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Show EMM Gflit Eighteen Americans Seized &y the Italian uovernnient. Baron Fava Demands His Passport From the Secretary Sec-retary of State. Secretary Blaine Refuses to Say a Word About the Matter. Washington, March 31. It is reported re-ported that eighteen American citizens citi-zens have been seized and imprisoned m Rome to be held as hostages. Secretary Blaine has just been seen by the reporter and absolutely refuses to say one word. Baron Fava ha3 presented to state department his recall by the Italian government and has demanded his passport. The government is greatly great-ly surprised because it was wholly unsuspected un-suspected and because the investigation investi-gation into the New Orleans matter is not completed. The reason for recall is "The King of Italy is dissatisfied with the adjustment between the two countries in regard to the New Orleans massacre." This action cab' be construed in no other way than as an act of open hostility hos-tility on the part of the Italian government gov-ernment to the Urited States, with which it has heretofore been on friendly friend-ly terms. It is now reported around the state department that it was at Florence that the eighteen Americans were thrown into prison instead of at Rome as at first reported. It is also said that others have suffered the same fate in Caly, and in all cases the Caly officials refused to give the imprisoned persons any reasons for their arrest. The situation is so new and serioim that no official comments can be obtained ob-tained at this hour from any source; there must be time for tbe administration adminis-tration to think. Dnring the two hours-cabinet session of to-day it as yet has had little or no opportunity to consider the facts in the case. Secretary Blaine, it is statedwU make an official.w."ri.s3ioiy it will j -tiiion Faya'nJwa of this government, but'in the meantime the baron's pleas----ant personal relations with the state department and the country will have been severed. It is doubtful whether in view of the extraordinary circumstances circum-stances of the recall there will be any form-lities at the White House, usual upon such occasions. Indeed, when this affair is looked at from the distance dis-tance of time, it will appear to have been very much hurried. The letter from Governor Nicholls to Secretary Blaine caused the trouble. It was received here several days ago, and a copy was sent at once to Baron Fava. This course gave it the appearance appear-ance of being the ultimatum of the government, and it appears that the baron accepted it as such and cabled it in that character to his government. |