Competitor Prisoners

Washington, Nov. 24. - The state department has received absolutely no information of any kind from Hávana, or elsewhere, concerning the report that the Competitor prisoners have been tried in Morro castle by a secret and summary court-martial. Under these circumstances no statement will be made at the department concerning the report, but in view of the plain provisions of our treaty, and also of the clear requirements of the domestic laws of Spain, the officials are loth to believe that the report is correct. It is pointed out that under the law for public order promulgated in Havana some months ago, it is absolutely essential that counsel shall be allowed to prisoners on trial, and that there shall be no secrecy in the proceedings. Under the protocol of our treaty wi(th Spain there likewise is provisión for publicity in trials and for full representation of accused by counsel. It is believed In view of these provisions of law that the authorities at Havana would not make such a flagrant breach of law as the report alleges.