File No. 419.11D29/54.
[Untitled]
No. 133.]
American Legation,
Panama,
April 18 [sic],
1914.
Sir: Referring to the Department’s telegram of
April 7, and supplementing my telegrams of April 9 and April 18,
relating to a demand upon the Panaman Government for the immediate
settlement of the matters growing out of the disturbances occurring in
the Cocoa Grove district of the city of Panama on July 4, 1912, I have
the honor to report that I did not succeed in having a talk with Sr.
Lefevre, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Panama, about this matter until
Monday, April 20, but that promptly after the receipt of the
Department’s telegram I sent a communication respecting said matter to
the Foreign Office, a copy of which is herewith enclosed. The
departments here and offices in general were closed from Thursday until
Monday the 20th, in celebration of Holy Week holidays. Sr. Lefevre
showed interest in this matter in my talk with him on Monday and
promised to get a meeting within the next two days of the officials
having the case directly in hand and give me a prompt response. Later
this response was promised for yesterday but is only just now at hand.
Same together with its translation are herewith enclosed.
Sr. Lefevre has from time to time been assuring me of progress in this
matter, in answer to my various responses and demands. Just a few weeks
since, he declared that the Court was then only awaiting the filing of
an opinion by the Prosecuting Attorney which would be forthcoming in a
very short time.
The response of Sr. Lefevre, received today and herewith transmitted, is
disappointing and not in harmony with the assurances given me as
reported above. I have now transmitted another Foreign Office note in
this matter, a copy of which is also enclosed.
I shall continue to do my best to obtain not only favorable but prompt
action by the Panaman Government in this affair.
I have [etc.]
[Inclosure 1.]
Minister Price to
the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
No. 40.]
American Legation,
Panama,
April 9, 1914.
Excellency: Referring again to my Foreign
Office Note No. 26, dated February 3, 1914, and to the urgent
insistence of my verbal communications both before and since, I have
the honor to inform your excellency that upon my return from our
delightful trip to the Province of Chiriquí I found awaiting me a
cablegram from my Government directing me to inform your excellency
that an immediate settlement of the matters growing out of what has
become known as the Cocoa Grove disturbances of July 4, 1912, is
insisted upon. In addition, [Page 988] I am directed by my Government to report to them by telegraph on
this matter.
Your excellency’s assurances have been gratifying in this important
and deplorable affair and I am sure that your renewed endeavors will
result in a satisfactory conclusion of these negotiations without a
continuance of the delays experienced in the past.
While awaiting the response from your excellency that, I am sure, the
circumstances of this whole situation cannot but impress your
excellency as to duly merit, I avail [etc.]
[Inclosure 2—Translation.]
The Minister for Foreign
Affairs to Minister Price.
No. S 3476.]
Department of Foreign Affairs,
Panama,
April 18, 1914.
Mr. Minister: I have the honor to refer to
your note No. 40 of the 9th instant, in which your excellency puts
in writing in concrete form his urgent verbal requests with
reference to the matter of the pending claim made by the United
States relative to the lamentable incident which occurred in the
Cocoa Grove district of this capital on the 4th of July, 1912,
adding that cablegram from his Government had been received by him
in which the immediate settlement of the matter in question is
requested. In this connection I inform your excellency that I shall
without loss of time proceed to have a conference with the Secretary
of Government and Justice, with the attendance of the Judge and the
Fiscal of the Superior Court, in order to push as much as possible
the course of the judicial proceedings pending against the accused
and to obtain an early sentence.
Your excellency may rest assured that the judicial authorities will
mete out strict justice in conformity with the laws and the
practices of civilization.
I avail [etc.]
[Inclosure 3.]
Minister Price to
the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
F. O. No. 46.]
American Legation,
Panama,
April 18, 1914.
Excellency: I have the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s esteemed note No.
S–3476, in response to my Foreign Office Note No. 40 of the 9th
instant, relating to the matter of the Cocoa Grove affair of July 4,
1912.
I appreciate the assurance of your excellency that without loss of
time your excellency will proceed to have a conference with the
Secretary of Government and Justice, the Judge and Prosecuting
Attorney of the Superior Court, in order to hasten this whole
matter, and that action conforming to the dictates of law and the
practices of civilization will be taken.
In view of the continued and long delays of the past and of the
assurances heretofore given, I can not but feel disappointment that
your excellency’s note apprises me that the meeting referred to is
yet in the future and that no details are given as to what has been
taking place during the many weeks now past, and that no definite
statements as to a real satisfaction of the expectancies and several
demands of my Government in this distressful matter are
proffered.
The interest and insistency of my Government in this horrible affair
could be no less than they are, consistently with self-respect. The
shooting down of its citizens, some to death and others to pain,
injury and maiming, by the official police organization of another
Government, particularly by that of Panama, between which and my
country unusual relations of friendliness and consideration should
appertain, occurring under the circumstances that the indisputable
proof in this case shows, and which details extremities resorted to
by said police that are absolutely indefensible in morals, law or
equity whatever claim of provocation may be made by interested or
prejudiced parties, I respectfully protest to your excellency is a
matter of importance entitled to the attention and full relief which
the settled and unalterable opinion of my [Page 989] Government feels to be due and which with all
consideration and respect have been asked so long since and so many
times.
Your excellency’s intentions and efforts in this important matter
pending between our respective Governments are not doubted, but on
the contrary appreciated, but yet somewhere in the machinery at
least of the handling of this affair there must have been defects to
have permitted the exasperating inaction referred to above, and the
kind offices of your excellency with reference thereto are
respectfully and earnestly solicited and anxiously awaited.
I avail [etc.]
