Mr. Smythe to Mr.
Gresham.*
Legation of the United States,
Port au Prince, Haiti, January
22, 1894.
(Received January 29.)
No. 6.]
Sir: I inclose herewith the testimony forwarded
to me by Consul Meade, relating to the incident at Azua. This shows the
affair practically as reported to me by the commander of the Kearsarge, and is the only official intelligence
I have received except the brief dispatch which I forwarded to you.
It seems right to consider, first, that the vessel was anchored at a
closed port; second, that the whole countryside was in arms trying to
apprehend or prevent the escape of the parties who had assassinated the
governor of the province; and, third, that the mate, instead of
proceeding boldly to the shore and making inquiries as soon as he saw a
few men with arms in their hands turned the bow of his boat to the
vessel and retreated, thus confirming the suspicions of the ignorant
soldiery in the belief that the vessel was either concerned in the
uprising or was there (in a closed port) to carry away the assassins of
the governor.
I have unofficial information that the mate is well, and the seaman,
Smith (who, it seems, is a Swede), is recovering rapidly.
I have, etc.,
P. S.—I have just learned that it will be impossible to copy the
evidence, etc., for this mail, and hence I send this dispatch to
give the Department an idea of the situation. My opinion is that no
discourtesy was intended to our flag, but think a reasonable
indemnity should be demanded for the wounded sailors, unless the
circumstances debar them from remuneration.
The papers will follow in next mail, and can then be connected with
this dispatch.
Very truly, your friend and servant,
[Page 217]
[Inclosure 1 in No. 6.]
Mr. Meade to
Mr. Smythe.
United States Consulate,
Santo Domingo, December 30, 1893.
Sir: I inclose you here with copies of the
depositions of the master, mate, and sailor (with accompanying
medical certificate) of the American schooner Henry Crosby, who were connected in the recent shooting
affair at Azua, and an account of which has been telegraphed you as
received from Consular Agent Hardy at that port.
I have, etc.,
[
l. s.]
John R. Meade,
United States
Consul, Santo Domingo
.
[Inclosure 2 in No. 6.]
Mr. Hardy to
Mr. Meade.
United States Consular Agency,
Azua, December 26, 1893.
No. 71.
Sir: Your dispatch No. 2, dated December
16, received and contents noted.
According to instructions I inclose copy of depositions made at this
consular agency by A. F. Stubbs, master, William H. Brooks, first
mate, and Charles Smith, seaman, all belonging to the American
schooner Henry Crosby, now lying at this
place, the originals of said depositions being entered and sworn to
in the record hooks in this office. I also inclose certificate of
medical attendant regarding nature of wound received by the
above-named Charles Smith on the 10th day of December last.
You will observe that there is an unimportant addition to the
captain’s declaration. This was added at the request of the
authorities here, who desired Captain Stubbs to sign a declaration
drawn up by them which did not recognize the fact of the vessel’s
national flag being displayed. To avoid dispute I advised Captain
Stubbs to send a copy of his declaration to the consular agency,
which was done in the form inclosed. In explanation of the Dominican
Government’s wish that the master certify to the fact that he was
anchored outside the limits of any port, I may mention that Azua and
Baralrona are the only two ports in this section where foreign
vessels are allowed to enter unless under special permit from the
Government. Captain Stubbs was misled by the information he received
in New York regarding the situation of Azua, and it is to be
regretted that he did not provide himself with a United States
hydrographic chart of 1886, or sailing directions from the same
office, published in 1892, before leaving New York. The arrival of
the Henry Crosby occurred while the country
was in a state of unrest. The governor-general of the province and
Bara Huna having been assassinated on the Sunday previous, the whole
population was under arms to prevent the escape of the murderers,
and by some error the authorities were advised that the vessel
reported at anchor on the coast was from Bara Huna, hence the
dispatch of an armed force to watch her motions. Of course a
moment’s consideration ought to have convinced the authorities that
a vessel engaged in any illegal — would hardly anchor in the middle
of the day and remain twenty-seven hours within rifle shot of the
beach with her colors flying. In any case, the dispatch of an armed
force in a boat from, as afterwards was done, would resolve any
suspicions that existed.
The seaman Charles Smith is progressing favorably. Trusting
inclosures will be found satisfactory, etc.,
John Hardy,
United States Consular
Agent
.
[Inclosure 3 in No. 6.]
Deposition of William H. Brooks.
United States Consular Agency,
Azua, December 22, 1893.
Be it known that on the 22d day of December, 1893, personally
appeared before me, John Hardy, consular agent for the United States
of America for the port of Azua, William H. Brooks, chief officer of
the American schooner Henry Crosby, who
maketh the following declaration and answers under oath;
[Page 218]
That the said William H. Brooks is an American citizen with residence
in Rockland, Me.; that he has been attached to the American schooner
Henry Crosby upward of one year; that he
left New York in the said schooner in the capacity of mate on 24th
November last.
That on the 10th day of December, while the vessel was lying at
anchor off what was supposed to be the port of Azua, at 11.30 a.m.,
he received an order from A. J. Stubbs, the master of the vessel, to
take two seamen in the small boat to ascertain if the vessel was
really in the port of Azua, with the additional order not to land.
That in obeying these instructions the boat was taken within hailing
distance of the shore, where two men were observed and the question
asked, “Is this the port of Azua?” Understanding them to give an
affirmative answer, and further alarmed by the sudden appearance of
a large body of armed men, the order was given to pull back to the
vessel; immediately the men on the beach opened lire on the boat,
great numbers of bullets falling near to and passing through the
planking of the boat, one of the latter striking him, the deponent,
on the hip and for the moment disabling him.
That up to the time of the firing no intimation which he could
understand had been given him, that he was desired to land,
consequently he carried out the orders given by the master of the
vessel, and seated with his back to the shore he was unable to see
the soldiers making ready to fire, and with the first volley he
became disabled. After a time, finding that one of his boat’s crew
was dangerously wounded and the other in hiding, by a great effort
he took to the oars in the endeavor to get the boat out of range or
on the other side of the vessel. In this he succeeded.
That he further declares that the schooner Henry
Crosby held no other communication with the shore from the
time of his leaving New York, and that during the time of the vessel
lying at anchor off the Boca de Jura the national flag was displayed
from sunrise to sunset, and that at the time of the firing the flag
on the ship was plainly discernible.
To the above declaration the said William H. Brooks subscribes his
name and maketh oath the day and date above written.
Wm. H. Brooks.
This declaration made and sworn to before me this 22d day of
December, 1893.
John Hardy,
United States Consular Agent.
United States Consular
Agency,
Azua, December 26,
1893.
I, John Hardy, consular agent of the United States of America, do
hereby certify that this is a true copy of the original on the
record book of this agency. Given under my hand and seal the day,
month, and year mentioned.
John Hardy,
United States Consular
Agent
.
[Inclosure 4 in No. 6.]
Deposition of Charles Smith.
United States Consular Agency,
Azua, December 23, 1893.
Be it known that on the 23d day of December, 1893, the following
declaration was made and sworn to by Charles Smith, seaman,
belonging to the American schooner Henry
Crosby, of Bangor, Me., the said Charles Smith being
confined to his bed on account of a wound received in the line of
his duty as seaman on board the said vessel. Said Charles Smith
makes declaration that he is a native of Sweden, but has sailed in
American vessels for upward of three years past.
He further declares that he sailed from New York in the
above-mentioned vessel in the capacity of able seaman on the 24th
day of November last; that nothing of importance occurred until the
10th day of December, the ship then lying at anchor off the coast of
Santo Domingo. Shortly before noon of the above date the deponent
was ordered to go into the boat, and accordingly pulled toward the
shore, with Seaman Johnson pulling and the chief officer, Mr.
Brooks, steering. When within hailing distance of the shore, the
mate turned the boat’s bow toward the vessel and then the mate
ordered us to stop rowing. The mate then asked some man on
shore—speaking in English, “If this was the port of Azua?” Whatever
answer was given was not understood by me.
During this conversation I noticed a number of men issuing from the
bush, armed with rifles and big knives, and called the mate’s
attention to it. The mate then gave
[Page 219]
the order to give way on the oars. Almost at
the same moment the men on shore commenced firing, the balls
dropping in and around boat in great quantity. Very soon afterwards
I saw the mate fall from his seat, face forward, to the bottom of
the boat, Johnson having stopped his oar and hid in the bottom of
the boat. I seized the two oars and endeavored to pull on board, but
very soon receiving a bullet in the front of the thigh, which passed
through and left my body at the posterior, and, getting faint from
pain and loss of blood, I, too, abandoned the oars and later was
hoisted on board and my injuries temporarily dressed by the
captain.
Charles Smith further maketh declaration that the ship held no
communication with the shore of Santo Domingo than as above stated,
and that during the time of the firing on the boat the flag of the
vessel was plainly discernible.
To all of which the said Charles Smith declares on oath that the
statement is true.
Charles Smith.
This declaration made and sworn to before me on the 23d day of
December, 1893.
John Hardy,
United States Consular Agent.
United States Consular
Agency,
Azua, December 26,
1893.
I, John Hardy, consular agent of the United States of America at
Azua, do hereby certify that this is a true copy of the original on
the record book of this agency. Given under my hand and seal the day
and date ad supra.
John Hardy,
United States Consular
Agent
.
[Inclosure 5 in No. 6.]
Deposition of Capt. A. F. Stubbs.
United States Consular Agency,
Azua, December 22, 1893.
Be it known that on the 22d day of December, 1893, personally
appeared before me, John Hardy, consular agent of the United States
of America at the port of Azua, A. F. Stubbs, master of American
schooner Henry Crosby, who makes the
following declaration and answer under oath:
That the said A. F. Stubbs is a citizen of the United States, with
residence in Brooklyn, N. Y.; that as master of schooner Henry Crosby he sailed from the port of New
York, bound for the port of Azua, and that nothing of importance
occurred until the morning of the 9th day of December, when the
vessel was off Salina Point. Acting under the best information he
could obtain before leaving New York, and also consulting the chart
used by him on board, he was led to believe that Azua was about 15
miles distant in a northwest direction; with the sea breeze a
corresponding course was steered until he supposed himself opposite
the inland town of Azua, when the anchor was dropped at 1.30 p.m.,
in 6 fathoms of water, and the colors kept flying in expectation of
a visit from custom-house authorities, the tend of the shore showing
an indentation of a small port; that the colors were kept flying
during daylight of the 9th and hoisted at sunrise Sunday, the 10th;
that at 11.30 a.m. of the 10th, no communication having been
received from the shore, and observing two or three men on the
beach, he ordered William H. Brooks, first mate of the vessel, to
take the small boat with two seamen and approach near enough and
hail if it was the port of Azua or not, but on no account to
land.
Watching the mate, he saw him get near to the beach and turn the bow
of his boat seaward. After apparently changing speech with the men
on shore, the men in the boat commenced to pull toward the ship.
That during the time of the mate’s speaking with the men on shore he
was surprised to see a great number of armed men issue from the
woods, probably thirty or forty, and the moment the boat commenced
to move toward the ship they opened fire on the boat, the result
being that the mate, William H. Brooks, having been struck on the
hip by a ball which had probably passed through the woodwork of the
boat and thus lost a great part of its force, fell from his seat.
His injury proved to be a large contusion. The man pulling the after
oar hid himself in the bottom of the boat, and Charles Smith,
seaman, the bow oar, was shot so severely that he fell from his
seat. The crew of the boat being apparently totally disabled the
troops on shore opened fire on the ship, the rifle balls passing
through the rigging and some few landing on deck, so that it became
necessary to order the rest of the crew below for safety.
[Page 220]
The said A. F. Stubbs further declares that during his voyage he held
no communication with the shore and was engaged in peaceful and
lawful occupation. To all which he affirms under oath the day and
date above mentioned.
A. F. Stubbs,
Master of American Schooner Henry Crosby.
This declaration was made and sworn to
before me the 22d
day of December, 1893.
John Hardy,
United States Consular Agent.
addition.
As the clause concerning the anchorage of the schooner Henry Crosby is deemed not sufficiently
clear, it is acknowledged that through bad information and
unacquaintance, the vessel was anchored in a part of the coast not
recognized as a port of entry and uninhabitable.
A. F. Stubbs.
I certify to the above signature.
John Hardy,
United States Consular Agent.
United States Consular
Agency,
Azua, December 26,
1895.
I, John Hardy, consular agent of the United States of America at
Azua, certify that this is a true copy of the original on the record
books of this agency.
Given under my hand and seal the day, month, and year above
written.
John Hardy,
United States Consular
Agent
.
