File No. 15778/72.
The Acting Secretary of State to Minister Squiers.
Washington, July 13, 1909.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your No. 509 of the 17th ultimo, in which you refer to the notes of the foreign office of Panama of November 23, 1908 (inclosed in your No. 390 of November 27, 1908), and of February 5, 1909 (inclosed in your No. 443 of February 27, 1909), as furnishing the reply of the Government of Panama to the representations of this Government in the matter of the killing of Rand and the wounding of Cieslik.
In reply I have to say that the department does not consider the explanations made by the Panama Government in regard to the murder of Charles Rand and the wounding of Joseph Cieslik, members of the crew of the U. S. S. Buffalo, at Panama, on September 28, 1908, at all satisfactory, for the reason that the investigations and reports made by representatives and officials of this Government clearly indicate not only that the offenses above mentioned were committed by citizens of Panama, but also that the police officers of Panama acted brutally and cruelly toward unarmed sailors wearing the uniform and entitled to the protection of the United States.
You are directed, therefore, in accordance with previous instructions, to advise the Panama Government along the lines above outlined and insist courteously but firmly that the assailants, including [Page 490] the police implicated, be adequately punished; that prompt and full compensation be made for the death of Rand and the injury of Cieslik; and that an appropriate apology be made to this Government for the insult offered to the uniform of its naval representatives by the police officials of the Government of Panama.
I am, etc.,