The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-11-06
Craze Charges Made Against the
New Consul.
AN ATTORNEY SAYS he Is GUILTY
OF o Felony Under the Of Laws virginia
He Dsust Explain the Charges Before
Leaving for His Post Ut Annoy,
China.

against Col. j. Hempton Hoge, Of Virginia,
are rapidly increasing. Since he was In
tercepted three days ago at San Francisco
when about TO embark for China, and or
dered to return to Washington, he has
been accused OF various things incompati-
BILE with the position OF United States con-
sui. II has been said that he neglected tc
pay his Washington tailor and that he i'm
bibed too freely OF the cup that cheers.
What appears, however, to be the cor
rect explanation Of Mr. Hoge,s recall from
his predestined post at Annoy, China, has
been learned by the United Press. @. w.
S. Musgrave is we'll known attorney at
law in this city. He is counsel for w. II.
ii. Raleigh, the manager of the Merchants
Protective Credit and Collection Bureau.
1t is alleged by Mr.. Musgrave that Mr..
Hoge is felon under the laws of Virginia,
and that his recall was due to charges to
that effect and others foreshadowng for
gerry, presented to Sec. Gresham aud by
him transmitted to Presiden. Cleveland.
1. an interview Mr.. Musgrave said,
MT. Musgrave's Charges.
Christiansburg, Va, was employed for
several years by our credit and collection
bureau as local representative. Finding
that it was difficult to induce him to prop
erly attend to the business entrusted to
him, and more difficult still TO induce him
to turn over to us certain moneys and
securities collected and held by him be-
longing to Baltimore merchants, for
which we were responsible, we had to dis
pense with his services. We then employed
attornies to collect from Hoge, all of
whom failed. We did not know the exact
amount of Col. Hoges collections for our
bureau, but we do know that he has
certain collections of about s400, of which
we have received no portion.
"After using every effort to induce Col.
Hoge TO turn over to us the moneys and
securities is held by him belonging to our
clients, and having totally failed, we in
tended to bring criminal action against
him, as his action had made him liable to
an indictment under the Virginia code for
felony. Just at this time we were ad-
vised Of his appointment rs United States
Consul at Annoy, China. Thinking that
we could then indnce him to settle amica-
bly,, we notified him that unless he did
remit the matter would be placed before
President Cleveland.
A Check Sent.
'In response to this, on October 10,
1893. he sent check by mail dated Roa-
noke, Va, October 10, payable to w. II.
Raleigh, manager, for the sum of 1896.
The check was drawn on the First National
bank of Roanoke, and was signed Lulu G.
Hoge, per ]. Hampton Hoge. He deposited
the check for collection, and on October %
it was returned to us protested. We had
our Baltimore bank wire the Roanoke bank
for information The latter bank replied
that neither Lulu B. Hoge nor j. Ha mp
ton Hoge had an account at the First Ma.
tional bank.
''Suspecting that the check was simply
sent us in order to give Mr.. Hoge few
days st art for China, thus staying legal
proceedings until he could get beyond
reach, / hurried to Washington and
found that Hoge had started for China
via San Francisco.
The Secretary Interviewed.
81 Immediately sought Secretary Gres-
ham, and that evening and the evening
following October 25 and 26) had inter-
views with him wherein l explained the
exact situation and exhibited to the secre.
tary all the papers and the protested check.
The secretary said he would place the
papers before the president as soon as pos
sible, and that Col. Hoge would be re-
called. 1t was suggested that as the
Gaelic would sail from San Francisco on
the 31st, there was no time to be lost, and
evidently from the recall Of Col. Hoge, no
time was lost"
The charges preferred at the state de-
partment against J. Hampton Hoge,
United States consul to Annoy, China, are
more serious than intoxication and failure
to pay his bills. 1t has been represented
to the president and Sec. Gresham that
Mr.. Hoge failed to account for money
given him In trust by clients and he will
be obliged to explain this grave allegation.
L. 10 axnected that Mr. Hoge will come to