Mr. Taylor to Mr. Olney.
Madrid, February 11, 1897. (Received Mar. 1.)
Sir: Replying to your No. 642, relative to the case of Adolphus Torres, I have the honor to inform you of the receipt of a note from the Spanish minister of state informing me that according to information furnished by the Governor-General of Cuba the facts relative to the arrest of Torres are as follows:
On the 4th of October last the military commander of Sagua la Grande was confidentially informed that several neighbors of that town had absented themselves with a commission for the insurgents. Said authority therefore proceeded to their detention on their return, and with them was Adolfo Torres. The necessary proceedings were then instituted to find out whether the place where they had gone and the purpose of their absence constituted an offense of rebellion. These points were justified, and the confidential report not having been proved the case was considered as ended, in accordance with the opinion of the auditor-general, on the 12th of November and the liberty of the detained was ordered. The question of competence or of application of the protocol of 1877 was not discussed, because the condition of American citizenship had not been claimed by any of the prisoners. The decision in the case was afterwards communicated to the consul-general of the United States at Havana.
I am, etc.,