Mr. Hay to Mr.
Combs.
Department of State,
Washington, May 20,
1903.
No. 38.]Sir: Referring to your No. 52, of the 24th
ultimo, relating to the outrages committed against the Chinese by the
local police of Guatemala City, I inclose herewith, for your compliance,
a copy of a note from the Chinese minister expressing his appreciation
of this action taken by you in behalf of the said Chinese subjects and
requesting that you press the matter to a satisfactory conclusion.
I am, etc.,
[Inclosure.]
Sir Chentung Liang
Cheng to Mr. Hay.
Chinese Legation,
Washington, May 16,
1903.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your note No. 8, of date the 15th instant, with which you
inclose copy of a dispatch, and of its accompanying
[Page 575]
inclosure from the United States
minister at Guatemala, concerning outrages committed against Chinese
by the local police of Guatemala City.
It is to be deplored that any occasion should arise for making a
complaint of false arrest and robbery against an officer of the law,
whose duty it should be to protect peaceable and law-abiding
residents instead of committing outrages against them. Officers who
commit such acts as have been reported should be made an example of
and severely punished. I venture to express the confident hope that
the action taken by your minister in Guatemala will have a salutary
effect upon the future conduct of members of the police force of
that city, and that the two Chinese subjects referred to will be
indemnified in some appropriate manner.
May I ask you kindly to convey to the honorable Mr. Combs my grateful
appreciation of what he has done in behalf of the said Chinese
subjects and my request that he will kindly press the matter to a
satisfactory conclusion?
Be pleased, etc.,
