Mr. Smythe to Mr. Olney.
Port au Prince, April 9, 1896. (Received April 17.)
Sir: Recurring to the matter of the expulsion of Hugo Loewi, an American citizen, from the territory of Haiti, I have to report that on the 30th ultimo, he was to be embarked on the Dutch steamer. On my assurance that he would be at the wharf at 4 o’clock, he there met the police officer charged with his embarkation who accompanied him aboard the vessel. Mr. Loewi had assured me that he did not have [Page 385] money for his passage and, acting on my suggestion, he demanded of the officer that he pay his passage. This the officer was not prepared to do, and Mr. Loewi was disembarked. The minister of the interior at once came to me, and informing me of the fact, declared that he could not be permitted to go at large, and that he was then in arrest at the post-office. Whereupon, seeing no other course open to me, I suggested that he be permitted to come to the legation to remain “until the Government had another opportunity to ship him directly to the United States.” This was done, Mr. Loewi coming in charge of a small escort, and his belongings being sent hither by the minister of the interior. Yesterday I saw the foreign secretary who informed me that “if, after the death of the President, Mr. Loewi had ceased his propaganda against the Government the matter would probably have been passed by,” and intimated that the expulsion might not be insisted on by the reorganized cabinet. Under all the circumstances, however, I concluded not to respond to this suggestion and informed the secretary that the Artus steamer would leave this port to-morrow and proceed “directly to New York.” Whereupon the secretary informed me that the money for his passage would be sent to my legation and, informing him that a first-class ticket would cost $60 in gold, we closed this stage of the matter. The passage money has been sent to the deputy consul who will procure Mr. Loewi’s ticket and accompany him on board.
You will observe that heretofore persons expelled have been in accordance with the terms embarked on the first vessel bound for a foreign port, and that I had strenuously objected to embarking an American citizen except on a vessel going to an American port. Mr. Loewi has declared his intention of placing the matter before the Department, and I dare say will do so at an early day.
I am, etc.,