File No. 419.11D29/39.
The American Minister to the Secretary of State.
Panama, March 4, 1913.
Sir: Referring to my despatch No. 313 of February 1st last, relative to my furnishing the Panaman Government with a copy of the testimony taken by American officials bearing upon the riot between Americans and Panaman policemen on July 4th last, I have the honor to inform you that in accordance with the arrangement made by me with General Pretelt, Chief of the Panaman Police, the important Panaman witnesses Leonidas Olarte, Juan Cortez, Antigua Cortes, Eleuterio Solano, Bertin Mina and Gerardo Brown recently made before him new affidavits confirming the affidavits formerly made by them before the Zone Police during August last, and that in them they re-affirmed all their former statements. These confirmations, which I believe to be important in order to avoid the possibility of these men varying their former testimony when brought before the Judge, have now been sent to Señor Arjona, the Attorney General, who is in charge of this investigation.
In my note transmitting our testimony to Señor Lefevre, Minister for Foreign Affairs, I stated that my Government in thus acceding to the desires of the Panaman Government gave a proof of its appreciation of and confidence in the assurance given by the Panaman Government of its determination to identify and properly punish those responsible for the killing and wounding of American citizens on this occasion, it being of course understood that this testimony would be used exclusively for this purpose. On the same date I addressed another note to Señor Lefevre, in which I made the communication which I was desired to make by your instruction No. 98 of January 9th last. I presented both notes personally to Señor Lefevre, again laying stress upon the extremely serious character of this affair and my Government’s expectation that the guilty would now promptly be brought to justice.
Since then Señor Lefevre has informed me that both he and President Porras had read our testimony and had been greatly impressed by it, both on account of its completeness and the far greater seriousness of the affair which it showed than they had before realized. Señor Lefevre stated that President Porras had directed him to inform me that no efforts would be spared for the execution of entire justice.
I have [etc.]