Mr. Guzmán to Mr. Gresham.
Washington , July 9, 1894 .
Sir: As I have had the honor to state to you orally on more than one occasion, my Government is firmly convinced that the Government of the United States has received erroneous reports as well relative to the murder of the American citizen Wilson as in regard to the supposed complicity of the commissioner of Mosquito, Señor Lacayo, in the flight of the criminal Argüello.
The homicide in question aroused the greatest indignation in the Government and in the people of Nicaragua, and public opinion was at once pronounced against the perpetrator of that horrible act.
Commissioner Lacayo acted from the first with energy and diligence, and, faithfully interpreting the wishes of our Government, ordered the speedy capture of the delinquent and his confinement in the most secure prison which exists in the reservation. At the same time he reported the unfortunate occurrence to the superior authority and expressed the sentiments of sorrow awakened in him by that monstrous crime.
From the investigations made by my Government there is not found even the slightest suspicion that Señor Lacayo may be responsible in any way whatever for the escape of Argüello, an event which he sincerely laments, as every honorable man would do under similar circumstances. It is known that the commissioner, as well as the other Nicaraguan authorities, has made and is making all possible efforts to accomplish the capture of Argüello, his subjection to trial, and his punishment as he deserves. In the meanwhile he is being tried in contumaciam, in conformity with the prescriptions of our laws.
Zealous as my Government has ever been that the administration of justice in Nicaragua be speedy, effective, and equitable, it can but feel a lively interest and does in fact so feel, that the murder of a foreign citizen shall not go unpunished. Consequently, your excellency must rest assured that all needful means and recourses will be invoked for the apprehension of the fugitive delinquent, thus averting the impunity of the author of the horrible act of which the American citizen Wilson was the victim.
Your excellency is not unaware that my Government decreed the removal of Governor Torres as soon as he was suspected of complicity in the flight of Argüello, and that step was taken before Mr. Baker brought [Page 476] to the knowledge of our minister of foreign affairs the purport of your excellency’s note of the 12th of May last, thus conspicuously demonstrating that it acts with rectitude and severity in the punishment of the guilty.
In so far as relates to Charles Noyles, my Government has already ordered that he be put on trial. Thus, it may be affirmed that nothing has been left undone on the part of Nicaragua to cause justice to follow its course in respect to the bloody crime committed by Argüello.
In view of the foregoing statements and given (dada) the innocence of Commissioner Lacayo, so far as the flight of the delinquent is concerned, my Government believes that that of the United States, upon learning the truth of the facts, will reconsider and withdraw the request that Señor Lacayo be removed from his post, as an act of friendship toward a sister Republic which has ever looked up to this great nation as the safeguard of the sovereign rights, autonomy, and independence of the Latin-American peoples.
Knowing the uprightness of views which characterizes President Cleveland, and in view of his high sentiments of justice manifested under all circumstances, my Government thinks that upon informing himself of the true state of things he will wish to offer to my country an additional proof of friendship and sympathy by acceding to that which Nicaragua asks through me.
I beg your excellency to be pleased to bring this matter to the high knowledge of His Excellency the President of the United States, and to accept, once more, the protests of my highest consideration.