Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 3, 1901
Signor Carignani to Mr. Hill.
Washington, D. C. , July 27, 1901 .
Mr. Acting Secretary of State: I have the honor to transmit herewith to your excellency, the duly authenticated copies of the three [Page 290] certificates proving that Giovanni and Vincenzo Serio, the victims of the lynching at Erwin, Miss., in the night of the 10th to the 11th instant, and Salvatore Liberto, who was wounded in the occurrence, did not acquire American citizenship and remained Italian citizens.
I also inclose the statement of the clerk of the court of Washington County, Miss., in corroboration of the evidence afforded by the certificates.
Be pleased, etc.,
State of Mississippi, Washington County, ss:
I, Wm. R. Gildart, clerk of the circuit court of Washington County, Miss., do hereby certify that the following named persons, to wit, Giovanni Serio and Vincenzo Serio have never registered or voted in Washington County, Miss. Given under my hand and official seal of office this 22d day of July, A. D. 1901.
Wm. R. Gildart,
Registrar and Circuit Clerk of Washington County,
Miss.
I, the undersigned, acting consul of Italy in this city, do hereby certify that the above is a true and correct copy of the original which is in this office.
New Orleans, July 24, 1901.
C. Papini,
Acting Consul of Italy.
Seen in the chancellery of the royal embassy of Italy to the United States for the authentication of the signature, above affixed, of Mr. Carlo Papini, acting royal consul of Italy at New Orleans.
The Chargé d’Affaires of His Majesty.
On this 22d day of July, 1901, in Greenville (Mississippi), Washington County, before me, H. H. O. Bannon, a justice of the peace of Washington County, Miss., personally appeared J. V. Roselli, son of the late Domenico, a native of Saponara (Potenza), by occupation a real estate broker, 44 years of age, now resident of Greenville, Miss.; Antonio Conginsta, son of the late Giovanni, a native of Siderno (Reggio Calabria), by occupation a wholesale merchant, 44 years of age, now residing at Greenville, Miss.; Luigi Nepote, son of the late Giuseppe, a native of Corio (Torino), by trade a tailor, 49 years of age, now residing at Greenville, Miss.; who, having been sworn by me to tell the truth and nothing but the truth, and warned of the importance of the oath and of the consequences of any inaccurate statement on their part, and thereupon interrogated severally and jointly, have declared:
That they were well acquainted with Vincenzo Serio, son of the late Giovanni, native of Cefalu (Palermo), by trade a peddler, 29 years of age (about 29), a resident of Erwin (Miss.) for about a month, who was lynched in the night of the 10th to the 11th of July instant, about midnight, at Erwin, Miss., and that to their certain knowledge the said Vincenzo Serio (illiterate and impecunious) has never assumed American citizenship.
All of which has been set forth in the present instrument which, having been previously read to the deponents, who confirm it, was signed by them all and by myself.
J. V. Roselli.
Antonio Conguista.
Luigi Nepote.
[Page 291]State of Mississippi, Washington County:
Personally appeared before H. H. O. Bannon, a justice of the peace in and for said county and State within named, J. V. Roselli, Antonio Conguista, Luigi Nepote, who, being by me first duly sworn, state on oath that the foregoing affidavit is true and correct.
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 22d day of July, 1901.
H. H. O. Bannon, J. P.
I, the undersigned, acting consul of Italy in this city, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the original in this office.
New Orleans, July 24, 1901.
C. Papini,
Acting Consul of Italy.
Seen in the chancellery of the royal embassy of Italy to the United States, for the authentication of the signature above affixed, of Mr. Carlo Papini, acting royal consul of Italy at New Orleans.
The Chargé d’Affaires of His Majesty.
On this 22d day of July, 1901, in Greenville (Mississippi), Washington County, before me, H. H. O. Bannon, a justice of the peace of Washington County, Miss., personally appeared J. V. Roselli, son of the late Domenico, a native of Saponara (Potenza), by occupation a real estate broker, 44 years of age, now resident of Greenville, Miss.; Antonio Conguista, son of the late Giovanni, a native of Siderno (Reggio Calabria), by occupation a wholesale merchant, 44 years of age, now residing at Greenville, Miss.; Luigi Nepote, son of the late Guiseppe, a native of Corio (Torino), by trade a tailor, 49 years of age, now residing at Greenville, Miss.; who, having been sworn by me to tell the truth and nothing but the truth, and warned of the importance of the oath and of the consequences of any inaccurate statement on their part, and thereupon, interrogated severally and jointly, have declared:
That they were well acquainted with Giovanni Serio, son of the late -----, native of Cefalu, Palermo, by trade a peddler, about 55 years of age; a resident of Erwin, Miss., for about a month, who was lynched in the night of the 10th to the 11th of July instant, about midnight, at Erwin, Miss., and that to their certain knowledge the said Giovanni Serio (illiterate and impecunious) has never assumed American citizenship.
All of which has been set forth in the present instrument, which, having been previously read to the deponents who confirm it, was signed by them all and by myself.
J. V. Roselli.
Antonio Conguista.
Luigi Nepote.
State of Mississippi, Washington County:
Personally appeared before me, H. H. O. Bannon, a justice of the peace of said county and State, J. V. Roselli, Antonio Conguista, Luigi Nepote, who being by me first duly sworn, state on oath that the foregoing affidavit is true and correct. Sworn to and subscribed before me this 22d day of July, 1901.
H. H. O. Bannon, J. P.
I, the undersigned, acting consul of Italy in this city, do hereby certify that the above is a true and correct copy of the original in this office.
New Orleans, July 24, 1901.
C. Papini, Acting Consul of Italy.
Seen in the chancellery of the royal embassy of Italy to the United States for the authentication of the signature above affixed of Mr. Carlo Papini, acting royal consul of Italy at New Orleans.
The Chargé d’Affaires of His Majesty.
On the 22d day of July, 1901, in Greenville (Mississippi), Washington County, before me, H. H. O. Bannon, a justice of the peace of Washington County, Miss., personally appeared J. V. Roselli, son of the late Domenico, a native of Saponara (Potenza), by occupation a real-estate broker, 44 years of age, now resident of Greenville, Miss.; Antonio Conguista, son of the late Giovanni, a native of Siderno (Reggio Calabria), by occupation a wholesale merchant, 44 years of age, now residing at Greenville, Miss.; Luigi Nepote, son of the late Giuseppe, a native of Corio (Torino), by trade a tailor, 49 years of age, now residing at Greenville, Miss., who having been sworn by me to tell the truth and nothing but the truth, and warned of the importance of the oath and of the consequence of any inaccurate statement on their part, and thereupon interrogated severally and jointly, have declared:
That they were well acquainted with Salvatore Liberto, son of the late Vincenzo Liberto, native of Cefalu (Palermo), by trade a peddler, 19 years of age, residing at Erwin, Miss., illiterate and impecunious, who is present at the writing of this instrument and lying in bed by reason of serious injuries received during the night from the 10th to the 11th of July instant, about midnight, at Erwin, Miss., in the same occurrence in which Giovanni and Vincenzo Serio were lynched, and that to their certain knowledge the said Salvatore Liberto has never assumed American citizenship, the law itself not permitting it owing to his being under age.
All of which has been set forth in the present instrument, which, having been previously read to the deponents, who confirm it, was signed by them all and by myself.
J. V. Roselli.
Antonio Conguista.
Luigi Nepote.
State of Mississippi, Washington County:
Personally appeared before me, H. H. O. Bannon, a justice of the peace in and for said county and State, the within named J. V. Roselli, Antonio Conguista, Luigi Nepote, who, being by me first duly sworn, state on oath that the foregoing affidavit is true and correct. Sworn to and subscribed before me this 22d day of July, 1901.
H. H. O. Bannon, J. P.
I, the undersigned, acting consul of Italy in this city, do hereby certify that the above is a true and correct copy of the original, which is in this office.
New Orleans, July 24, 1901.
C. Papini, Acting Consul of Italy.
Seen in the chancellery of the royal embassy of Italy to the United States for the authentication of the signature above affirmed of Mr. Carlo Papini, acting royal consul of Italy at New Orleans.
The Chargé d’Affaires of His Majesty.