Office of the Historian

File No. 1558/11.

The Persian Minister to the Secretary of State.

[Translation.]
Legation of Persia,
Washington, July 4, 1907.
No. 22/101.]

Mr. Minister: I have the honor to bring to your excellency’s knowledge the following information I have just received from my Government in regard to the case of the late Doctor Labaree.

“The indefensible communications addressed to the Government of the Republic by various persons at the instigation of coreligionists who are subjects of the Empire being decidedly overdrawn, we have asked his excellency Mr. Richmond Pearson, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States at Teheran, during whose mission the unfortunate incident took place, and who is better acquainted with the facts than anyone else, to draw his Government’s attention to the actual facts and their true consequences.

“You will further point out to the Government of the Republic of the United States—

  • “First. That as a matter of fact there is no Labaree question now pending between the United States and Persia, since every judicial and pecuniary satisfaction has been from the first granted in the case, in accordance with the demands and wishes of the Government of the Republic.
  • “Second. That a secondary and purely judicial claim, touching the alleged participation of several other persons, was still pending, and, as to that, the Imperial Government agreed with the legation of the United States to have them arrested and tried within a stated period, and when it attempted to carry out its promise the accused took alarm and sought refuge in Turkey, and, through their relatives, fomented disturbances all along the frontier.
  • “Third. That the proposition transmitted through you to the Government of the Republic came from some merchants and relatives of the supposed offenders to the governor of Orumiah with a view to change the prevalent disturbances into concord and harmony among all parties, and that if the poor innocent inhabitants of the country had been exempted from payment, the amount of the proposed fine would have barely reached a few hundred dollars.
  • “Fourth. The murderer, who had been tried and sentenced, already died in jail, and three or four of his alleged accomplices have thus [Page 948] far been killed in several skirmishes, so that there remains but two or three who are now on Turkish territory and can not be arrested and tried unless they return to Persia.
  • “Fifth. The Imperial Government highly appreciates and attaches too great a price to the sacred bonds of sincere friendship which bind it to the humane Government of the United States and its eminent and magnanimous President to attach any importance whatever to the reports circulated and the erroneous charges from the pen or the mouth of a few biased and conceited persons; further, readiness in protecting the citizens of the United States residing or traveling in Persia was never found wanting, and the murder of Doctor Labaree, with intent to rob, is an every-day occurrence in every civilized country, and if, as suggested to the Government of the Republic by some vindictive persons, fanaticism had been the cause, not only Labaree but many others would have suffered the same fate.”

Be pleased to accept, etc.,

Morteza.