Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 7, 1896, and the Annual Report of the Secretary of State

Mr. Rockhill to Mr. Taylor.

Department of State,
Washington, September 2, 1896.

No. 557.]

Sir: Referring to the Department’s Nos. 505, of May 13, 527, of June 24, and your No. 528, of June 2 last, in regard to the imprisonment of William A. and Louis M. Glean, I inclose a copy of a dispatch from our consul at Sagua la Grande, stating that though thirty days have elapsed since the case was transferred to the civil court, no action whatever has been taken, save about once a week to cite some person before the court in an endeavor to secure evidence upon which to go to trial; and that in no single instance has any criminating testimony been obtained.

You may again bring this matter to the attention of the Spanish Government, and ask that these men who have been detained in prison over four months already may be either brought to trial or discharged.

I am, etc.,

W. W. Rockhill,
Acting Secretary.