Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 5, 1899
Mr. Hay to Mr. Beaupre.
Washington, March 17, 1899.
Sir: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your dispatch No. 147, of the 3d instant, confirming your telegram of the 28th ultimo, in relation to the reported departure of filibusters from the United States for Puerto Barrios, Guatemala, with designs against Honduras, and giving additional information.
In reply I inclose herewith, for your information, a copy of a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, showing the action taken by his Department in the matter.
I am, etc.,
The Secretary of Treasury to Secretary of State.
Washington, D. C., March 14, 1899.
Sir: Referring to your letter dated the 6th instant, relative to 116 alleged filibusters, I have the honor to transmit herewith, for your information and any suggestion that you may think proper to make to this Department, a copy of a letter dated the 11th instant from the collector of customs at New Orleans, setting forth the action taken by him in relation to the alleged filibusters in question, and to the alleged attempt to export 52 cases of arms and ammunition.
Respectfully, yours,
Mr. Howell to the Secretary of the Treasury.
Port of New Orleans, La., March 11, 1899.
Sir: On the 1st instant this office received the following telegram from the Department:
“United States minister at Managua, Nicaragua, requests that expedition stated to be of filibustering character be prevented from leaving your port for Honduras, and [Page 369] Secretary State requests that agencies of this Department be exerted to prevent violation neutrality laws. Attention invited to newspaper statements regarding departure of organization from Kansas City and your port on steamer Managua for Puerto Barrios. Minister Guatemala represents that expedition is numerous and well organized; that its ostensible purpose in proceeding to Puerto Barrios is to engage in the operations of railway construction, but that real motive is believed to be disturbance of the peace of Central America by fomenting an insurrection there, presumably in Honduras. He states that Government of Guatemala purposes to prevent landing of expedition at Puerto Barrios. Report matter to United States attorney and take any proper action practicable to prevent violation law.”
To the above the following reply was sent on the next day:
“Referring Department’s telegram yesterday: About 116 alleged filibusters reached here from Kansas City about noon. Discouraged in attempts to sail, 67 of these men returned to Kansas City last night, via Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad. Remainder still here and are being closely watched.”
Inspectors of customs were, by my order, placed at once at all the steamship landings, the railroad depots, and the two inlets to the city from Lake Pontchartrain, with instructions to prevent the departure of any suspicious passengers, and to report all such to this office without delay.
The leaders of the expedition, ascertaining that these precautions had been made, and finding it impossible to take their men out without a clash with the Government authorities, abandoned the whole project, paying the fare back to Kansas City of such of the men as desired to return. As reported, forty-odd of the men remained in the city and have been attempting to leave for Honduras or other Central American countries in small groups.
On the 8th instant clearance was withheld from the Olympia until 6 steerage passengers, bound for Puerto Cortez, could be examined. Sufficient evidence to hold these men could not be obtained, and they were allowed to depart.
Clearance was withheld from the steamship Breakwater on the morning of the 9th instant until 8 steerage passengers could be examined. This examination developed the fact that a majority of these men were discharged soldiers from the Fifth Missouri Volunteer Infantry, and were a part of the Kansas City expedition. The owners of the Breakwater, who were present at the examination, after hearing the evidence, on their motion, refused to take these men as passengers. The consular agent at Honduras had been invited by me to be present during this examination, and was on hand.
Realizing that more of the men who remain in the city from the Kansas City expedition would attempt to leave, this office sent the following telegram to the Department on the 9th instant:
“Referring Department telegram 1st instant, and office telegram following day, parties of 6 or 8 of the forty-odd remaining from Kansas City expedition are seeking steerage passage for Honduras. United States attorney advises not to interfere, as they carry no arms and there is no definite evidence on which to base proceedings. Held steamer Breakwater this morning until 8 of these passengers could be examined. After examination, owners vessel, of their volition, refused to take men as passengers. Instructions requested.”
To the above reply was received from the Department as follows:
“Department understands that passengers you mention as filibusters will not be allowed to proceed to Honduras on steamer Breakwater. Further instructions from Department seem unnecessary at present.”
On the 10th instant the Bluefields Steamship Company took out 15 laborers of the steamship Condor. These men were carefully examined, and there was no evidence to show that they were part of the Kansas City expedition. The consular agent of Honduras stated to this office, in writing, that he was satisfied that the men were bona fide laborers, and that he had no objection to their proceeding to Honduras. They were, therefore, allowed to take passage.
Instructions were requested in office telegram of the 9th instant, for the reason that several of the Kansas City crowd still remained in the city, and because the United States attorney expressed the opinion that as the men carried no arms or went on an armed vessel this office had no right to interfere. A most careful scrutiny is still being made of all persons seeking passage on any of the vessels bound for Central America, and instructions are requested whether any persons suspected to belong to the Kansas City expedition should be prevented from taking passage notwithstanding that he may have no arms.
Referring to Department’s telegram of the 4th instant to the effect that advice had been received that 52 cases arms and ammunition had been shipped to Mobile en route for Guatemala, I beg to say that this office has taken special precautions to [Page 370] prevent the shipment of arms or munitions of war to any of the Central American countries. These precautions are still carefully observed. In a number of instances where ships have laden merchandise deemed by the inspector in charge to be subject to suspicion the packages have been opened by the agent of the vessel at the request of this office. In each case the merchandise has been found to be as manifested.
In the case of 32 packages gunpowder manifested as blasting powder, to be shipped to Costa Rica, the Costa Rican consul advised this office not to allow the packages to go forward. The Snyder Banana Company, agents of the vessel, itself volunteered to reject the powder as freight.
This office is of opinion that no contraband goods nor men who propose to engage in the filibustering enterprises have left this port recently. Acting in conjunction with the United States attorney, this office has been careful, in all instances where a question arose as to the propriety of a shipment of goods or departure of men, to act without exercising its authority, the agents or owners of vessels in each instance taking upon themselves, by advice of this office, the responsibility of refusing the shipments or passengers.
Respectfully, yours,
Special Deputy Collector.