Morris tribune., 1901-11-09
SACk AS SCARED
Londna Scandal Recalls Incident
In E1ss Diplomatic Career.
Observation-Disclosures

FE2ghkened ny 1KyseeFBous Package
s1aDosea - Have Been am Internal
aEaczaiAe Sent By Fenians- Given
HIS Passport For Mixing Up In
Americas RO1RfAes.
The scandal affecting the name OF
Lord SaGkVtlle- 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 Cleveland Harrison cam
patgn and during that contest received
q letter from a California man who
signed himself "Murchison," declared
that he was q 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- West
at one time experienced through the re-
ceipt of . mysterious package suppos-
ed to have been sent by Fenians.
1t seems. that one morning an express
company delivery wagon drew up be-
fore the British ablishment, 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 low browed and forbidding pack
age, suggestive Of strategem and plot.
1t was oblong in shape, very heavy as
to its 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 superimposed
so that no one could accurately deter
mine its 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 pains
taking care, and leaving it to the fever
ish imagination Of the reader to prefg-
ure the CHASTITY consequence of the very
smallest carelessness.
Naturally the mysterious package first
fell under the observation Of the
funky, who promptly dismissed it AS
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 to
the state department with message to
the effect that her majesty's envoy ex-
and all the rest of it had
no sort Of curiosity as to the contents
and that perhaps the United States au-
thorities might like to examine the
same at their leisure.
What shall we do with itY' This J
was the dilemma confronting the rep
resentatfves of our great and glorious
government. It was a very trumpery
little package, SO far as concerned it's
size, but it was tremendous in its mys-
terry and suggestiveness. Those direc-
tons about the opening thereof read
much like the programme of a holo-
,aust Or the prophecy Of an eruption
Fhe adjacent officials felt that theytI
were gazing upon the unknown and
he immeasureable 49,
The officials then put their heads 10
gether in a symposium of terror and
confusion, wondering what they should
10 next with the British minister's ex-
,ress package, and about that time
! smiling funky appeared upon the
cene bearing very polite and some
what urgent note in which the minis
er, Hon. Lionel Sackville- West, beg
,ed that the box be returned to him
This dreadful thing, as
t afterward appeared, was nothing
more nor less than the working model
f machine designed by some in
;enious cockney resident in the West
ndies for the cheaper and more ex-
'editious extraction of the juices Of
'ineapples and soforth. Mr.. West had
n interest in the industry, and the ma
hine had been sent to him for his in
pection and approval.
The box was afterward rudely open
d with Ratchet and the apparatus
sed in the West menage for the ef-
ectual squeezing of lemons and the
Ike. But the incident was tremendous
While it lasted, and for at least, SIX =
ours the British minister. and. the
tate department felt4as if they stood
ponNthe brink Of the bottomless abyss.
hey felt as. though the secret council
the Fenian brotherhood, grand, epic,
stood with uplifted dagger
their very throats. y d sS !