On Nov. 8th, 1861, during the American Civil War, the Federal cruiser San Jacinto stopped the British mail steam Trent on her voyage from Havana to the British port of Nassau in the Bahamas, forcibly took off Messrs. Mason and Slidell, political agents sent by the Confederate States to Great Britain and France, together with their secretaries, and then allowed the vessel to continue her voyage.
22. A Double Murderer.
In 1885 James Smith, an English subject, commits a murder in London, but succeeds in escaping. In 1886 he appears in Rome under the name of Edward Fox, and commits a murder there also. He is tried in Rome and condemned to penal servitude for life. In 1906, after having served 20 years and exhibited exemplary conduct, his sentence is remitted by the King of Italy. His real identity having been established during the trial, on his release the question of the possibility of his extradition for the previous murder is discussed in the English press.
23. A Masterful Customs Official.
On Dec. 24th, 1907, the following appeared in the morning papers, dated Winnipeg, Dec. 23rd:
"An American Customs official, suspecting two Canadian farmers of smuggling barley, surprised them near the boundary, and, threatening them with a revolver, compelled them to cross into American territory. The official had no warrant, and the farmers returned into Canada. The matter has been laid before the British Ambassador in Washington and the Canadian Government. Ten thousand dollars damages are claimed."
24. Russian Refugees and Foreign Asylum.
The following appeared in the Times of March 6th, 1908, dated Paris, March 5th:
"Signatures are being collected in Paris for an address 'to the Swiss people,' which already bears the names of MM. Anatole France, Octave Mirbeau, Painlevé, Jaurès, Seignobos, and others, urging them to refuse the extradition of the Russian Socialist Revolutionary Bromar Vassilieff, who killed the Prefect of Police of Penza in January, 1906. The address declares the deed of Bromar Vassilieff to have been purely political. France, it contends, refused to surrender Hartmann, who had taken part in the attempt against Alexander II. Italy refused to extradite Michel Gotz, a member of the organization that assassinated M. Sipiagin and M. Plehve. Sweden refused to give up Tcherniak, accused of having participated in the attempt against M. Stolypin. Only a few days ago, says this address, an Austrian jury acquitted Wanda Kraguelska, who boasted of having thrown a bomb at the Governor-General of Poland. The Swiss Republic, it adds, will not do what monarchies and Empires have not done. It was deceived when it handed over to the Russian authorities Belentsoff, who before his trial died from flogging in prison. Free Switzerland having always done itself honour by defending the political refugees of all nations against the largest Powers, the signatories to the address feel certain that she will not be false to this noble tradition by allowing Bromar Vassilieff to be extradited."