The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-11-08
CONSUL HOGE'S RECALL
COL. JOHN T.. PENN I1fLdi'' ."
CHANGES AGAINST HIN.
History of the Check Given the Baltimore
Eirm-TsiIor's Bill Was an oiu ono'
Other Stories Exaggerated

|
onel John f. Penn, a brother-ih-ia" u
Colonel j. Hampton Hoge' recently went
| TO Washington to see President Cleveland
or Secretary Gresham about the colonefs
recall. On being asked for information
about the charges alluded 10 IN the press
Of the country, handed The Times cores
pondent the following letter TO the editor;
The wide publicity and great eN'f@Nasahee
I'm reference to the charges which are said
TO have been made before the department
| at Washington against j. hampton hoge
| consul to Annoy, induces me 10 give lhe
| following statement: A day or two after
| 1t had been announced In the papers that
! President Cleveland had determined 10
recall Colonel Hoge from his appointment,
| / went to Washington, ana, In company
with the Hon. James W. Marshah' caiea
| on Secretary OF State Judge 6reSham
and requested him TO furnish me- as
| friend of Colonel Hoge with copy OF
the charges, II any had been mace 70 ms
! department
He Informed us that an attorney from
| Baltimore had called upon hiTn and pre-
| ferred charges against Colonel Hoge' ana
| mad furnished him certain papers IN con-
nection herewith, which he had turned
| over to the President, and IL was therefore
| not in his power 10 show us the papers,
| but that he would give US the substance
| OF the charges, which were That Colonel
| Hoge, as attorney, had collected certain
claims. amounting 10 something less than
| 81, and had failed to pay them over: tnat
the Baltimore attorney, who made the
charges, had insisted on settlement by
Colonel Hoge, and that Hoge had given
him a check for something over 50. the
secretary not remembering the exact
amount, and not having the papers be-
fore him. The check was sent to ROa-
noke for collection, and the bank on which
1t was drawn protested IL and returned
il for non-payment; that the Baltimore
attorney was informed by the cashier Of
a Roanoke bank that neither Colonel
Hoge nor his wife, whose name was signed
TO the check. had any money in the bank
upon which II was drawn, nor did they
keep any account with that bank ana that
Colonel Hoge was insolyent and would not
pay his debts; that the Baltimore attor-
ney also had a letter from a Roanoke
attorney stating. i'm substance. that moth
ing could be made out Of Colonel Hoge.
Col Pepn's Reply
/ replied TO the Secretary of State that
l knew nothing I'm reference to the check
or the debt which it had been given
in payment Of. but that / knew that COL
onel Hoge was entirely solvent and able
TO pay his debts several times over. ind
that the check, / was satisfied would be
made good as soon as I could communi-
cate with Colonel Hoge. The secretary
informed me that he did not see a copy
Of the dispatch which had been sent by
the President to Mr. Hoge at San Fran
cisco, but understood It TO be a request
for him TO return to Washington city,
and explain the matter This ended our
interview.
Since that time, many exaggerated state
ments have been published broadcast by
the press; amongst others a Washington
dispatch 10 the Philadelphia Record. which
says: --latest and greatest sin Of all. he
has apparently committed forgery, which
Is the decisive reason for recall" Then
follows statement from G.. w. Mus
grave. counsel for the Merchants Pro-
tective Credit and Collection Bureau.
The ChccI, G. ven.
I have ascertained that the check given
by Colonel Hoge was signed by him. and
his wifes name. on the 18th day of Octo-
Der, 1898. for $685. in favor OF W. II. II.
Raleigh. l don't know why Colonel Hoge
gave the check In question He left
Roanoke on the night OF the 18th Of
October, Of the same date of the check,
for New York city, and from there he
went. as l understand, by way of the
Southern Pacific railroad, to San Fran
cisco.
lie was very much pressed for time on
that day in closing up his pecuniary
matters. IL is true that his wife did not
have money in the bank upon which the
check was drawn, but she had then, and
has now, more than that amount TO her
credit subject 10 her check, or her
..t.a. Larr md
may be that by inadvertence. he drew the
check on the wrong bank, but whether
this is true or no., the check was but an
acknowledgment Of the indebtedness
and could not be construed under any
law in Virginia as a criminal act
Mr. Hnge's real estate i'm the county Of
Montgomery and in this city ! believe 10
be worth at n low estimate, $ZO,OOO' ana
his personal property not less than $1,000
and, so far as L am Informed, his in
debtedness would not reach one-fourth Of
that amount. so that there could by no
possibility have teen a purpose or design
on his part 10 wrong OF defraud any one.
The charge Of forgery L believe TO be abb
soutely grOundless and gratuitous and
made for sensational purIt SOS. If II had
reference 10 the signing Of his wifes
name to the check in question, it could
not be forgery. as she has at all times
AtthbuiAtA AAA1 IlEnA " use Afk hfA-tt9
when he saw proper, she being the owner
OF valuable real estate and personal
property I'm her own right.
In reference 10 the taiior's bill. whicn
the reporters make merry over as a
sweet morsel FOR ridcJle. ! am informed
by Mrs Iloge that her husband has not
bought from any tailor I'm Washington cry
any clothing on credit within six months
prior 70 the time of his embarkation. II
he owes a tailor's hill in Washington az
all IL was one contracted without any
reference to his appointment as consul.
and from inquiry have ascertained that
the bill is less than 800
The drunken spree an account OF
which has been teegraphed TO the New
York World / believe 10 be grossly
exaggerated, as Colonel Hoge reached San
Francisco on Saturday. October 2Sth,
and on Sunday he wrote a letter 20 his
family which, from his penmanshp and
the minute account which il contains
Of his trip from New Orleans 10 San
Francisco is wholly inconsistent with
the idea that ne had been on a drunken
debauch.
He has not yet had an opportunity OF
being heard I'm his own behalf / there
fore request that a considerate public
viii suspend it's judgment until the poor
privilege is given him OF speaking in
refereJce 70 these matters. I also re-
quest the newspapers that have pub
Ished statements I'm reference 10 him