Mr. Romero to Mr.
Gresham.
[Translation.]
Legation of Mexico,
Washington, January 15,
1894. (Received January 18.)
Mr. Secretary: I have the honor to forward to
you a copy of a report of the special boundary commission (Mesa especial), of the department of foreign
relations of Mexico, from which it appears that the authorities of Texas
are performing acts of jurisdiction on the Banco Yela, in violation of
the agreement concluded between the Government of Mexico and that of the
United States to submit this incident, for examination, to the
International Boundary Commission organized under the convention of
March 1, 1889, and in contravention of the express stipulations of the
said convention.
The annexed copy contains all the data relative to this matter, and in
view of them the Government of Mexico has instructed me to present a
complaint to that of the United States, and to request it to obtain from
the authorities of Texas the release of Rómulo Sanchez, the exercise of
jurisdiction over that Banco which led to his arrest having been
unwarranted, pending the adoption of a proper decision by the
International Boundary Commission, and by both Governments in turn, in
conformity with the aforesaid convention of March 1, 1889.
Accept, etc.,
[Inclosure.—Translation.]
[Department of state and office of foreign relations,
section of America, Asia, and Oceanica. Special boundary commission.
No. 540. Question of Banco Vela.]
Notwithstanding the fact that no decision has yet been pronounced
concerning the right of jurisdiction over the Banco Cuauhtemoc, in
the municipality of Reynosa, on the River Bravo, which, because of a
change in the current, has passed to the American side, the
authorities of Texas have again appropriated it, as stated by the
governor of the State of Tamaulipas in his note of November 29,
1893, which occasions this report.
By a letter from the auxiliary judge of Reynosa, the governor of that
State was informed that the American citizen Miller had, on the 24th
of September, crossed to the Mexican bank and entered by force the
dwelling of Vela, notifying the person in charge of it, Rómulo
Sanchez, to vacate it at once, leaving there the fourth part of the
crops as the price of the rent of the land, threatening, if he
disobeyed these orders, to imprison him in the jail at Hidalgo,
which threat was carried out on the 21st of October, the
apprehending parties refusing to take an inventory of the goods
which, under summons, Sanchez had to deliver, as he had been
notified by the Mexican authority.
Rómulo Sanchez has been sentenced to pay a fine of $100 and to remain
in prison until he and his employer wholly relinquish possession of
the Banco Cuauhtemotzin to the Salinas, as is shown by the
inclosnres to the note of the governor of Tamaulipas, a résumé of which I give below for the
elucidation of this report.
From these documents it appears that the district court of the county
of Hidalgo
[Page 392]
commenced its
regular sessions on the 2d of October of this year, and that in
several successive sessions the following points were decided:
- 1.
- To declare (October 4) that the claimants, Patricio Pérez
and Martina Salinas de Pérez, had a right to be heard, and
to institute proceedings against the defendant, Antonio H.
Vela, for the possession of a lot which is said to belong to
the county of Hidalgo, Tex., and for a part of the
concession of lands by the vice-royal Government to José
Maria Tijerina, the declaration of the said court
determining the limits of the lot of the former jurisdiction
of Reynosa, and to adjudge the lands and their appurtenances
to Pérez and his wife, to which end the issuance was granted
of the necessary orders for taking possession and its
confirmation, prohibiting Vela and his associates from any
interference on said lands that might disturb or molest the
claimants or their agents, employés, tenants, and servants,
either in the possession or use or enjoyment of them, and
finally sentencing said Vela to pay the costs of the
suit.
- 2.
- To decree, the same day, that the British-American
mortgage company might recover from the accused, Antonio H.
Vela, a piece of land situated 22 miles north of the county
of Hidalgo, which is the ground disputed and described in
the petition of the claimant, known by the name of section
45, originally conceded to Miguel Cano by the Spanish
Government. It appears that this land has formed the subject
of another dispute, which has been submitted to the
jurisdictional action of the government of Texas, and which
will, in due time, be decided by the international
commission.
- 3.
- To order the arrest (October 17) and to sentence Rómulo
Sanchez, an employé of Vela, to pay a fine of $100 for
having disobeyed the order of the court, and to remain in
the public jail at Hidalgo until he and his employer
relinquish to the plaintiff absolute and entire possession
and control of the Banco.
Washington, January 15, 1894.
A copy.
