Mr. Hay to Mr.
Choate.
Department of State,
Washington, March 12,
1902.
No. 856.]Sir: I inclose a copy of a letter from Senator
Mark A. Hanna, setting forth the circumstances under which Charles H.
Toe Water was taken prisoner of war by the British forces.
You are instructed to ask that the matter be investigated, and to report
the result.
It will be observed that Mr. Water’s release from detention is asked for
on parole. Should the circumstances turn out to be as stated in Senator
Hanna’s letter, however, you will at once, without awaiting further
instructions, request that he be released unconditionally.
I am, etc.,
[Inclosure.]
Mr. Hanna to
Mr. Hay.
United States Senate,
Washington, March 6,
1902.
My Dear Sir: I have been asked to secure
the good offices of the Government in a case which is stated to me
as follows:
“On the 28th of May, Mr. Charles H. Toe Water, manager of the rolling
stock, or
[Page 485]
as some call it,
traffic manager, of the South African Railroad, left Johannesburg,
as this town intended to surrender to the English, and went to
Pretoria, and on the 5th day of June Pretoria surrendered. Mr. Toe
Water was asked to go to Johannesburg as the traffic manager (for
the English), who wished to ask him some questions concerning the
business of the road. He was willing to do this, and went, but the
questions asked were such that he could not answer. Some of them
were questions concerning other roads, and when he told them that he
could not answer these, they immediately threw him into the prison
at the fort of Johannesburg, not even permitting him to return to
his house with a guard. They would not allow him to see anyone, or
permit him to send a letter to his wife or mother. He had never
fought against the English, but was arrested, or rather asked to
return to Johannesburg in order to oblige the English by
enlightening them about the traffic of the road. From Johannesburg
he was sent as a prisoner of war to Ceylon, where he is at the
present time, at Ragama Camp, near Colombo, island of Ceylon. We are
very anxious to get him out by parole or by ransom.”
Can you advise me what course to pursue in the matter?
Truly, yours,
