Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 7, 1896, and the Annual Report of the Secretary of State

Mr. Olney to Mr. Taylor.

Department of State,
Washington, June 8, 1896.

No. 519.]

Sir: Our commercial agent at Cardenas reports that one Francis J. Larrieu, a naturalized American citizen, was, on the 15th ultimo, arrested by the order of the military commander of that city and placed in solitary confinement.

Understanding that he was not taken with arms in his hand, the commercial agent applied to the military authorities for removal of the case to the civil jurisdiction. The military commander proposed a reference of the case to the Governor-General, and the prisoner remained at last advices subject to the military jurisdiction.

You are instructed to request the Spanish Government to have the case at once transferred to the civil courts in compliance with the provisions of the protocol of January 12, 1877.

I am, etc.,

Richard Olney.