Mr. Egan to Mr.
Blaine.
Legation of
the United States,
Santiago, November 9, 1891.
(Received December 14.)
No. 223.]
Sir: Inclosed I have the honor to hand copy of
letter received from the United States consul at Valparaiso, dated 4th
instant (inclosure No. 1) transmitting to me copy of his letter to the
intendente of Valparaiso of same date, giving particulars of complaints made
by Patrick Shields, fireman on board the United States steamer Keweenaw, of the brutal treatment which he says had
been inflicted upon him by the police after he was arrested on a charge of
drunkenness. I also inclose the medical report of Dr. Stephen S. White, of
the Baltimore (inclosure No. 2), copy of letter from
United States consul of 5th instant inclosing copy of reply from the
intendente (inclosure 3), and a further letter, dated 7th instant, from the
consul (inclosure No. 4), stating that chief of police says that the name of
Shields does not appear upon the books of the police station, which confirms
Shields statement that he was put on the streets to work and subjected to
the bad treatment of which he complains without having been brought before
any court or judge, although the constitution of Chile provides that all
persons arrested must be brought before the judge of crime within
twenty-four hours from the time of the arrest.
I fully informed you of this case by telegram on 7th instant.
Whatever may prove to be the real facts of the case, the man is very badly
injured, and the consul will lose no time in pressing forward the
investigation.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 223.]
Mr. McCreery to Mr.
Egan.
Consulate of the United States,
Valparaiso, November 4,
1891.
Sir: I inclose herewith for your information
copy of a communication this day sent by me to the intendente of this
province, and also copy of a letter written by Stephen S. White, M. D.,
to Capt. Schley of the U. S. S. Baltimore and by
him referred to me.
Very respectfully, etc.,
Wm. B. McCreery,
United States Consul
[Page 222]
[Inclosure.]
Mr. McCreery to
the intendente of
Valparaiso.
Consulate of the United States,
Valparaiso, November 4, 1891.
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that on
yesterday morning Patrick Shields, a fireman belonging to the
American steamer Keweenaw, presented himself
at this consulate and made complaints in substance as follows:
“On the 24th day of October I was given liberty by the captain of the
Keweenaw to come on shore; the same day I
was arrested by the city police and placed in prison; on the way to
jail the policeman struck and kicked me several times. Subsequently,
I was released from jail and again arrested, and while in jail was
kicked and beaten by the police and inmates of the jail. While there
I repeatedly made application to see the United States consul or the
captain of my vessel, and was denied. I was finally released on the
evening of the 2d instant, without being able to ascertain the cause
of my arrest, and was never brought before any court or charged with
any crime or misdemeanor. The first night I slept on the hill, in
the open air, and was told that an American citizen’s life was not
safe in Valparaiso. I am in need of medical attention, and apply to
the consul for relief.”
I immediately sent him on board his vessel and requested Capt.
Schley, of the U. S. S. Baltimore, to send a
surgeon to administer to his wants, who reports to me that this
seaman’s injuries are of a very serious nature.
I hereby request of your excellency that an immediate investigation
be made as to the facts and circumstances attending the injury and
treatment of this man, and that the United States consul, or some
one by him designated, may be present when such investigation is
made.
I await your excellency’s reply, and have the honor to be, etc.,
Wm. B. McCreery,
United States Consul.
[Inclosure 2 in No. 223.]
Dr. White to Capt.
Schley.
U. S. S. Baltimore,
Valparaiso, November 3,
1891.
Sir: In obedience to your order of 3d instant,
I have examined Patrick Shields, a fireman belonging to the Keweenaw, and a citizen of the United States, and
find his condition as follows, viz:
A severe contusion on back of head, small cut over right eye, and his
body so severely bruised, back and front, from nape of neck to the end
of spine, as to render him unfit for duty for several weeks. He says: “I
was walking along the street on October 29, when a policeman came up and
said, ‘you are drunk.’ I denied it, but he arrested me, and on the way
to the jail struck me several times. I was put in jail with about 150
Chileans, who kicked me and beat me and said that no American or
Englishman can live in this country.
“I was released the next morning without a hearing, and was again
arrested during the day, why, I do not know, and was treated the same as
before. I was put in a gang of workmen and made to sweep the streets,
and if I stopped a minute was clubbed and kicked. They gave me very
little food while under arrest, and finally released me without any
knowing why they had arrested me.”
Very respectfully,
Stephen S. White,
Passed Assistant Surgeon, U. S.
N.
U. S. S.
Baltimore (First
Rate),
Valparaiso, November 4,
1891.
Respectfully referred to United States Consul Wm. B. McCreery, in
accordance with his letter and for his information.
W. S. Schley,
Captain Commanding.
[Page 223]
[Inclosure 3 in No. 223.]
Mr. McCreery to Mr.
Egan.
Consulate of the United States,
Valparaiso, November 5,
1891.
Sir: I herewith transmit for your information a
copy of a communication I have to-day received from the governor of the
province of Valparaiso in relation to the case of Patrick Shields, a
fireman of American steamer Keweenaw.
I am, etc.,
Wm. B. McCreery,
United States Consul.
P. S.—I have not yet heard from the judge of crime in reference to
the above matter.
[Inclosure—Translation.]
The intendente of
Valparaiso to Mr. McCreery.
Intendencia of Valparaiso,
Valparaiso, November 4,
1891.
I have received your official letter of this date in reference to the
case of the seaman Patrick Shields, a fireman of the steamer Keweenaw, of the United States merchant
marine, and inclosing the report made to you by said fireman with
regard to the ill treatment of which he was the victim while on
shore.
I have this day transmitted your letter to the judge of crime, asking
him to take proceedings for the most prompt and thorough
investigation of the acts denounced; also desiring the judge to
consider the propriety of causing the city physician to identify
Shields, and testify as to his condition and the wounds which he is
said to have received.
God be with you.
[Inclosure 4 in No. 223.]
Mr. McCreery to Mr.
Egan.
Consulate of the United States,
Valparaiso, November 7,
1891.
Sir: Upon inquiry made by this consulate from
the chief of police of this city concerning Patrick Shields, a fireman
belonging to the American steamer Keweenaw, I
learn that this official reported that he did not find Shields’s name on
the books at the police station; that if Shields has been arrested by
the police authorities it must have been for drunkenness, and that when
people are arrested for such offense and are not accused of any
additional offense which would require their appearance before the judge
of crimes their names are not entered in said books.
There is, however, in my opinion, no doubt that Shields was arrested by
the police authorities and confined in prison, as he states. The above
facts corroborate his statement that he was not brought before any
court.
I am, etc.,
Wm. B. McCreery,
United States Consul.
