A further ground for bringing lynching within the jurisdiction of federal courts and federal law is the fact that the lynching of an alien may involve the United States in international complications, although the federal government can take no action in the premises. Diplomatic intercourse was actually broken off between Italy and the United States during the controversy over the matter of an indemnity for the lynching of Italian citizens at New Orleans in 1891.[325] In a number of other instances foreign countries have successfully demanded indemnities from the United States through the Department of State for injuries done their citizens by mob violence. The following table gives the sums of money that have been paid to foreign countries since 1880 in the settlement of such claims. INDEMNITIES PAID FOR INJURIES TO ALIENS.[326] YEAR WHEN COUNTRY TO LOCALITY WHERE INJURIES AMOUNT OF INDEMNITY PAID WHICH PAID WERE INFLICTED 1887 China Wyoming $147,748.74 1888 China Pacific Coast 276,619.75 1892 Italy Louisiana 24,330.90 1896 Italy Colorado 10,000.00 1896 Great Britain Louisiana 1,000.00 1896 Great Britain Nebraska 1,800.00 1897 Italy Louisiana 6,000.00 1898 Mexico California 2,000.00 1901 Mexico Texas 2,000.00 1901 Italy Louisiana 4,000.00 1903 Italy Mississippi 5,000.00 —————-—————————— Total $480,499.39[327] With the exception of the payment to China in 1887, “in consideration of the losses unhappily sustained by certain Chinese subjects by mob violence at Rock Springs, in the Territory of Wyoming, September 2, 1885,” these indemnities have been paid “out of humane consideration, without reference to the question of liability therefor.” While they have thus not been paid in discharge of an express obligation recognized by the United States, there has been a moral obligation recognized and the federal government has felt it to be incumbent upon itself to redress grievances of this nature.[328]