File No. 419.11C64/34
The Minister in Panama ( Price) to the Secretary of State
Sir: With reference to the Department’s Instruction No. 276 of August 21, 1916, relative to the riots which took place in Panama City on the night of the 13th–14th of February, 1915, and to the Department’s implied desire to receive further information in regard to the steps which the Panaman Government is taking in the matter, I have the honor to state that in reply to a note dated October 21, 1916, in which I requested the Minister for Foreign Affairs to give me full information as to future developments in the matter, I received a note dated October 26, 1916, in which the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs informed me that the investigations of the riot bad been ended, were in the hands of the Superior Court, and that the decisions would soon be rendered, whereupon, he assured me, the texts thereof would be transmitted to me.
Not having received any further information on the subject, on March 13, 1918, I addressed another note to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs in which I referred to his previous note, the contents of which I set forth in the preceding paragraph, and urged him to acquaint me with the nature of the decision rendered. I am now in receipt of his reply, transmitting voluminous enclosures which would appear to be the written testimony of the witnesses and other persons connected with the matter of the riots, including statements and opinions made by court officials.
A careful examination of the translations of these documents clearly shows that the Panaman authorities are of the opinion that it is impossible to definitely ascertain the causes of the riot. This is due to the conflicting nature and vagueness of the accounts of the manner in which the riot started. Consequently it would appear to be impossible to fix definitely the blame for the disturbances on either the Panamans or the American soldiers. Nevertheless, an examination of the documents leads to the following conclusions:
- (a)
- That the disturbance is said to have been started by an American soldier who forcibly attempted to take a horn from a Panaman boy who was blowing it;
- (b)
- That a Panaman policeman attempted to stop the disturbance;
- (c)
- That this attracted the attention of several American soldiers who immediately assaulted the policeman; and
- (d)
- That the disturbance quickly turned into a brawl by numerous Panaman citizens who joined in, according to the testimony, not necessarily in order to assist the Panaman policeman.
- 1.
- A fact which is clearly brought out by the information submitted to this Legation is that one person was actually killed during the riot. This person was Benito Garcia, referred to both as Nicaraguan and Costa Rican. It appears to be satisfactorily established that the American soldiers were not responsible for his death, inasmuch as it was found that he was killed by a bullet of different size than those used by the American soldiers. It is apparently absolutely impossible to ascertain who is responsible for the man’s death.
- 2.
- The only definite fact established by the testimony is the shooting of Sixta Vasquez by Rodolfo Acuna, a Panaman policeman. The woman, Sixta Vasquez, later died of tetanus as a result of the wound, caused by Acuna, becoming infected.
- 3.
- Acuna was to have been brought to trial on the charge of having wounded Sixta Vasquez (not on the charge of murder), because of the fact that the wound of itself had not been fatal. On January 4, 1917, Acuna died of consumption, a fact which was officially brought to the knowledge of the Superior Judge, who thereupon gave orders for the suspension of proceedings in the trial.
- 4.
- This order for the suspension of proceedings was later confirmed by the Supreme Court of Justice.
In view of the fact that Rodolfo Acuna was the only person, who was connected with the riots in question, who was definitely accused of any crime, and in view of the fact of his death, with the result that proceedings in his case had to be canceled, it would appear that all investigation, action and proceedings of the appropriate Panaman authorities in regard to the investigation of the blame for the riot have been indefinitely suspended.
A translation of the note of Secretary Garay with the enclosures mentioned will be sent later.
I have [etc.]