The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1900-03-31
FORMER CONSUL NACRUA.
Our Late Representative at Pretoria
Before the Foreign Affairs
Committee.
HIS NEWSPAPER STORY REITERATED
said He Asked for leave to Come
uor,c for Private Business Rca-
sons. and Also He Want
cd to Lay Certain Information Re-
fore the Government.

cd to Lay Certain Information Re-
fore the Government.
Washington, March 29.-Chnrles f.
Macrnm. OF East Liverpool, o.. the
American ex-consul at Pretoria, ap
neared before the house foreign affairs
COMMITTEES. and told of the alleged in-
Identities he suffered at the hands OF
the British during his incumbency.
When he gave out his statement here,
some weeks ago, declaring that his of.
fetal mail had been opened by British
officials, Representative Wheeler, OF
Kentucky, introduced a resolution for
an investigation. 1t was subsequently
arranged that the foreign affairs COM
mittec shonld take the matter up of
its WI motion, without any direction
from the house. and Mr.. Macrum was
summoned to Washington to testify.
There were many visitors III the
committee room when Chairman Hit
called the committee 10 order. Mr..
Macrum was asked by Chairman Hit
TO make such statement as he saw fit
regarding the opening of his mail by
the British censor. In opening. Mr..
Macrum recalled the statement he had
mode some time ago through the press.
That statement, he said, practically
embodied all he had to say. He eX-
planned that when he asked for n leave
OF absence he desired to come home
for private business reasons, and also
because he desired to place before the
United States government certain facts
which he deemed it essential should
be known here. He understood, he
said, that the British had possession OF
our cable cipher. He was not certain
of this, but he had since had in:or-
nation which convinced him that his
suspicious were correct.
He also desired information as to
his course when the settlement came
at the end of the war. Further, lie had
a petition from some American resi-
dents in the Trnnsvaal asking that the
United States maintain absolute neu-
trality, which he wanted to present
to the state department. The petition
he read to the committee. 1t was
signed by Godron, the consular agent
at Johannesburg.
Asked as to when he was first salts
fled that his mail was being tam.
pcred with, he said thai war was de-
cleared October IL. He dill not receive
any mail between that date and the
second week in November. Ordinarily
me had a box of mail every week.
Ibid other people receive mail dur
ing that period?" asked Mr.. Williams
of Mississippi.
Not that / know Of" reulicd Mr.
Macrum.
Pressed for specific information a.
to how he got the intimation that tn,
T.ritish were opening ana delaying hi
mail, he replied that when his mai
did not arrive he autographed our con
sui at Lourenzo Marquee, requesting
him TO inquire of Cape Town why i
was being delayed.
The consul at LourenIo Marquee re
piled that he also had received IL,
mail. Mr.. Macrnm said the delay O
bis mail created II conviction IN hi
mind that the British authorities wcr
Responsible. The first actual eyiden
be had was the receipt of two openc'
~etters. He produced the envelope
which. he said, confirmed those letters
One was from a private citizen, ad
dressed to the United States consul a
Pretoria, and the other was to him b
name from Consul Stowe, of Cap
Town.
Mr.. Vim. Allen Smith, of Michigan
n~terrogated the witness sharply q
Ihe reasons for stating his belief tina
he British authorities had possessio
bf the state departments cipher.
Mr.. Macrun, said he could not aiiir1
hat fact from, actual knowledge, bu
there We're certain facts which col
Sinced him that sub was the case. II
Explained that on November q he In
cabled the state department in ciphe
Rsking for Il leave of absence. Tn;
message had gone through Durbal
rhe nex day, November Z. he said,
bad been informed Il newspaper ;
Durham printed the fact that he Ina
hsled for leave Of absence.
"The message said Mr.. Alacr,n
WAS sent in the state %departnei
Eipher OF the Slater code
And you claim the substance
hat dispatch WAS made public.
Asked Mr.. Smith.
IT do"
"Where""
"In Natal
WAS it an accurate publication
81 do not know"
MIR. Macruin said he had never Sc,
be publication. lie had only cen j
prmcd that the fact that he had ask
kave Of absence had been printed. ]
fhrmcd that no one knew of this fla
We himself.
did you report to the state depa,
lent that your mail had be
pened?" asked Mr.. Berry of Ike
ecky.
FL did not"
did you mention it upon your {
NAL in WASHINGTON %,