File No. 419.11D29/42.
The American Minister to the Secretary of State.
Panama, May 14, 1913.
Sir: Referring to my despatch No. 349 of March 4th last, I have the honor to inform you that I have continued to keep myself as fully advised as possible regarding the progress of the Panaman Government’s investigation of the riot between Americans and Panaman policemen which occurred on July 4th last. Señor Lefevre, Minister for Foreign Affairs, has informed me that immediately upon receiving my note enclosing copies of our testimony he began personally to translate these into Spanish. Later he transferred this work to the interpreter of the Foreign Office. After five weeks I learned that the translation was still far from completed and accordingly urged Señor Lefevre to expedite the work by dividing it between two translators. This was done and about a month later I was informed by Señor Lefevre that the translation of all the testimony which he considered to be of any importance had been completed and sent to the Attorney General (Procurator de la Nacion) and District Attorney (Fiscal del Distrito) for study and consideration. Another long delay then ensued and in a further effort to expedite the proceedings I addressed on the 3rd instant a note to Señor Lefevre inquiring, for the information of my Government, what steps had already been taken by the Panaman Government with a view to securing the adequate punishment of the persons criminally liable in this affair.
On the following day Señor Lefevre requested me to call at the Foreign Office where I found Dr. Demosthenes Arosemena, the Judge of the Superior Court making the investigation, with him. Señor Lefevre then informed me that our testimony had now been sent to Judge Arosemena who desired to proceed immediately with the case and suggested that I should cause all our witnesses to present themselves before him in groups of five each morning and five each afternoon to sign and swear to the affidavits formerly made by them. This procedure was in order to make these affidavits admissible in evidence according to the Panaman law. I replied that I would do everything possible to meet the Judge’s wishes whereupon Judge Arosemena assured me of his desire to make the most thorough investigation and bring the guilty to justice.
Accordingly I have arranged so that from the 8th instant our witnesses have appeared before Judge Arosemena who in all cases has had them sign and swear to their former affidavits and has further questioned them. These questions have on several occasions brought out new facts of some importance. According to my agreement [Page 1076] with Señor Lefevre (Despatch No. 313 of February 1st last) Mr. Wicker, the Secretary of the Legation, has accompanied our witnesses and been present during their entire examination, taking brief notes of them.
Although from the foregoing it will be seen that some progress has been made in this case, and although both President Porras and Señor Lefevre frequently assure me of their firm determination to discover the guilty and punish them, I do not believe that the Panaman Government is really desirous of doing more than it feels to be necessary in order to enable it to escape from possible charges of failure to take proper action made by our Government. As none of the persons injured in this case was a Panaman, it feels little interest in this matter, while on the other hand it fears that this investigation, if leading to trials and convictions, may stir up animosities which may prove to be to the political disadvantage of the members of the Government.
In this connection I may add that Señor Julio Quijano, the Chief of the Panaman police at the time of this occurrence, who fled to Guayaquil to escape from dismissal upon the demand of the Department of State,1 returned to Panama a few days ago.
I have [etc.]