439.11c Colom, Eduardo/35
The Minister in the Dominican Republic (Schoenfeld) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 28.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to the Department’s instruction No. 249 of April 18, 1934, (File No. 439.11 C Colom, Eduardo/32 [33]), and to previous correspondence with regard to the presentation to the Dominican Government of a formal claim for the murder in the Dominican Republic of Eduardo Colom y Piris, an American citizen, and to inform the Department that since the presentation of this claim by means of my note of April 4 I have had several conversations with the Minister of Foreign Affairs on the subject.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs has repeatedly informed me orally that the Dominican Government’s action in this case would be favorable. On one occasion, in discussing the case on April 26 last he stated that, although the Dominican Government’s view of the question was that it had no liability, he believed that in view of the relatively small indemnity demanded and the desire of the Dominican Government to have no question outstanding with our Government that might impede the settlement of other important matters pending with the United States, it was nevertheless likely that the indemnity demanded would be paid.
Today, the Minister of Foreign Affairs told me that he had prepared his recommendations on the subject and submitted them to the President some time ago. I assume that his recommendations were in line with his oral statements above reported. Lcdo. Logroño added that the President had turned over to the Legal Adviser of the Executive Power the file in this case in order to obtain that official’s opinion. The Minister expected, however, that the Legal Adviser’s opinion would be rendered very shortly and he intended as soon as that opinion was available to send an official reply to my note of April 4.
Respectfully yours,