File No. 4992/5–7.
Minister Rockhill
to the Secretary of State.
American Legation,
Peking, March 20,
1907.
No. 563.]
Sir: In further acknowledgment of your telegram
asking whether the Chinese Government would grant the extradition of
Horace G. McKinley, I have the honor to inclose herewith copy of the
note which I addressed to the Wai-wu Pu on the 12th instant, and of its
reply, received yesterday.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1.]
Minister Rockhill to the Prince of
Ch’ing.
American Legation,
Peking, March 12,
1907.
F. O. No. 221.]
Your Imperial Highness: I have the honor to
inform Your Imperial Highness that I am in receipt of a telegram
from the Department of State, saying that one Horace G. McKinley,
who has been convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States
Government, has forfeited his bail and is now in China, supposed to
be on the outskirts of Shanghai, keeping a small hotel.
[Page 130]
I am directed to inquire of Your Imperial Highness whether or not a
request for his extradition would be granted as an act of comity,
and to state that, although the request may be granted, my
Government is prevented by its laws from being able to reciprocate
the favor, should the occasion arise.
Knowing the interest of Your Imperial Highness in the enforcement of
justice, I feel sure that you will be disposed to grant the request
made, and, trusting that I may receive a favorable reply at an early
date, I avail, etc.,
[Inclosure
2.—Translation.]
The Prince of Ch’ing
to Minister Rockhill.
Foreign Office,
Peking, March 19,
1907.
Your Excellency: I have the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of your dispatch of the 12th instant, saying
that you had received a telegram from the Department of State to the
effect that one Horace G. McKinley had been convicted of conspiracy
to defraud the United States Government; that he had forfeited his
bail, and that he was now supposed to be in China, on the outskirts
of Shanghai, keeping a small hotel. Your Excellency was instructed,
therefore, to inquire whether or not a request for his extradition
would be granted by the Chinese Government as an act of comity.
In reply I have the honor to state that all American criminals guilty
of an ordinary offense who have taken refuge in Chinese territory
can, of course, be extradited, except those guilty of a political
offense. We must wait, therefore, until Your Excellency’s Government
informs us of what crime this man is guilty, and gives us the
details of the whole case, that we may have written evidence upon
which to act. It becomes my duty to send this reply to Your
Excellency’s dispatch for your information.
A necessary dispatch.
(seal of the Wai-wu Pu.)
