File No. 419.11 D 29/21.

The American Minister to the Secretary of State.

[Extract.]
No. 201.]

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the Department’s telegram of August 30, relative to the demanded dismissal of Captain J. Francisco de la Ossa, jr., of the Panaman police. I immediately drafted a note to Señor Chiari, Minister for Foreign Affairs, a copy of which is inclosed. I then called upon Señor Chiari and handed this note to him in the course of a long interview, during which I read the note to him in Spanish, as Señor Chiari speaks no English, and commented upon it in some detail, reviewing the conduct of the police and their present dangerous character, for which Señor de la Ossa was jointly responsible with Señor Quijano. I then requested him to give me his answer at the earliest moment, since I could not allow a solution of this matter to suffer longer delay.

[Page 1255]

I then endeavored to see President Arosemena, intending to hand him a copy of my note to Señor Chiari, but I was unable to do, as the President sent a message to me to the effect that he was unwell.

Late this afternoon I received Señor Chiari’s reply, of which I inclose a copy and translation, stating that by a decree dated to-day Captain de la Ossa has been “separated from the exercise of his duties as captain of the National Police.” This phrase, which is one often used here, signifies the definitive removal of this man from the police as demanded by the Department. I have already ascertained that Señor de la Ossa is no longer wearing the police uniform and soon I expect to have confirmation of his entire separation from the police.

I have [etc.]

H. Percival Dodge.
[Inclosure 1.]

The American Minister to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

No. 251.]

Excellency: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s esteemed communication No. 2806, dated the 27th instant, in reply to my note F. O. No. 249 of the 23d instant, in which I had the honor to inform your excellency that I had received instructions from my Government directing me immediately to demand of your excellency’s Government the removal from their respective offices of Señor Julio Quijano and Señor Franklin de la Ossa.

I have the honor to inform your excellency that I duly transmitted to my Government by telegraph the substance of your excellency’s note and that I have now received my Government’s reply instructing me to state to your excellency that my Government sees no reason which would justify it in changing in any way its proper insistence on the dismissal of Señor de la Ossa, whom my Government considers is to be held with Señor Quijano to be responsible for the outrages of a grave character which have entailed loss of life to American citizens as well as injuries to them.

My Government desires me to recall to your excellency’s Government that there has been a prolonged series of indignities and injuries which have been inflicted on Americans and that this recent outbreak is only the culmination of this series. The circumstances under which these indignities and injuries have been inflicted oblige the Government of the United States to come to the conclusion that the police of your excellency’s Government can not, under their present organization, be trusted either to afford proper protection to the lives and property of American citizens or themselves to keep from committing against Americans acts of actual violence whenever an occasion for this is presented to them.

My Government accordingly instructs me to say to your excellency that the Government of the United States is compelled to repeat the demand already made by it for the immediate removal of the officers who are responsible and that unless the Panaman police is so reorganized as properly to insure in Panama City, Colon, and the harbors and territories adjacent to them the maintenance of public order, the Government of the United Sates will find it necessary to consider the immediate measures which must be taken by it in connection with the duties, obligations, and rights which appertain to it in this matter.

I avail [etc.]

H. Percival Dodge.
[Inclosure 2.—Translation.]

The Minister for Foreign Affairs to the American Minister.

No. 2855.]

Mr. Minister: Referring to your excellency’s note No. 251 of the 31st of August last, I have the honor to inform you that by decree No. 450, made to [Page 1256] day, Señor J. Francisco de la Ossa, jr., has been separated from the exercise of his duties as captain of the national police.

Shortly I shall address myself again to your excellency concerning certain of the points mentioned in your excellency’s note.

I renew [etc.]

Eduardo Chiaki.