The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-06
CLYDE sHRoPsmIRE's DENIAL.
Tells of IA "ROmnnce in the Jardin
des TuiIeries," and Makes n Pun.

Tells of "ROmnnce in the Jardin
des TuiIeries," and Makes n Pun.
Mr. Clyde Shropshire, lately vice consul |
general at Paris. has written a letter from |
London to the Atlanta Constitution, max |
ing denial of the stories about him pub
lished not long ago by the New York Trib-
une and other newspapers. In his letter |
he says. in part:
In 1898, when the new administration |
took the affairs of government, l was APP |
pointed vice and deputy consul general at |
Paris. At that time I was practicing |
law in that city and had been established |
there for five years. My official duties |
necessitated giving up the general prac-
tice of law, though 1 still retained an in
terest in my office. In addition to the sal
aries paid by the government to the con
sular officers there are certain fees, known |
as unofficial fees. which consular officers |
are allowed to charge for services render
ed. Besides these, there are unofficial |
fees charged for legal services by lawyers |
who represent the consulate when their |
services are required, for the preparation
of contracts, drawing wills and like pro-
fessional work done for American and 9TH
er clients. The consul general as is per-
tectly legitimate, and as has always been
done, received his share of these fees. In
addition TO this, he thought he should
share equally with me my profits arising
from my interest in the law office. II was
thus that difference of opinion arose be-
tween the consul general and myself. /
am obliged to refer to this that it may be
clearly and distinctly known that no ir-
Irregularities of any kind whatever arose
in the consulate. The rock upon which
the consul general and l split and parted
was upon an adjustment of private fees
Even this might possibly have been avoid
ed had the spirit of loyalty to me from
one to whom, if any one on earth, loyalty
was due, had been shown. But romance
was being played then-its stern real
ity now-in which the beautiful jardin des
Tuller1es was made the theater where my
loyal friend played the role of Romeo
1t was there, too, he went to hear the
nightingale sing while he committed to
memory Napoleon's love letters to Jose
phine to recite to his princess" (Some
of my Atlanta friends will appreciate this)
All this spoiled his great intuitions and
he forgot business interests. This. per
haps, is the real cause of his disloyalty
to me.
Il handed to the consul general my res
ignation as vice and deputy consul gem
eral on Feb. 10, 1896. 1t was only accepted
by him in June last and at that time for
warded to Washington. So far as an in
timation that any Irregularities in the gov
ernments money is concerned, have only
to say that it is absolutely false and de-
void Of even the semblance of truth Not
one penny of the governments money ever
came into my hands. 1t was not part of
my official functions. AS regards the alb
surd story that 1 connived at the under
valuation of goods shipped from France to
the United States, any one who knows
a a Of
voices knows this could not possibly be
true l don't believe l know or ever saw
half dozen shippers during the entire
time l was connected with the consulate
When invoices are brought to the consulate
they are given to the invoice clerk: he
numbers them and hands them to another
clerk to be entered in the invoice book; this
clerk in turn passes them to a special
agent for a close inspection. There are
three special agents OF the United States
government at the consulate in Paris.
thus each invoice passed through the
hands of three special agents before they
were finally brought TO me for my official
signature
The charge that l extorted a fee of 500
from the French government Is laughable.
l may or may not have beer EMPLOYED as
counsel for the French government but AZ
have doubt very seriously If the French
| government escaped with so light fee /
frankly admit that am not a cheap law
yer; In fact, the reputation / made in Pa
ris as lawyer, If anything, was certainly
not that my charges were ever too low.
But Mr.. Morss, the consul general
promptly denied all these false charges in
| an interview published in the New York
Herald the very day the slanderous re-
! ports were printed, and very truly said
that my resignation was given upon pure
ly personal grounds and had no connec-
ton whatever with consular or official
matters.
THE attack upon me in the rock-ribbed
republican journal Of New York was cow
ardly and sneaking. 1t was carefully
planned TO appear the day following the
appointment by the President of the new
consul general TO Paris, and made, / firmly
believe by one who is doing his utmost 10
SECURE the appointment of vice consul and
hoped TO push himself In the office by
slanderng me. lie has just about the
anne chance Of receiving the appointment
ms l have Of being the next democratic
nominee for President The attack was