Mr. Everett to Mr.
Hay.
Legation of the United States,
Guatemala and
Honduras,
Guatemala, October 12,
1900.
No. 446.]
Sir: I have the honor to transmit hereto
attached:
- (1)
- Copy of a note of September 20, 1900, from minister for
foreign affairs of Honduras.
- (2)
- My note of the 11th instant in reply.
By reading the above it will be seen that the Government of Honduras
refer to the report of their commission of jurists (forwarded to the
Department in dispatch 410) and refuse to admit their responsibility for
the killing of Pears, but nevertheless for the sake of preserving
friend]y relations with our Government are willing to pay cash indemnity
of 5,000 pesos currency.
In accordance with your cable instructions I have declared this
unacceptable, and have demanded the immediate payment of $10,000 United
States gold, to be paid through this legation in order that there may be
no trick used of extorting receipts from representatives of the Pears
family on the spot for money actually paid over.
It will also be observed that I have pointed out that we have receded
from our original demand for the punishment of the sentry, Cruz Rosales,
which may in a measure serve as a balm to their wounded feelings.
Hoping that my actions will meet with the approval of the Department,
I have, etc.,
Sidney B. Everett,
Chargé d’Affaires ad
interim.
[Inclosure
1.—Translation.]
Mr. Bonilla to
Mr. Hunter.
Republic of Honduras,
Ministry of Foreign
Affairs,
Tegucigalpa, September 20,
1900.
Mr. Minister: Referring to the attentive
dispatch of your excellency, under date of July 24 ultimo, relative
to the report which you deign to request of me, of a way which this
Government shall suggest for an amicable arrangement which will put
an end to the Pears affair.
As I have had the honor to assure your excellency on another
occasion, by the procedure, sufficiently detailed, which was formed
by the decision of the courts of the country acquitting the supposed
transgressor, and by the opinion of the jurists to whose study the
affair was submitted, the Government of Honduras is not responsible
for the regrettable deed which caused the death of the citizen
Pears.
Notwithstauding, in the desire to maintain unchangeable the friendly
relations which always have existed with the United States, and also
in the desire to put an end to that vexatious affair, my Government
proposes the following arrangement: The payment of 5,000 pesos to
the family of Pears as indemnification. It is to be hoped that this
arrangement may be acceptable to the American Government, taking
into consideration the entire knowledge of the respective reports
and investigations that the honorable Secretary of State, Mr. Hay,
possesses.
And also your excellency has made an attentive and profound study of
the affair, and in other occasions has shown the praiseworthy wishes
of maintaining the best harmony between the two countries I highly
beg of you to interpose toward your Government your good offices and
valuable influence to the end that said proposition may be accepted,
and a corresponding degree for the purpose of the agreed sum be
given out.
With assurances, etc.,
[Page 698]
[Inclosure 2.]
Mr. Everett to
Mr. Bonilla.
Legation of the United States,
Guatemala and
Honduras,
Guatemala, October 11,
1900.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your excellency’s note of the 20th ultimo, stating that
while the Government of Honduras does not consider itself
responsible for the killing of Pears, yet for the sake of preserving
friendly relations with the United States Government your
excellency’s Government is willing to settle this regrettable
incident by the immediate payment of 5,000 pesos.
In reply I have the honor to inform your excellency that this offer,
together with the report of the commission of jurists to whom the
matter was referred, was duly submitted to the honorable Secretary
of State of the United States, and the latter, after carefully
considering the matter and consulting with the heirs at law of the
late Mr. Pears, has declared it unacceptable, and instructed me as
follows:
The United States recedes from its demand that the sentry, Cruz
Rosales, be punished, but, while sharing your excellency’s desire
that the amicable relations between the two Governments may always
be maintained, insists on the immediate payment of an indemnity of
$10,000 United States gold, to be paid through this legation.
In the sincere hope that this decision will commend itself to the
judgment of your excellency’s Government and will be promptly
complied with, I seize the occasion, etc.
Sidney B. Everett,
Chargé d’Affaires ad
interim.
