John Mercer Langston to Mr. St. Victor, August 13, 1884
Mr. Langston to Mr. St. Victor.
Sir: Referring to my dispatch No. 286, addressed to you on the 7th instant, having reference to abuse and maltreatment of Mr. Eugene V. Garrido, on the 22d and 23d days of September, 1883, I have the honor, for your convenience of investigation with regard thereto, to state with greater particularity and fullness the facts as respects the circumstances of place and time thereof:
It was about noon, on the 22d of September, 1883, when Dr. J. B. Terres, vice-consul-general of the United States of America, at that time in charge of this office during my absence, sent to Mr. Garrido, then acting as a clerk in the legation and consulate-general, for a United States flag, for use at his residence. The flag which was to be sent to Dr. Terres was at the time being repaired at Mr. Garrido’s house, in the northern part of the city. Not having a boy at hand to send for it, Mr. Garrido went for it himself. He reached his home, secured the flag, and was returning with it in his hands. When he reached the Rue des Miracles, on his way back to the office, he saw in front of him, a short distance down the rue du Centre, some 30 or 40 well-armed men of the Government, who cried qui vive, at first. When the flag carried by him was presented to them, they beckoned to him to come; he advanced, and they immediately opened fire upon him, following him as he retreated back under the gallery of the house of Mr. S. Rouzier, in the Rue du Centre, and from there still back to the house of Dr. Branch, which he entered, situated upon the southwest corner of Rue du Centre and Bourse Foi. In this house, through the kindness of its occupant, Mr. Garrido was obliged to remain for a long time sheltered against these soldiers, who, firing thereupon as he entered, came near overtaking him and his rescuer by their shot; in fact, Dr. Branch was slightly wounded. Mr. Garrido must have been well known to the persons who made such demonstrations of violence and outrage against him, and it requires the largest possible degree of charity to imagine that they did not know his position in connection with this office.
But on the 23d day of the same month, as Mr. Garrido was engaged at the door of this legation in the performance of duties which properly enough commanded his attention under the circumstances, he was, between 1 and 2 o’clock in the afternoon, again maltreated and abused, being insulted and roughly handled by a crowd of soldiers, from whose violence he was finally saved through the good offices of Mr. C. A. Van Bokkelen, who called General Herard Laforest, who happened to be passing at the time, and who, with the greatest and most violent exertions, dispersed the crowd.
The facts as here detailed, Mr. Minister, sustained by the solemn declaration of Mr. Garrido himself, supported by the statement of many others, are not difficult of comprehension, are easily substantiated, and support in the clearest manner the demand which I have had the honor to make already in his behalf. I trust this case may now command, Mr. Minister, your immediate consideration and its solution and settlement be determined at a very early day.
I am, &c.,