The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-11-29
SACKVILLE WAS SCARED
London Scandal Recalls Incident
In His Diplomatic Career.
BRITISH MINISTERIAL WASHINGTON

Frightened by Mysterious
Supposed to Have Been an Internal
Sent by Fcnians-Given
His Passport For Viking Up In
American Politics.
The scandal affecting the name Of
Lord Sackyille- West, which Is the lat
est London sensation, recalls some in"
cidents in his career in this country
while acting as minister from Great
Britain, which career was brought to a
sudden close by political indiscretions
on his part. He was minister here dur
ing the first Decentralization cam
paign and during that contest received
a letter from a California man who
signed himself "Murchison," declared
that he was a former British subject
and asked an expression of opinion on
the diplomatic questions pending be-
tween Great Britain and the United
States for the purpose of determining
his vote. Lord Sackville replied, init
mating that President Cleveland's re-
election would be satisfactory to Eng
land, and his letter was made public.
His passports were promptly given to
him, and he returned to England.
A Washington correspondent recalls
the fright which Lord Sackville-Wes
at one time experienced through the re-
ceipt of a mysterious package suppos-
ed to have been sent by Fenians.
1t seems that one morning an eXpresi
company delivery wagon drewsup be
fore the British establishment, on Con-
necticut, avenue, and deposited a par
ticularly solemn and mysterious box.
The box in question was not much to
boast of in the matter of size, but it
was a low proved and forbidding pack
age, suggestive of strategem and plot.
1t was oblong insshape, very heavy as
to it's specific gravity and absolutely
noncommittal in appearance. There
was nothing to show where it came
from, the various tags and pastors hav-
ing been multiplied and superinposed
so that no one could accurately deter
mine it's origin. The one conspicuous
feature, however, was an elaborate and
explicit inscription, giving minute de-
tails as to the manner in which the box
was to be opened. The legend entered
into the most insignificant particulars,
explaining every evolution with palms.
taking care, and leaving it to the fever
ish imagination of the reader to prefig-
ure the CHASTITY consequence of the very
smallest carelessness.
Naturally the mysterious package first
fell under the observation of the
1unky, who promptly dismissed it us
not being in his line. Then it came to
the notice of one Of the official under
strappers, who thought it a good thing
to let alone. Hon. Lionel Sackville'
West looked at it and grew white and
broke OUT into goose flesh. The upshot
was that they sent the oblong box tc
the state department with a message t.
the effect that her majesty's envoy eX'
traordinary and all the rest Of it hat
no sort Of curiosity as to the contents
and that perhaps the United States au
thorities might like to examine thu
same at their leisure.
"What shall we do with itY' Thl:
was the dilemma confronting the rep
resentatives of our great and glorious
government. It was a very trumpery
little package, so far as concerned it
size, but it was tremendous in it's mys
terry and suggestiveness. Those direc
lions about the opening thereof reat
much like the programme of q holo
caust or the prophecy of an eruption
The adjacent officials felt that the.
were gazing upon the unknown ant
the unreasonable.
The officials then put their heads to
gether in a symposium of terror an
confusion, wondering what they shout
do next with the British minister's eS
press package. and about that tim
a smiling fupKy appeared upon tn
scene bearing u very polite and some
what urgent note in which the minis
ter, Hon. Lionel Sackville-West. beg
CSC that the box be returned to hil
Immediately. This dreadful thing, u
it afterward appeared, was nothin
more nor less than the working mod;
of a machine designed by some ii
genious cockney resident in the Yves
Indies for the cheaper and more e,
peditious extraction of the juices
pineapples and SO forth. MI. West ha
an interest in the industry, and the m;
chine had been sent to him for his ii
spection and approval.
The box was afterward .rudely opel
ed with a Ratchet and the apparatr
used in the West menage for the e
fectual squeezing Of lemons and I'll
like. But the incident was tremendol
while it lasted. and for at least 81
hours the British minister and tt
state department felt as if they stot
upon the brink Of the bottomless abys
They felt as though the secret coune
of the Eenian brotherhood. grand, epi