Office of the Historian

File No. 18942/13–24.

The Secretary of State to Minister Heimké.

Department of State,
Washington, June 30, 1909.
No. 82.]

Sir:I have to acknowledge the receipt of your No. 207 of the 31st ultimo containing a report of your investigation of the murder of William Wright, an American citizen of African descent, at the United Fruit Co.’s banana plantation at Cayuga, on December 15, 1908, by a mob of natives of Guatemala.

You also report that you have formally demanded of the Guatemalan Government the immediate dismissal of Sr. Alberto García from the post of jefe político at Livingston, as well as the arrest, trial, and punishment of the persons guilty of murdering Wright, and of all the officials through whose failure to act the ends of justice have been thus far frustrated in the present case.

The department approves your course in the matter. You will keep the department advised of the result of your representations to the Guatemalan Government.

I am, etc.,

P. C. Knox.