Statement of facts.
On this day, May tenth, 1862, and at the hour of five minutes to two o'clock in the afternoon, I being in my consular office, No.
one hundred and nine Canal street, was called upon by an officer wearing the uniform and the arms of a captain of the United States army, accompanied by a squad of six or eight men, under his command.
The captain informed me that he came to prevent the exit of any person or property from the premises.
I said I was
Consul of the Netherlands, that this was the office of my consulate, and that I protested against any such violation of the same.
I then wrote a note to
Comte Mejan,
Consul of
France in this city, requesting him to come to me for consultation.
This note was handed to the officer, whose name I then learned to be
Capt. Shipley, who promised to send it, after taking it to headquarters.
Capt. Shipley returned, and stated to me that, by order of
Major-Gen. Butler, my note would not be sent to
Consul Mejan, and that he (the
Captain) would proceed forthwith to search the premises.
Capt. Shipley demanded of me the keys of my vault; these I refused to deliver.
He remarked that he would have to force open the doors; and I told him that, in regard to that, he could do what he pleased.
For the second time I again protested against the violation of the
Consular office to
Capt. Shipley, who then went out. Before he left, I distinctly put the question to him: “Sir, am I to understand that my Consular office is taken possession of, and myself am arrested by you; and that, too, by order of
Major-Gen. Butler?”
He replied: “Yes, sir.”
During
Captain Shipley's absence another officer remained in the office, and a special sentinel
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was put on guard in the room where I then kept myself.
The name of this second officer is
Lieut. Whitcomb, as he informed me.
Capt. Shipley returned, and was followed by another officer, whose name I could not ascertain, but from appearances ranking him.
This officer then approached me, and in a passionate, insulting tone, contrasting singularly with the gentlemanly deportment of both
Capt. Shipley and
Lieut. Whitcomb, made the same demand for the keys as had been made by
Capt. Shipley; and I made the same refusal, protesting against the act, as I had done before.
He then gave orders to search the office, and break open, if need be, the doors of the vault.
I then arose and said: “I,
Amedie Conturie,
Consul of the Netherlands, protest against any occupation or search of my office; and this I do in the name of my government.
The name of my consulate is over the door, and my flag floats over my head.
If I cede, it is to force alone.”
Search being begun in the office by the officer, I told him that the keys were on my person.
He then, in a more than rough tone, ordered two of the soldiers to search my person, using the following among other expressions: “Search the fellow ;” “Strip him;” “Take off his coat,” “Stockings;” “Search even the soles of his shoes.”
I remarked to the officer that the appellation, “fellow,” that he gave me, was never applied to a gentleman, far less to a foreign consul, in his consular capacity, as I was then; and that I requested him to remember that he had said the word.
He replied it was the name he had given me; and he repeated over the word three times.
Both
Capt. Shipley and
Lieut. Whitcomb then stepped forward; the latter was the first to take two keys out of my coat-pocket; the former took the key of my vault from the right pocket of my pantaloons.
Of the keys taken by
Lieut. Whitcomb, there was one opening my place of business, which has nothing to do with my Consulate, and is situated in a different part of the city.
I claimed it, but was told by the
commanding officer that he would keep it for the present, but might let me have it to-morrow.
I must here state that when
Capt. Shipley told me that my letter to the
Consul of
France would not be sent, I remarked that I had forwarded another message to the
Consul, and was expecting him every moment, and that if he (the
Captain) would delay action until I had seen the
Consul of
France, something good might come out of my consultation.
Capt. Shipley replied that he could not delay action, and that the order of
Gen. Butler was to “go on with the work he was charged with.”
The superior officer then took the keys, opened the vault, and, in company with
Capt. Shipley and
Lieut. Whitcomb, entered the same.
What they did then I was unable to see, as I kept myself in the same place and in the same chair where I had been searched.
After searching for some time, said officers retired, leaving the vault open;
Capt. Shipley and
Lieut. Whitcomb remaining with their men. Two other officers that I had not seen before came in and joined them for some time.
After an absence of about three quarters of an hour the officer in question returned, and, in the presence of the other officers, closed and locked the vault, taking the keys along with him. I then remarked to him that the key of my store was among those that had been taken away from my person, and I wished to have it. The same officer then asked me whether my store contained any goods or property belonging to the confederates?
To which inquiry I answered in the negative.
The same officer made use of the following language at the time: “You have placed yourself in a-bad position, and shall be treated without any consideration.”
He retired after that; it was then about four o'clock P. M.
I then continued to be a prisoner under the charge of
Capt. Shipley and a guard of armed soldiers, placed inside and outside of my office until about seven o'clock P. M., when
Capt. Shipley, having communicated with another officer, who came in the consular office, approached me and said: “You are now at liberty to go wherever you please, sir.”
I said: “I am at liberty to go wherever I please?”
He answered: “Yes, sir.”
I then remarked: “And it is by verbal communication that I am informed of the fact?”
He replied: “The same as you were arrested.”
I then rose, and before leaving my office, made the following remark to
Capt. Shipley: “You have taken possession of this office; I leave everything in your charge.”
To this he replied.
“I will take care of it.”
Whereupon I left my office, and a short time after I took down my consular flag.
am.
Conturie,
Consul of the Netherlands.
