File No. 419.11 D 29/34.
The American Chargé d’Affaires to the Secretary of State .
Panama , November 19, 1912 .
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that I have received a request from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, written at the behest of the Attorney General, asking that the Legation furnish a copy of the testimony on the American side which bears upon the riot between American soldiers and marines and the Panaman national police on July 4 last.
The reasons given for this request are that the Panaman testimony have proven worthless to the Government of Panama in its efforts to fix the blame for the casualties upon individuals, and that the American testimony might assist the Government also in placing the blame upon men higher up in the former administration.
The Legation has in its files only a duplicate copy of a summary of certain most important testimony selected from the entire evidence, which is voluminous.
I have informed the Secretary that I did not feel at liberty to comply with his request except under instruction from the Department of State.
I have [etc.]