File No. 419.11D29/44.
The Secretary of State to the American Chargé d’Affaires.
Washington , June 30, 1913.
Sir: The Department has received Mr. Dodge’s No. 467 of the 9th instant, reporting concerning the progress of the investigation which is being made by the Panaman Government into the disturbances at Cocoa Grove, Panama, on July 4 last, in which certain Americans were killed and wounded.
The Department approves Mr. Dodge’s protest made to the Government of Panama against the further participation of Judge Guardia in the case, and, referring to the Minister’s statement that the Foreign Office had decided to send to the Panaman Minister in this city letters rogatory for the examination of foreign witnesses, I have to say that the Department will be glad to assist the Panaman Minister in ascertaining the desired addresses of any such witnesses.
You will, however, inform the Foreign Office that the Department considers that in view of the great mass of testimony which has already been submitted in this case little time should be spent in obtaining evidence from witnesses who are absent from Panama and whose testimony would be very largely cumulative.
I am [etc.]