Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-09-27
A MEMpHIAN ABROAD.
The Ava q. Lake A nssir at LeiprIs

The AIya q. Lake A flair mt Leipzig.
Two or three months ago the tele-
graphic dispatches to the newspapers
mentioned that Alva C. Lake, Of Mem
phis, had been sentenced to hard labor
and close confinement for one year at
Leipzig, Germany, on account of diff
Guilty with the American Consul. We
naturally felt an interest in the doings
of our representative abroad. but were
unable to obtain the particulars until
yesterday, when we had the fortune to
meet gentleman who was in Leipzig at
the time of the occurrence. He did not
attend the trial or see Mr.. Lake, but
gathered what he knows from common
report and the newspapers which con-
tanned full accounts Of the proceedings
and all particulars.
Mr.. Lake, it appears, is quite young
man, not more than twenty-five or three,
and went to Germany to learn the Ian
guage. Letters to the American stu
dents are usually sent to the care of the
American consul. The consul at that
time was a Methodist minister, one j. c.
Kramer, a native of this country, a
good Radical, and therefore fit to repre-
sent the great American Government in
foreign parts, and draw salary. A fell
low-student Of Mr.. Lakes, who was 60
ing away, gave him letter to the con-
sui authorizing him to receive any letters
that might come for him (the STUDENT.
Mr.. Lake presented this order, and was
informed that no letters had come for
the absent student. Mr.. Lake asked for
the return of the letter he carried there.
The consul declined asserting that it
had become his property. Arguments
were in vain---the reverend consul was
inAexible. Finally Mr.. Lake snatched
the letter, and ran out of the room and
escaped, Notwithstanding Mr.. Kramer
followed, shouting Stop theft in a
stentorian, camp-meeting voice. That
afternoon Mr. Lake called at the con
suls residence, and was refused admit
lance.
Two days afterward he met Mr.. Kra
mer on the street and knocked him down
with a loaded cane. Kramer was con-
fined TO his bed two days in consequence,
and Lake was confined in prison longer
than that, as the police were too much
for him that time. Finally he was
brought to trial and prosecuted by the
pious Kramer, and was sentenced to one
years hard labor.
Mr. Kramer, it seems, had founded
Methodist Church in Leipzig, composed
of American residents. Soon after this
affair, which occurred some time in June,
he left for this country to carry his fam
lily over. The members of his church
took occasion to present him some
highly complimentary resolutions on his
departure.
And now Cincinnati dispatch states
that Mr. Lake has challenged Mr.,
j. c. Kramer, and that the end is not
yet. five are not mistaken, Mr.. Lake 5
father is wealthy planter of Arkansas.
The Lake who has gone to Cincinnati,
or Covington rather, is not the one who
had the difficulty, for he is still in prison
serving out his time, so we understand,
though efforts were on foot to secure his
release. Lorenzo Lake, the challenger,
is book-keeper in this city, older than
Alva; we'll known and highly respected
by a large circle of friends. He, also,
was true Confederate soldier We
await the result with interest. Kramer
appears to be petty upstart, distin-
guished like Brownlow and Pearne, more
for Radical politics than their religion,
who smelt gnnpowder from afar during
the war, and snuffed himself into the
favor of the administration. He doubt
less hates q Southern man in any cline,
but will find that he walked up the
wrong customer when he insulted young
Lake. A Cincinnati paper says; fThe
challenge is accompanied by a threat of
personal violence in case it is rejected,
and Mr.. Kramer, whose avocation leads
him In abhor bloodshed. is nlaced in n |
dilemma, We are unable to learn
whether he had accepted or declined the
challenge. y |