Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 1, 1890
Mr. Pratt to Mr. Blaine.
Teheran , June 25, 1890. (Received July 26.)
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.,
Colonel Stewart to Mr. Pratt.
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.,
Colonel, Her Majesty’s Consul-General, Tabreez.
Mr. Pratt to Colonel Stewart.
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.,
Colonel Stewart to Mr. Pratt.
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.,
Colonel, Her Majesty’s Consul-General, Tabreez.
Mr. Pratt to Colonel Stewart.
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.,