The Iola register., 1891-10-16
MINISTER WAsHeuRNE.
An Error Corrected by One Who Was I'm
Paris During the Siege.

A correspondent signing himself
"a" writes as follows to the N. Y.
Tribune: In the London Tunes of
recent date appeared paragraph CAL
culated to reflect upon the American
minister in Paris during the siege of
1901. The Times said, speaking of
the late j. j. Weiss: Shut up by
surprise in the siege of Paris, an in
genious idea attracted general atten-
ton to him. Mr.. Washburne, the
American minister. who, unlike his
colleagues, had remained in Paris and
was a medium of communication be-
tween besiegers and besieged, had per-
mission to receive the Times, which
kept him posted up in events that were
q secret for Parisians, and especially
for the government of national de-
fense. Weiss succeeded jim bribing
Mr.. Washburne's valet. The 1!mcs
arrived during the day: Mr.. WASH
burne read # in the evening. His
valet, on entering his masters bed
room to put out the light, took away
the TInsls. jumped into a cab and
went TO Weiss, waited while he
skinned the paper brought it back.
and the next morning, on entering the
bedroom to draw back the curtains,
put the Times back In its place"
We're these statements true they
would tend 10 show that Mr.. Wash
burne was a careless diplomat. little
anxious to justify the confidence placed
in his discretion bv the German be-
siegers, who allowed the foreign pa
pers to reach him through their lines.
He had occasion once to teach them a
good lesson in that regard. The mail
bag for the American legation was
usually received from or remitted to
the Prussian military post, usually by
Secretary Wickham Hoffman. at the
Sevres bridge, outside of Paris. OGe
day the Germans insisted on opening
it, and Mr.. Washburne declared that
if that was done he would decline to
receive or to send any mail, leaving to
the besiegers the responsibility of the
consequences. The latter might have
been grave. inasmuch as Mr.. Wash
burne was, with MIR. Kern, the Swiss
representative. the only foreign lAinis-
ter in the invested city, where he had
been intrusted with the care of all for
eigners whose ambassadors had left
Paris. Prince Bismarck, who had al.
ready some motives to appreciate the
spirit of absolute neutrality displayed
by the American minister, approved
Mr.. Washburue's protest and ordered
that the mail bag for or from the
United States legation should never
be interfered with.
Several London and American pa
peIs, and not the London Times only,
were received by Mr.. Washburne, who
did not allow them to be spread on the
table of the legations parlor. Avenue
Josephine. but kept them in his pri-
vate Office. He did not use either to
take them into his residence, Rue
Spontini, where he stayed seldom, liv-
iug rather at the houses of friends with
whom he partook the scanty provisions
they could procure. Mr.. Washburue's
valet is au imaginary parsonage, unless
the London Times should have taken
for valet the worthy Antoine, Il col.
Ored man who acted for many years 10
the capacity of messenger in the lega.
ton, where lie became very popular.
j. j. Weiss WAS a polemist, a dec
triRarian journalist, Hot given to run,
nIRg after news" still less TO using
any improper tricks to secure it. He
held at that time the place of chie
editor Of the Paris Pitric, an evening
paper, where those who had seen Mr.,
Washburne in the forenoon corld see
him i1 the afternoon, quietly writing
some brilliant article on the genera
situation, but aut on the unconfrmeC
aud so-called news of the day.
No infOrmatiOG of a political or mil.
itayy character ever leaked thrOugI
the American legation during the
siege. Still, Dir. Washburue opeuly
1pz,de use of the London Times auJ
other London papers in a highlv char
liable aud proper nanner, The Eng
lish papers published daily, in In,
form of advertisements. columns whIct
acre headed Family News" as near
nS can remembE. These ADVERTISE
SnentS, or rather short notices, for iu-
stance ran thus: Mrs y. and tho
children arc IN Londoa, St.
street, No. -, in good health"
other notices gave news of wife a
daughter. old parents, etc, who had
left Paris previous 10 the Investment.
and We're residing in Belgium. Italy.
Switzerland, etc. Those family"
columns were cut off from the London
papers by Dir. Washburue. aud handed
hy him TO French journalist tried
friend of his. with the permission of
having them Published. That Journal
ist. though FREUD also of,J. j. Weiss.
did not give these family notices" to
La Pdtrle, but to lie Gauiois, a morn
ing paper, @bich could publish them
more conveniently. heving more time
10 set them than an afternoon paper,
and which alse had larger circula-
ton.