Letter

George N. Leavitt to Hall, February 3, 1885

Author

George N. Leavitt

Recipient

Hall

Date

February 3, 1885

Type

Letter

Language

English

[Inclosure 2 in No. 316.]

Mr. Leavitt to Mr. Hall.

United States Consulate, Managua, Nicaragua, February 3, 1885.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your telegram of the 28th ultimo. At the time the message was delivered in Managua I was in Leon. While in Leon, on the evening of the 27th, I received the following telegram from Mr. Castellon:

“Government has ordered the commander of port San Juan del Sur to arrest José Dolores Gomez, a fugitive prisoner, who is on board of the steamer Honduras, now en route to that port. I suppose the captain will not interfere with the action of the commander, but to avoid whatever difficulty likely to arise, I request you to send a telegraphic message to the captain of the Honduras at San Juan del Sur, stating that the order has been issued by the Government and recommending him to support the commander, as there is no grounds on the part of the captain to hinder the execution of the Government’s order.

CASTELLON.”

I declined to send such a telegram. I returned to Managua immediately and found your telegram awaiting me. Mr. Castellon was absent from Managua, and to-day is the first opportunity I had of seeing him and informing him of your instructions to me. He requested me to send my instructions in writing. I did so, and sent the letter of which I inclose a copy. (Copied in continuation.)

I have learned that the Government requested the captain of the Honduras to deliver up Gomez, but he declined. He was then requested by the Government to go ashore. This he declined to do. He then was requested not to sail for twenty-four hours; This also he declined, and the Government alleges that he sailed in two hours without a license from the commandant of the port.

For these alleged offenses he, the captain, has been tried by the Nicaraguan Government and found guilty, but I have not yet been able to learn what sentence they have passed upon him. From the attitude of the Government, I am afraid they meditate some injury to the captain or his ship in case he returns.

I have tried, briefly, to outline the case and give the salient points.

* * * * * * *

I am, &c.,

H. H. LEAVITT.

Topics

19th Century Diplomacy Reconstruction

Sources

FRUS u2014 Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the P View original source ↗

U.S. Department of State, Office of the Historian. Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the P.