San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-03-21
HE TRAITOR0USLY BETRAYS
THE TRUST OF HIS SUPERIOR
AND THEN DECAMPS.
He First Made Sure to Get Away
With S4O,OOO-WaS Also Ac-
cuSed of Being Guilty of the
FOaleSt Blackmailing. and
Many Other Crimes.
Special Wire to Sunday Light.


New York, March 20.-A Tribune
special from Washington, says
Samuel E. Morse, who is now consul
general in Paris, has made report
to the state departments of the dOings
Of his former deputy, to those wiles
he seems to have fallen an easy vic
tim. The report shows that he was
robbed by the deputy of not less than
$4,000, and perhaps as much as $780,
600 during the last three years.
Clyde Shropshire, a bright young
fellow from Rome, Ga, was appoint
ed vice-consul general soon after Mr..
Morse took charge of the consulate.
He had been living in Paris for five
or six years previous to his appoint
ment and pretended to practice law,
although clients were scarce with him
and his means of support were uncer-
tain and rather mysterious.
Mr.. Morse being a stranger and I'M
familiar with the practice and duties
of the office, left everything to Mr..
Shropshire and retained confidence in
him to the very last, although he was
frequently warned by friends that his
deputy was running with a rapid
crowd, was habitue Of the gambling
clubs and had the reputation of play
ing high and reckless game
Mr.. Morse was also informed that
Mr.. Shropshire was living in suspi-
ciOus style and developed extravaganza
habits that were the subject of gossip
in the American colony. But Mr..
Morse refused to believe these reports
and when he did allude to them once
or twice, the explanations of his depu-
ty were plausible and satisfactory.
The last incident of Mr.. Shropshire's
career was an attempt to blackmail
the cashier of the Grand hotel, in
connection with some money which
had been found in the hotel and given
to the cashier by the finder without
taking a receipt. The gentleman who
found the money went from Paris to
London and upon reflection wrote to
Consul General Morse. at Paris, re-
questing him to call at the Grand no.
tel and obtain a receipt or a statement
from the cashier.
AS Mr.. Morse happened to be away
the letter fell into the hands Of Mr..
Shropshire, who Immediately attacked
the cashier, and probably assuming
that the latter had cOnfiscated the
money to his own account, demanded
an equal division. Uuder threats of
exposure, the cashier gave Shropshire
a check for 10000 francs, which he
took to an American, who keeps
resort well known to the sporting
classes of travellers and asked him to
cash it. The American gave ShrOp-
shire twenty-five hundred francs cash,
surrendered to him n memorandum of
money previously borrowed, a thou
sand or more francs, and gave him an
I, o. u. for the remainder, which was
payable on demand. But when the
check was presented to the bank, it
was found that the maker had no &C
count there, and when this was re-
ported to Mr. Shropshire, the latter
realized that the cashier had played
trick, instead Of paying blackmail.
Shropshire having failed to make good
the money, the police were informed
Of the affair, whereupon both the cash
Ter and the American vice-consul fed
from Paris. 1t Is not known where
the former is, but Shropshire is under
stood to be In London, in company
with Mrs. Barnes, a woman Of much
from San Francisco. She is
said to be engaged on the stage, while
he is doing newspaper work.
When Mr.. Morse returned, he dis
covered to his amazement, that the
vice-consul had not only been involved
in Matchmaking enterprise, but had
borrowed money Of nearly every one
of his acquaintance. 1t was discoy-
cred that he had appropriated nearly
all the fees collected at the consulate,
the amount Of which cannot be ascer-
tanned accurately, and that he has
been in the habit Of collecting extor-
tionate fees from exporters.
It was also discovered that he had
swindled the French government out
of 1000 francs. which he charged for
certifying to the claims Of exhibitors
at the Worlds fair at Chicago, whose
exhibits were destroyed or injured in
the fire at the manufacturers building.
AS an act Of courtesy. these claims
should have been certified without
charge. but it appears Shropshire de-
handed 5000 for his services as notary
and made no entry on the books.
Many other cases Of o similar nature
were soon discovered. some of them
even more disreputable.
Mr.. Morse, who is highly respected.
does not fix the amount of the depu-
tvs embeZzlement. hut Il will not be
far from $4,000. II the money he Dor
roved from patrons OF the consulate