Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-03-29
THREE CENTS PER COPY.


3ted 4 conviction in his mind that the
british authorities were Responsible
The first actual evidence he had was
the receipt of two opened letters. lie
Irodumced the envelopes which he said
contained those letters. One was from
a private citizen. addressed to the
United States Consul at Pretoria, and
the other was TO him by name from
Consul Stowe, at Cape Town.
MIR. William Alden smith. OF Michi-
gan. tnterrogatcd the witness sharply
on the reasons FOR stating his belief
that the British authorities had possess
sion of the State Departments cipher.
MIR. Macrum said he could not con-
firm that fact from actual knowledge,
but there were certain facts which con-
WINGED him that such WAS the case. He
explained that on November he had
cabled The State Department in cipher,
asking Tor Il leave OF absence. That
message had gone through Durham. The
next day November :. he said he had
been Informed newspaper al Durham
printed the fact that he had asked for
leave of absence.
THE CODE USED.
Mr.. Smith was proceeding to intcrro-
of the code used by him in this dis.
patch. especially as to whether he had
used what was known as the Slater
Code. II common code purchasable any
where.
Mr.. Hit thought it improper to touch
the matter of codes employed by the
Government. but 1t VAS finally agreed
that no harm could come from II direct
reply as to whether he Slater code was
used.
The message" said Mr.. Macrum.
was sent in the State Department.
code, he cipher of the Slater code"
And YOU claim the substance of that
Iii 10
Smith.
IL do"
"Where?"
lin Natal"
Was it an accurate publications."
II do not know
Mir. Macrum said he had never seen
the publication. He had only been in
formed that the fact that he had asked
leave of absence had been printed. lie
affirmed that no one knew of this fact
save himself y this point. Mr.. How
ard, of Georgia. interposed to question
the utility of the examination of Mr..
Macrum.
at looks to me-" said he, like an
effort to concoct Il sensation out of
nothing"
CABLEGRAMS HELD UP.
But the committee decided to pro-
cend and in reply 10 some questions
l. I.
that he had been granted leave OF alb
scncc by Secretary Hay on November
18TH He read to the committee u mes
sage from the cable company saying a
cipher cable sent nv him 10 the Sec
retary OF state November lith mad been
held up ny the milllary censor until
December I'd. Asked IT other consuls
had suffered any Inconvenience in the
matter of communicating with their
homo AIR \T1criln1 Sai6
they had. The Belgian and German
consuls both told him that no cipher
kilograms were allowed to so
through.
did you report to the state Depart
mont that your mail had been opened?"
asked Mr.. Berry, of Kentucky.
did you mention It upon your ar
rival in Washngton?'
al did not"
"Nhy?'
Il would prefer not to answer that
Question"
This replv raised n general laugh in
The committee room.
Mr. Adams. of Pennsylvania. then
proceeded 10 cross question Mr.. Ma
crum rather severely upon the duty
OF OF a consul to remain at his post dur
o,y,Nrrv ,ppr NJ,
- : = = : : :, -
Mr.. Macrum proceeded to describe
an alleged meeting between President
Steyn. OF the Orange Free State and
Consul Stowe Of Cape Town. at which
he was present In which lie said Steyn
was very anxious that Stowe should
do something to settle the difficulty
which was brewing. He said that Pres
ident Steyn suggested an appeal to the
President of the United States and that
Mr.. Stowe had replicd that he would
be glad il something could be done.
And / have reason to believe that the
question WAS submitted to the Presi-
dent OF the United Stateg'' added Mr.