New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-16
MACRUM DISCREDITED.
HE NEVER REPORTED THAT HIS OFF,
CIAL NAIL HAD BEEN TAM
PERED WITH
GBr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE. !


Washington. Feb. 15.-Ex-Consul Macrum left
Washington for East Liverpool. Ohio last night
Immediately after giving his Statement" to the
press While in this city he settled his accounts
had his consular bond cancelled, and made no
attempt to see any of the responsible officers OF
the State Department. Macrum spent Tuesday
February g. in Washington, and after circu-
ating mysteriously about town most of the day.
making several Intellectual efforts to see Presi-
dent Mckinley, he finally called at the State
Department about o'clock in the afternoon
and rested ten minutes in the office Of Assistant
Secretary Hill who has charge of consuls and
curiosity at its height about the mysterious
something" Macrum had brought all the way
from Pretoria. but DR.. Hill did not assume an
inquisitoria attitude and Macrum went to East
Liverpool with his supposed message from loom
Paul" unrevealed. Neither did he tell anything
about the alleged interference with and viola
ton Of his official mail nor complain OF delayed
cable dispatches nor refer to any secret alli-
anCe between America and Great Britain" The
files Of the State Department prove that he
never made any reference to these matters at
any time. They show that the four cable dis
patches sent by Macrum begging for leave OF
absence reached Washington without any delay
whatever, and they demonstrate to the satsfac-
ton of the officials that Macrum is not habitu-
ally veracious
WILL MAKE NO INQUIRY OF ENGLAND.
So little reliance is placed on his published
Statement that no inquiry will be addressed
to Great Britain regarding it. although the De-
partment would be prompt to ask for Great
Britain's assurances to the invIola bty of
official letters and dispatches If credible com
plant were made that such objectionable
breach of international comfy had occurred.
The chief officials of the State Department were
averse to-day to identifying Macrum by taking
further notice of him. but finally the following
statement made for publication by direction
of Secretary Hay to-day with the understand
ing that 1t should be used prepared. and
without additions:
The published statement of Mr. Macrum does
not appear to have seriously disturbed the Off
GERS of the Department of State. While they do
not think it necessary to discuss his statement
in detail or otherwise dignity it by a specific
refutation. yet one Of them stated emphaticalIy
that Mr.. Macrum never reported to the Depart
ment the incident, upon which he lays so much
stress that his official mail was being regularly
tempered with by the British authorities. nor
does the Department place the slightest credence
in such statements
He did in a general way report that both
official and private mail intended for American
citizens did not reach him punctually, and asked
that protest be made on account of this rather
arbitrary proceeding on the part of the postal
authorities.
Every report from Mr. Macrum was carefully
studied, and, so far as the Department was
able to ascertain the situation. it was learned
that no unnecessary delay-none, certainly, be
yond what might be expected during a state of
war-existed. Under these circumstances, natu-
rally, some delay inevitable and unavoida
BILE, but that any correspondence. official or
otherwise ever opened. inspected or delayed
by the British authorities, the Department does
not for an instant believe. Certain 1t Is that
Mr.. Macrum never reported 1t.
Mr.. Macrum states that his Vice-Consul, Mt
Van Ameringen, closed up his business, took
the oath of allegiance TO the republic and went
to the front a burgher. When Mr.. Van
Ameringen applied for appointment as Vice-Con-
sui at Pretoria, he stated that he born in
Holland; that his legal residence was at Pre-
toria. and that he was a naturalized citizen of
the South African Republic. This application
dated Pretoria, November u, 1898.