Commodore Arent S. Crowninshield, Chief of the Bureau of Navigation, to John E. Wilkie, Chief of the Secret Service
NAVY DEPARTMENT,
BUREAU OF NAVIGATION.
Washington, June 27, 1898.
S I R : -
Following is a copy of a letter received from the State Department:
“June 25, 1898.
The Honorable
The Secretary of the Navy.
Sir:-
I have the honor to apprise you of the receipt of a telegram from the Consul of the United States at St. Thomas,1 West Indies, reading as follows:
‘Consulate of the United States,
St. Thomas, June 24, 1898.
(Received 2.55 a.m.)
Secretary Cridler,2
Washington.
Sailed by PRETORIA yesterday New York HOSEA LYLTOGO? Porto Rico. Means go to pilot on our ships to Porto Rico. Has been much with Spanish Consul here, cannot be trusted. Believed he is a spy. Short stout brown color speak broken English Spanish. Van Horne.’
Respectfully yours,
(Signed) William R. Day.”
This Department hasreceived information that the name of the supposed Spanish spy expected to arrive in New York on the 28th instant is Jesus Acoredo and not Jose Acido.
Respectfully,
AS.Crowninshield
Chief of Bureau.
Source Note: TLS, DNA, RG 87, A1 Entry 16, Records of the U.S. Secret Service, Records Relating to Spy Suspects During the Spanish-American War, Feb.-Aug, 1898. Addressed below close: “The Chief of the Secret Service,/Treasury Department.” In upper-left corner: “John D. Long, Secretary” and typed below is document reference no. “122123.” “BUREAU OF NAVIGATION” is typed below “Navy Department” heading.
Footnote 1: United States Consul Mahlen Van Horne was posted at St. Thomas, Dutch West Indies.
Footnote 2: Third Assistant Secretary of State Thomas W. Cridler.
