The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-03-20


Samuel E. Morss, who is now con-
sul-general in Paris, has made report
to the state department of the doings
of his former deputy, to whose wiles
he seems 70 have fallen an easy victim
The report shows that he was robbed
by his deputy of not less than $4,000,
and perhaps as much as $4,000, during
the last three years. Clyde Shropshire,
bright young fellow from Rome, Ga,
was appointed ACKNOWLEDGEMENT soon
after Mr.. Morss took charge of the
consulate. He had been living in Par
is for five or six years previous to his
appointment, and pretended to prac-
tice law although clients were scarce
with him and his means of support
were uncertain and rather mysterious.
Mr.. Morss. being a stranger and I'M
familiar with the practices 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, and was a frequenter OF the
gaming tables, and had the reputation
of playing a high and reckless game
Mr.. Morss was also informed frequent
ly that Mr.. Shropshire was living in
suspicious style and had developed ex-
travagant habits that were the sub
ject of much gossip in the American
colony, but Mr. Morss refused to be-
lieve these reports and when he did
allude to them once or twice the ex-
plantations of his deputy were plausible
and satisfactory. The last incident in
Mr. Shropshires career was an attempt
to blackmail the cashier of the Grand
hotel in connection with money that
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-Geaeral Morss at Paris re-
ouesting him to call at the Grand hotel
and obtain a receipt or a statement
from the cashier
: AS Mr.. Morss happened to be away
the letter fell into the hands of Shrop-
shire, who Immediately attacked the
cashier. and probably assuming that
the latter had confscated the money
to his own account, demanded an equal
division. Under threats of exposure
the cashier gave him a check for 10000 (!
francs. which the latter took to an /
American who keeps a resort we'll !
known to the sporting class of travel I
ers and asked him to cash it The !
American gave Shropshire $500 francs /
in cash. surrendered to him mem /
orardum of money previously bor /
rowed, thousand or more francs. and !
gave him an I. O. L. for the remain j
der, which was payable on demand. |
But when the check was presented to !
he bank it was found that the maker |
had TO account there. and when this !
was reported to Mr.. Shropshire the lat
Ter realized that the cashier had played /
him trick instead of paving black
mail. Shropshire having refused to
make good the money, the police were
of the affair, whereupon the
cashier and the American vice consul
led from Paris. 1t is not known where
he former is, but Shropshire is under
stood TO be in London. in company
With Mrs Hattie Barnes. a woman of
much notorietv from San Francisco.
She is said to be engaged on the stage
If one of the London theaters, while
ie is doing newspaper work Their IN
imacy was notorious in Paris for sew
raj months before they fed.
When Mr. Morss returned to Paris he
discovered to his amazement that the
ice consul in whom he had placed
% much confidence, had not only been
involved in \ blackmailing enterprise,
tut had borrowed money of nearly
very one of his acquaintance, accord
ng TO the financial ability of the
ender. II was discovered that he had
nearly all the fees col
acted at the consulate, the amount of
Which cannot be accurately ascer-
aimed, and that he had been in the
bit oe collecting extortionate fees
rom exporters whose honesty was sus-
ected and who are supposed to have
cen assisted by him in defrauding the
government.
1t was also discovered that he had
windled the French government out
f 100, 900 francs, which he charged Tor
ertifying to the claims of exhibitors
t the Worlds Fair at Chicago, whose
xhibits were destroyed or injured in
he fire at the manufacturers building. !
S an act of courtesy these claims
hould have been certified without
barge, but it appears that Shropshire
emanded 5000 for his services as a,
otary. and made no entrv of that fee
non the books. Many other cases of
similar nature were soon discovered,
ome of them even more disreDutable.
Mr. MorsS. who is highly respected
nd has the complete confidence of the
merican colony, does not fix the
mount of his deputy's entertainments. !
ut it will not be far from $4,000. if
le money he borrowed from patrons
the consulate is included. Mr.. Morss !.
as taken no steps for his arrest be-
,use it is impossible to recover any |
ling, and he wishes to avoid scan .