Mr. Baiter to Mr.
Gresham.
Legation of the United States,
Managua, December 31,
1893. (Received January 12, 1894.)
No. 184.]
Sir: I beg to transmit herewith an affidavit
made before me by Mrs. Josefa Jacoby as to the treatment she suffered at
the hands of the authorities of Granada in the collection of a second
forced loan imposed by decree of November 25.
[Page 458]
In connection with my former communications, No. 164 and 178, I beg to
say that the inclosed letter of Mr. Luciano Gomez, formerly minister of
hacienda, and brother-in-law of Mrs. Jacoby, shows that the President on
the 12th instant renewed to him the promise made to me that the
collection of the forced contribution from Mrs. Jacoby would be held in
abeyance until advices could be received from Washington, and
notwithstanding this promise the forcible means related in Mrs. Jacoby’s
affidavit were resorted to afterwards, and pending the decision.
The preamble of the decree of November 25, 1893, referred to above, reads
as follows:
In prevision of a conflict between this Republic and that of
Honduras, on account of the hostile attitude against Nicaragua
assumed by the Government of that nation, and as it is
peremptorily necessary to prepare in time for the defense of the
national honor and sovereignty; and it being indispensable, for
that purpose, to secure the necessary means by a forced loan,
because the state of depletion of the public treasury does not
permit their being drawn from the funds of ordinary revenue, in
use of the faculties conferred by decree of the Constituent
Assembly of October 19 last, the Government decrees, etc.
I have, therefore, taken this decree to cover, within the clear intent of
the treaty of 1867, a forced war loan which should not be collected from
American citizens.
I have, therefore, made another protest to the Government against this
new collection, a copy of which I beg to inclose.
All of this I beg to submit, with a request for instruction from the
Department, and remain, etc.,
[Inclosure 1 in No.
184.]
Affidavit of Mrs. Jacoby.
Managua, December 25,
1893.
I, the undersigned, Josefa Jacoby, widow of William Jacoby, a citizen
of the United States of America, resident in the Republic of
Nicaragua, by these presents state and declare that on the 12th day
of December of the current year I was notified that the
“distributing committee (junta calculadora) of Granada had levied
from me the sum of $1,666 as a forced loan, to be paid in accordance
to the decree of November 25 of the current year, in three parts;
the first part twenty-four hours after the notice, the second eight
days thereafter, and the third within two weeks, at the office of
said committee. Granada, December 11, 1893. Signed: Trinidad Ccón,
Manuel Lacayo, Juan I. Urtecho, Salvador Cuadra.” On the 13th I
advised the vice-consul of the United States at Managua of this new
contribution imposed upon me. On the 20th of this month two agents
of the police came into my house and penetrated into my sleeping
room, where I was ill in bed. They notified me that I should pay
them the third part of the contribution, viz, $555.33. I begged them
to let me do so the next day, when I could do so under protest
before notary public, as I considered myself exempt from such loans.
They refused to do so, and added that I must draw at once for that
amount, because otherwise they would not allow anything to eat to
come into the room and that we could then die of hunger. As in the
former instance, they really forbade all communication, and then,
convinced that they would carry out their menace, I called two
persons, Don Rafael Alegria and Miss Mercedes Alegria, to witness
that I paid over the money under compulsion, and I signified this to
the [Page 459] committee in writing,
advising them that I should make a formal protest as soon as I could
appear before notary public. The agents took the money to the
committee and a receipt was given to Don Rafael Alegria with the
statement that they did not admit any protest.
This is the third time a squad of soldiers has been put at my house
to force me to pay like contributions. The first time they remained
outside; the second an agent entered the house and forbade my going
out, receiving visits, correspondence, or telegrams or provisions,
while eight soldiers remained outside and I was kept under strict
supervision to prevent my escape. Of all this I can bring
witnesses.
I certify to all related above as being true in all particulars.
Josefa
Jacoby.
Witness:
Louis Chable.
Sworn to and subscribed before me, Lewis Baker, minister of the
United States of America at Managua, by Mrs. Josefa Jacoby, who
is personally known to me, and whose signature is also known to
me.
In testimony whereof I have appended hereto my name and the seal
of this legation, this 25th day of December, 1893, at Managua,
Nicaragua.
[Inclosure 2 in No.
184.—Translation.]
Mr. Gomez to
Mrs. Jacoby.
Managua, December 13,
1893.
Dear Sister-in-Law: From the time I arrived
here I took the opportunity to speak with Gen. Zelaya and most of
the ministers, toad vise them that you had been made a prisoner in
your house on account of the contribution, and after discussion of
the point it was decided that the promise made to the American
minister through his secretary would be complied with, viz, to await
the six weeks. An order to that effect was given last night.
So keep quiet and await the answer which the minister will receive.
Nothing else of importance.
Your affectionate brother-in-law,
