Mr. Olney to Baron Fava.

No. 43.]

Excellency: Referring to previous correspondence and your interview with the Acting Secretary of State on the 6th instant, relative to the nationality of the three miners of Italian origin killed near Walsenburg, Colo., in March last, I have the honor to inclose a copy of a letter from the governor of that State, transmitting one from the clerk of the district court of Huerfano County, from which it appears that Ronchietto and Vittone had taken out their first papers, but had not completed their naturalization as American citizens, and that there is no evidence that Danino or Danenio had taken any steps to throw off his Italian allegiance.

Accept, etc.,

Richard Olney.
[Inclosure.]

Governor McIntire to Mr. Uhl.

Sir: I have the honor to inclose a statement by the clerk of the district court of Huerfano County, giving the facts as he ascertained them concerning the citizenship of certain Italians killed at Walsenburg. All the information obtained inclines me to believe that the clerk’s statement is correct.

I have, etc.,

Albert W. McIntire, Governor.
[Inclosure No. 2.]

Mr. Roof, cleric of court, to Governor McIntire.

Dear Sir: I am advised by the Hon. Jesse G. Northcutt, judge of the third judicial district of this State, that you desire such information as has been obtained concerning the citizenship of the three Italians recently killed in this county by a mob, and herewith I have the honor to submit such information as I have obtained from the records of this court and inspection of the coroner’s records, and from conversation had with the coroner holding the inquests and the deputy district attorney appearing on behalf of the people.

The names of the three persons killed were Francesco Ronchietto, Stanislao Vittoni, and Lorenzo Danenio. Of these Ronchietto declared his intention to become a citizen of the United States before the clerk of this court on July 7, 1894, the record of which is now on file. Vittoni, at the time of his death had in his possession a certified copy of his declaration to become a citizen of the United States, under the seal of the district or county court of Las Animas County, Colo. I am unable to advise as to the date or the court, but I am informed that the copy was given to Dr. Cuneo, Italian consul, a few days after the killing.

Danenio was presumably an Italian subject, no evidence having been discovered as to his having taken any steps toward becoming a citizen of this country. He was a witness at the inquest on the body of A. J. Hixon (the alleged murder of whom was presumably the moving cause of the mob), and on the stand was asked if he was a citizen of the United States, to which he replied no.

None of the parties, so far as known, had at any time taken the final naturalization oath.

I have, etc.,

Fred. O. Roof,
Clerk of the District Court of Huerfano County, Colo.