Legation of the United States,
Madrid, October 29,
1896. (Received Nov. 13.)
No. 589.]
[Inclosure in No.
589.—Translation.]
The Duke of Tetuan to
Mr. Taylor.
Ministry of
State,
Palace, October 21,
1896.
Excellency: By your kind note of the 19th
instant I have been informed of the telegram sent to you by your
Government relative to the proceedings followed in Cuba against the
naturalized American Manuel Fernandez Chaqueilo. As this ministry
has no information upon the subject, with this date I ask my
colleague, the minister of war, to furnish me such information. I
must, however, state to your excellency beforehand that if he was
made prisoner with arms in his hand, as stated in the telegram, he
must be tried, according to the dispositions of article 3 of the
protocol of January 12, 1877, by ordinary council of war, with the
guarantees established by that and the following article.
Regarding the statement that he being a witness in the case of Govin
his execution, if imposed by the council, should be suspended, I
must [Page 649] say that besides my
not having official notice of said case that request can not be
based upon any consideration or legal prescription whatever. Neither
would it be proper to bring the case to Madrid as a necessary step,
since the protocol only prescribes that the penalty shall be
reconsidered by the Captain-General of the district.
As soon as I receive the information asked from the war department I
will take pleasure in informing your excellency in regard to the
status of the proceedings against said Fernandez Chaqueilo.
I gladly avail myself, etc.,
The Duke of Tetuan.
