368.1121 Stephano, Christopher/1: Telegram
The Minister in Greece (MacVeagh) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9:05 p.m.]
34. Christopher Stephano, a native American of Greek parentage and a member of the wealthy cigarette family of Philadelphia, came here last October and bought a house near that of his sister who married a Greek deputy named Pistolaki, formerly private secretary to Venizelos. This Pistolaki has disappeared and Stephano’s chauffeur, a Cretan who has been arrested for hiring his cars to convey the rebel officers to the naval base on the night of the outbreak, has stated that he acted under the orders of Pistolaki but that Stephano must have had knowledge of the fact. Just before he disappeared Pistolaki placed his wife in Mrs. Venizelos’ hospital and several days later Stephano removed [her?] to his own house. It seems likely that Pistolaki caught the last boat to Crete.
On the allegation of the chauffeur, Stephano was arrested yesterday afternoon and held for court martial. Immediately on being informed, this Legation got in touch with the police through the Foreign Office and visited him in prison. It heard the charges and then secured him permission to see his wife, who is Greek. This morning it obtained as a special concession from the commander of the garrison that he be moved from jail to a hospital in a better part of town where, however, he is still under preventive arrest. In view of the presence here of other American Greeks of Venizelist leanings, the above situation may be duplicated at any moment, and I am not clear how far the Department may wish to extend protection in this case and others where investigation shows that the Government possesses grounds for suspecting complicity in revolution. Please instruct.