been severely flogged in
Tabreez as an example, was written before Mrs. Wright’s death and when I
hoped she was likely to recover from the severe wounds inflicted on her.
She did not die until the 1st June.
There is now only one course open, as directed in your telegram of the
12th instant, the receipt of which I have already acknowledged in my
dispatch of the 14th instant, viz, that the criminal should be tried and
executed at Tabreez as an example and warning to others. I am awaiting
the arrival of the witnesses from Ooroomeeyah to proceed with the
prosecution of Minas.
I will, as suggested in your dispatch now under reply, cause the
assassin’s alleged paramour to be summoned as a witness. I can not
myself summon her, as she is a Persian subject and now living at her
home near Ooroomeeyah.
You may feel certain I will press the case and do my best to obtain the
execution of the assassin Minas without any unavoidable delay.
I have, etc.,
C. E. Stewart,
Colonel, Her Majesty’s Consul-General,
Tabreez.
[Inclosure 4 in No. 464.]
Mr. Pratt to
Colonel Stewart.
Legation of the United States,
Teheran, June 25,
1890.
Sir: I have now your dispatch of the 18th
instant, in which you mention having received my No. 1 of the 12th and
note that you are only awaiting the arrival of the witnesses summoned
from Ooroomeeyah to proceed with the trial of the prisoner Minas, Mrs.
Wright’s assassin.
I am curious to know if, as on the occasion of the preliminary
examination referred to in your dispatch of the 14th, the prisoner still
continues affecting entire unconsciousness as regards all events
connected with, or which occurred at the time of, the perpetration of
his crime.
I am, etc.,
