File No. 319.1123L25/11.
I shall forward a copy of said report of Lieut. Goetz (unaccompanied
by the evidence) as soon as we are able to make a copy.
[Inclosure 1—Extract.]
General Edwards to Minister Price.
Headquarters United States
Troops,
Panama Canal Zone, Ancon, C.
Z.,
July 24, 1915.
My dear Mr. Minister: I am enclosing
herewith a copy of my letter forwarding the report of 2nd Lt. R.
C. F. Goetz, F. A., A. D. C., as well as a copy of [Page 1208] his report and a
copy of the evidence taken by Colonel Chamberlain in his
investigation. All these papers are for file in your office.
Very respectfully,
C. R. Edwards,
Brigadier General.
[Inclosure 2—Extract.]
General Edwards to General Wood.
Headquarters United States
Troops,
Panama Canal Zone,
Ancon, C. Z.,
July 23, 1915.
1. I enclose herewith a report of the Colon riot of April 2,
1915, made by 2nd Lieut. Robert C. F. Goetz, 1st Field
Artillery, A. D. C.
* * * Lieut. Goetz’s report contains no new statements by
witnesses. It consists largely of a statement of facts
concerning his participation in the riot, his observations and
conclusions being based on this participation and the evidence
submitted by the various witnesses.
2. * * * I will forward a copy of Lieut. Goetz’s report with
evidence as well as a copy of this letter to the American
Legation. * * *
3. * * * My views regarding the police conditions in Panama City
were quite fully expressed * * * in a letter dated July 13, 1915
to the American Minister, Mr. Price, copy of which is enclosed.
What I therein said applies equally well to the City of Colon,
remembering only that this city is not nearly so large as the
City of Panama. It is hardly necessary for me to state here,
since I have occasion to call attention to the matter many times
heretofore, that I have established at Balboa Heights a provost
guard company for the purpose of assisting the police in Panama
City. This provost guard consists of one company of Infantry—E
company of the 10th regiment, which I moved from Camp Otis to
Balboa Heights, and put in tents in which it is still living. *
* *
4. There is one company of Coast Artillery Corps stationed in
Colon, and the Commanding Officer of the Coast Defenses of
Panama also is stationed and lives in Colon. He is charged with
maintaining the necessary provost guard patrols in that city.
The extensive fire which occurred in Colon in the first part of
May, has rendered it somewhat unlikely that any disturbances
will occur there in the immediate future, and the patrols in
that city are quite small, though, of course small patrols are
still maintained.
5. I was in Colon on the day the riot occurred, and from the
reports that came to me shortly after the riot, I was inevitably
led to the conclusion that Corporal Maurice Langdon came to his
death by a shot from the revolver in the hands of a policeman.
This policeman was arrested and confined during the riot: I
therefore requested the Governor not to release him under any
conditions until I had been informed that it was proposed to
discontinue his confinement. From Colonel Chamberlain’s report
and also that of Lieut. Goetz, I am convinced that he could be
found guilty of the murder of Corporal Langdon, were he tried
for it. I am satisfied he could be found guilty of shooting
Private Deloughery, and for this he should be brought to trial
by the Panaman authorities without delay. And, inasmuch as the
conditions were such that it could easily happen that he was
also the man who shot Corporal Langdon, I think he should be
brought to trial on the charge of murdering the said corporal.
In this connection, I desire to state that the American
Minister, Mr. William Jennings Price, has shown great interest
in this entire matter and his good work has been of much
assistance. He recently learned that it was the intention of the
Panaman authorities to release the policeman and he immediately
and vigorously protested, with the result that the man is still
in confinement. I, too, personally had spoken to the Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Mr. Lefevre. I shall rely upon the interest of
the American Minister, and trust he may be able to secure a
speedy trial of this policeman, though it may not be possible to
have him tried before the Panaman authorities have completed the
investigation of the riot which they are making. * * *
C. R. Edwards.
Brigadier General, U. S. Army.
