The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1899-12-06
SENSATIONAL PETITION.
Minister Charles Burdette Hart
in Embarrassing Position.

Recall Demanded by Residents Of
-PecuIation and Injustice
aiIeged-A Hot petitiom-Hart's
Friends Deny the Charges and State
That They Grow out OF Personal
Matters.
Copies have been received 10 Char
lesion by several State office holders
and several others in public positions
Of a petition which is being sent to
the members of congress; in which,
among other things, charges of a most
sensational nature are made against
Charles Burdette Hart. formerly edi-
tor of the Wheeling Intelligencer, now
United States minister at Colombia,
South America. The petition con-
cludes by requesting congress 'sto
cause the recall of Hon. Charles Bur
dette Hart, and to take such further
action as may be necessary to prevent
either Hon. Charles Bnrdette Hart,
Hon. Luther F. Mckinney and Jacob
Sleeper, Esq, from holding any fed
eral Office of trust III the future; also
to cause the removal Of Hon. Thos.
w. Cridler, third assistant secretary
of state, undoubtedly man unworthy
and unfit to hold the post. !"
This petition is expected TO ex-
plode a sort of political bombshell, is
signed by ]. Edward Buckley of New
Orleans, former acting United STATES
vice consul general.
THE CHARGES MADE.
The charges are several AMI Of va
rious sorts, from peculation in Office
to unfaithful performance Of the du-
ties required Of diplomatic repre-
sentative. They include also Mr..
Harris predecessor, Luther f. Nc.
Kinney. "Unequal and unjust recog
milton and administration of justice, >
is the general charge made against
both. The allegations are then mad.
specifically.
Among other things it is charged
that Minister Hart, actively or pas
sively, interfered in certain negotia-
lions over contract with the Colon
bian government for the equipment
of its army with rifles, in the interest
of his son, who is engaged in bushes:
in Colombia, and to the prejudice oil
other competitors, particularly the
representative Of Krag- jor-genson s
Co.
1t is charged that Minister Hart
was 'willing to have seen sacrificed
or to have been indirectly responsible
ia an effort to sacrifice, an American
syndicate's interest knowing as hi
clever mind did, that it would carry
with it. not only defeat to the syndi
Gates representative: but, The loss @
a commercial zone reaching from tn
head Of navigation on The Amazon
river to the Caribbean see, which with
the cooperation of the Colombian
government, would have been the ter
ritory of our American exporters ant
manufacturers.
THE RANDOLPH INCIDENT.
1t is charged that Minister Har
has been lax in giving to Judge Ran
dolph former citizen of Alabam;
who is under sentence of death il
Colombia, the protection which should
be accorded to an American citizen IL
a foreign country. Randolph, wen
to Columbia four years ago and spec
ulated in mining lands, and was ar
rested, tried and convicted of shooting
a native with whom he had some diff
ficulty, The petition charges tina
Minister Hart chad been in Bogoti
from July I, 1897, until April 1885,
eight long months, without apparent
ly having made one positive move 70
Randolph's relief; however, he founC
sufficient of the governments time T.
consume Is days in journey in tn
investigation OF mining and con
cession scheme, in which to some on
there is naturally financial gain"
"These" says the petition are con
ditions not unknown to the depart
ment of state, and Washington au
thorities, particularly our very honor
able third assistant secretary of stat
Hon. Thos. W. Cridler; who have no
only studiously avoided the issues Blu
in pigeonholing reports have sup
pressed them.
The friends of Mr. Hart declar
that personal grievances are at tn
bottom of the petition and do not pu
much faith in any of the charges.