Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-03-29
CHANCE FOR MACRUM.
House Committee Listened to
His Charges.
MIR. ADAMS TOOK HIM TO TASK.
Cross-Qucstioned Him rs to Duty of n
Consul to Remain mt Post During Com
p1ications - Southern Member Wanted
Investigation Dropped.

Investigation Dropped.
WASHINGTON, March 29.--Charles Z.
Macrrln, of East Liverpool, o., tho
American ex.consul at Pretoria, appear.
cd before the house foreign affairs COM
mittee and was asked by Chairman HIT
to make such statement as he saw fit re.
earding the opening of his mali by tho
British censor. He explained that when
he asked for leave Of absenae he de-
sired to como home for private business
reasons and also because he desired to
place before the United States govern
ment certain facts which he doomed it
essential should be known here. Ho
understood, he said, that tho British had
possession Of our cable cipher. He was
not certain OF this, but he had since had
information which convinced him tlo5
his suspicious were correct. He also de-
sired information as to his course when
the settlement came at the end Of the
war. Further, ho had petition from
some American residents in the Trans
vsal asking that tho United States maintain
absolute neutrality which he wanted to pre-
cent "a the main state department The petit
tion he read to tho committee. 1t was signed
by Gordon, the consular agent at Johannes
burg.
Asked rs to when he was first satisfied that
his mail was being tampered with, ne said that
the war was declared October L. He did not
receive any mail between that date and the
second week in November. Ordinarily no had
box OF mail every week.
did other people receive mail during that
period 2" asked Mr.. Williams of Mississippi.
mot that know Of" replied Mr. Macrum.
Pressed for specific information rs to how he
got the intimatioh that the British were open
ing and delaying his mail, he replied that when
his mail did not arrive he telegraphed to our
consul at Lourenzo Marques, requesting him to
inquire at Cape Town why it was being de.
layed.
The consul at Lourenzo Marques replied
that he also had had no mail Mr. Macrum
said the delay of his mail created q conviction
in his mind that the British authorities
were responsible The first actual evidence
ho had was the receipt OF two opened letters
He produced the envelopes which he said con.
tanned those letters One was from private
citizen addressed to the United States consul
at Pretoria and the other was to him by name
from Consul Stowe Mt Cape Town.
On Nov. he had cab led the state depart.
ment in cipher asking for leave Of absence
That message had gone through Durham. The
next day, Nov. z, he said he had been informed
newspaper at Durham printed the fact that
he had asked for leave Of absence.
He was asked whether he had used what was
known as the Slater code, common code pur-
chHsable anywhere.
9TH message" said Mr.. Macrrm, "was sent
in the state department cipher of the Slater
code"
Mr.. Macrum said he had never seen the pub.
lication. He had only been informed that the
fact that he had asked leave Of absence had
been printed. He affirmed that no one knew of
this fact save himself. |
At this point Mr.. Howard, Of Georgia, inter.
| posed to question the utility of the examina.
| tion of Mr. Macrum. 1T looks to me- said he,
nike an effort to concoct sensation out of
nothing" But the committee decided Ia nro
ceed.
Mr.. Macrum stated that he had been granted
leave Of absence by Secretary Hay ON Nov l5
| He read to the committee message from the
cable company saying cipher cable sent by
| him To the secretary Of state Nov. IA h. d been
held up by tho military censor until Dec. 2.
| Other consuls had SO suffered. The Belgium
and German consuls both told him that no
cipher kilograms were allowed to 20 through
did you report to the state department that
your mail had been opened 2" asked Mr. Berry
of Kentucky.
"Did you mention it upon your arrival in
| Washington 2"
~ did not"
"whyP"
81 would prefer not to answer that cues
ton"
Mr.. Adams, Of Pennsylvania, then proceeded
! TO cross'question Mr. Macrum rather severely
upon the duty OF consul to remain at his post
during complications.
Mr.. Macrum proceeded to describe nm al
legged meeting between President Steyn, of tn,
Orange Free state, and Consul Stowe, of Cane
nf i, Ia,
said Steyn was very anxious that Stowe should
do something TO settle the difficulty which wa.
brewing. He .iid that President Steyn sup
gested an appeal to the president of the United
statos, and that Mr.. Stowe had replied that h,
would be glad II some such thing could b,
done. And have reason to believe that tn,
question was submitted to the president OF Tho
United States" added Mr.. Mac,um "and tha
he returned mn unfavorable reply"
what makes you cay thatf' inquired Mr.
Hit.
II was told so by Colonel stowe.'
"Na5 that statement in writing?"
| "It was"
"Have you the lotterf'
mo; it is in the flle' Of the Pretoria consul
nte."
After further questioning Mr., Macrum SAID
10 might have copy Of tho letter; no coul,
not sAy positively subsequently ho said h,
thoaRht he could produce II in a short time.
Mr.. Macrun won't over the exchange OF tele
grams with the state department relative (.
h.s leave, but ms these were in the cipher of th
Gcpaitlncnt the committee did not call fo
tncm He stated that his fcason for not NAL.
ing report to the state department on tn
conditions In South Africa VIA that when h
called on Assistant Secretary Hill lle said t.
Mr, I'M that bo understood he had been re
hsved. Nj. Hill responded that this wus true
UpA~r sunh circumstances Mr.. Macrum sai,
he i.~A no report 20 make TO tho dopartm elt
He nnd-svsred, howoysr, TO sce tho secretary
OF N'.ss hot was 3o.d that Mr.. Hay was out
Afssr hearing Mr., M1crum, the committo
~unt Int executive session. Chairinen Hit
presented a le:tor from Secre,sly hay giyin,
In cetAn the departments vow o; tho sublect
ind thiA wa subsequently, mado PUBLIC. Th
oommi.ive took no action as TO making re
port aud II was stated by members that thcr
whs nothing to be done beyond taking the ties
unony.
eeoI,taTy lays letter, giving the officia
view Of the ohse, Ia as follows;
WAMIEoroN, March IA, 1900.
, Hon n n Hit, Chairman Cominittee on Fol
s.gn Affairs. House Of Representatives:
,aInr-In rezponss 70 your Inquiries Of thi
norninE, I have che honor 10 report that up t.
shis eAto MIR, Macrum. lave CONSUL OF the Unite
6tatss At Pretoria. pss made no representa-
tLsna 70 this dspartrne ent In regard 10 the oper
Ing Of his mail By The Bttt.sh authorities.
Although wtthost Any information, cxcer
= the allegations Of MT. xaaruna. W which o re.
srAnes wAs pads IN resolution q ths house c
representative making osstain liauirisa OF thi
} Department., mentioned shs matter to VI
sr,rAh ambassador, who lnhde inquiry - r,
/, gard % 10 OF the British government, ana wa
tafos1ned IN return taAt The BrtAb govern
mans wore noe aware os any suab Incident ma,
ina taken plIAes. out u eaything Of the sort hn
, essurscd u wAs contrary to the instruetions c
Olat government
a 4