Claimant; born in
Cuba in 1818; inherited large sugar plantations near
Havana; declared his intention to become a citizen of the
United States in New York City in 1853; and after the beginning of the Cuban revolution in 1868 was accused of aiding the insurgents.
His property, valued at $3,000,000, was seized by the
Spanish government (1869), and he was arrested, imprisoned, and in 1870 was sentenced to death.
He, however, escaped to the
United States, where he laid his case before
Hamilton Fish, then
Secretary of State, at the same time declaring that he had in no way aided the insurgents.
The
United States immediately opened a diplomatic correspondence with
Spain in regard to the matter.
In September, 1873,
Spain relinquished all claims against American property in
Cuba, excepting the
Mora plantation.
An agreement was made that claims for damages by de facto American citizens should be placed before an international committee.
Accordingly the claim of
Mora was submitted to such a committee, which decided against him. The case was again brought up in 1883, and
Spain was requested to restore the embargoed estates to
Mora.
It was not, however, until Sept. 14, 1895, that
Spain paid the amount of the adjudicated damage to
Mora ($1,449,000) to the
United States for him. In this contest, which had been carried on for twenty-five years,
Mr. Mora had been under great expense, so that he realized only $994,509 out of the amount awarded him. He died in New York City, April 24, 1897.
