You will observe that the seizure was made by the United States Marshal, who I think is under Federal control. Very respectfully WILLIAM M. GRIFFITH Private Secretary. Enclosure: Copy letter from Thomas J. Dunn. WING LEE AT BUFFALO State of New York Executive Chamber Albany, August 26, 1898. The Honorable Secretary of STATE, Washington, D. C.: SIR: By direction of Governor Black I have the honor to acknowledge herewith receipt of your letter of the 23rd inst. with a copy of the note from the Chinese Minister at Washington in which he directs the Department's attention to the case of one Wing Lee, a Chinese subject, residing in Buffalo, N. Y., who is alleged to have been assaulted and suffered grievous bodily injury. The Governor will have an investigation instituted immediately covering that matter. Very respectfully WILLIAM M. GRIFFITH Private Secretary. STATE OF NEW YORK Executive Chamber Albany, August 26, 1898. Hon. DANIEL J. KENEFICK, District Attorney, Buffalo, N. Y.: DEAR SIR: I am directed by the Governor to enclose herewith a copy of a letter received from the Hon. Secretary of State at Washington together with a copy of the note of the Secretary of State from the Chinese Minister and certain affidavits in the matter of an alleged assault on one Wing Lee. You will observe that the Secretary of State requests that you cause an investigation of the matter to be made and advise us of the result. Very truly yours WILLIAM M. GRIFFITH Private Secretary STATE OF NEW YORK Executive Chamber Albany, September 30, 1898 D. J. Kenefick, Esq., District Attorney, Buffalo, N. Y.: DEAR SIR: Governor Black has received some further communication with regard to the matter of the alleged assault on Wing Lee, a Chinese laundryman, which has been the subject of previous correspondence with you. Will you kindly inform the Governor what, if anything, has been done in the matter. Very respectfully WILLIAM M. GRIFFITH Private Secretary State of New York Executive Chamber Albany, November 2, 1898 DANIEL J. KENEFICK, Esq., District Attorney, Buffalo, N. Y.: DEAR SIR: Your letter of the 27th ultimo addressed to Governor Black relating to the case of Wing Lee, a Chinese subject, residing in Buffalo, and enclosing minutes of the testimony of witnesses examined by you, and also a letter written by you to Mr. Thomas S. King, the Police Justice, has been received. From these documents it appears quite clearly that on the 15th day of April last in the city of Buffalo an unproviked an inexcusable assault was made upon Wing Lee whereby he received painful if not serious injuries; and that when he undertook in the manner pointed out by the law to bring the matter to the attention of the police justice no proper attention was given to his complaint; the hearing provided in such cases was refused, and he was ejected uncermoniously from the magistrate's office. There does not appear to have been the slightest excuse of justification for the summarily disposing of this case. Nothing in your letter or in either of the accompanying documents distinguishes it from that of any other complaint for a like cause, and the treatment it received at the hands of the magistrate seems clearly to have been unlawful, unjust and wholly unwarranted by any of the circumstances connected with it. The Governor is unwilling that it should so remain. The case has become of international concern, the Chinese Minister having called the attention of the State Department at Washington on to it; and the good name of the State requires that it should be taken in hand at once by the proper public authorities, fully and fairly examined and perseveringly prosecuted until ample justice is meted out to every person connected with it. The Governor trusts that you will see that this is done without delay. I venture to suggest that, as the police justice seems to have to some extent prejudged the case, the proceedings be instituted, if practicable, before some other magistrate. If you desire to make use of the documents sent with your letter I will return them to you. Very respectfully WILLIAM M. GRIFFTH Private Secretary STATE OF NEW YORK Executive Chamber Albany, November 16, 1898 DANIEL J. KENEFICK, Esq., District Attorney, Buffalo, N. Y.: DEAR SIR: In reply to your letter of the 11th instant I am directed by the Governor to say that under the circumstances it will probably answer the purpose to have the proper proceedings taken before the Police Justice. The Governor's only desire in the matter is to have such steps taken as will avoid or remove all cause of complaint on the part of the Chinese Minister and whatever is necessary or adequate to that end ought to be done. Very respectfully WILLIAM M. GRIFFITH Private Secretary STATE OF NEW YORK Executive Chamber Albany, December 9, 1898. Hon. JOHN HAY, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.: DEAR SIR: In the month of August last Governor Black received a letter from the Department of State, together with a copy of a note from the Chinese Minister, calling attention to the case of Wing Lee, a Chinese subject residing in Buffalo in this State, who, it was alleged, had been assaulted by persons known to the police of that city, but had not been able to secure the punishment of the guilty parties because of the refusal and neglect of the authorities to bring them to justice. The letter was promptly acknowledged and pursuant thereto the district attorney of Erie county was directed to investigate the case and report to the Governor. On receipt of the district attorney's report, under date of October 27, (A copy of which is herewith enclosed, together with the stenographer's minutes and the letter of the police justice, referred to by him) the Governor directed him to cause criminal proceedings to be instituted against the persons alleged to have committed the assault and to prosecute the same diligently until justice should be obtained; and that, as the police justice seemed to some extent to have prejudged the case, the prosecution be had, if practicable, before some other magistrate. The Governor has now received the district attorney's report setting forth the proceedings taken in pursuance of the foregoing directions, a copy of which report, under date of December 5th, is enclosed. He desires me to say that the |