Office of the Historian

File No. 319.1123L25/14.

Minister Price to the Secretary of State.

No. 599.]
American Legation,
Panama, August 30, 1915.

Sir: Referring to my despatch No. 590 of August 21, with which I enclosed copies of three notes addressed to the Panaman Foreign Office, I have the honor to transmit a copy of a note and its translation which I have now at last received from Secretary Lefevre on said subject.

I shall reply to this note duly calling attention to its unsatisfactory character, asking again for the information requested in my first note, which has not been furnished, and I shall again attempt to make them realize the necessity for a better exhibition of good faith in their handling of the responsibilities resulting from this riot than is displayed in this note.

I have [etc.]

Wm. Jennings Price.
[Inclosure—Translation.]

The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to Minister Price.

No. S–7796.]
Foreign Office,
Panama, August 28, 1915.

Mr. Minister: I have the honor to refer to the courteous notes of your excellency, Nos. 196, 203, 206, and 210, of the 8th and 28th of July and the 9th and 18th of the present month, respectively, relating to the events in the city of Colon on April 2 last, which I have not answered before because I was expecting information from the Department of Government and Justice, who in turn had to solicit the same from the judicial officials who have the matter in charge.

According to information furnished me by said Department, the steps taken on the first few days by the Mayor of Colon were referred to the Colon Circuit Court on May 17. On May 20, having found the investigation defective because some offenses committed at the same time as that of the murder had been overlooked, the Colon Circuit Judge extended the time in order to cure this defect. On July 28 the report was made to the Circuit Judge, who says that it will pass this week to the Superior Judge, who must decide the matter on the merits of the statements of the report, which the law makes confidential.

In regard to the inquiries which your excellency made in your note, the Secretary of Government and Justice advises me that until the competent judge decides as above said, it will be impossible to give you a categorical response to each of the questions formulated by your excellency.

With respect to the detention of the policeman, I can advise you that that has been in effect from the beginning, and that during the preliminary investigations he was held in one of the cells of the jail. At present, in view of the condition of his health, he has been transferred to Santo Tomás Hospital, but he is duly in custody there in the department for prisoners.

E. T. Lefevre.