The new age. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1902-190?, 1903-01-10
cRossLANp GAINS TIME.
Given Leave Of Absence and Told to
Resign-Leniency Extended at
Request of Friends in Missouri
Conflicting OFFICIAL

Request OF FRIENDS IN Missouri
Conflicting OFFICIAL
Reports.
After considering thoroughly all
elements in the case, the state de.
partment has decided that instead OF
peremptorily recalling DR.. Grassland,
minister to Liberia, it will grant him
a leave of absence and order him to
the United States. The leave will be
granted with the distinct understand
ing that upon his arrival in this coun-
try he will Immediately tender his
resignation. 1t was stated in these
dispatches several days ago that the
department intended to recall or per-
emptorily remove him. This was the
intention at that time. Since then
Missourians who were Interested in
the affair called at the department of
state and told the secretary that
Grassland was without funds and his
recall or dismissal while still in AT
rica would leave MIN stranded there
without the means to reach the United
States.
While the department does not hes
itate to say that there is no sympa-
thy for Grassland, it was decided to
be the part of wisdom to have him re-
turn to this country. The department
officials did not relish the idea of a
former representative of this country
being stranded in the country to which
he was formerly accredited. The or
ders for his return have been sent, and
the leave which he has been given is
two montsh. Remaining in the pay of
this government for two months long
er will enable him to meet any obliga-
tions he has contracted while at Mon
rovia and secure passage to this
country.
The department has received an
extended written explanation of the
shooting incident IN which DR.. Cross
land severely wounded T. j. r.
Faulkner. In this explanation Cross
land claims he only fired in self-de-
fense and did not fire until Faulkner
assaulte him with a razor. The min
lister also says that the differences
grew out of trouble over the lease of
the building in which the legation is
housed. The minister says that he
firsf boarded at the house and then
the lease for the building was trans
ferred to him at the suggestion of
Faulkner.
The Independent investigation con.
Quoted by the department does not en-
tirely bear out the statement the min
lister has made The officials learn, or
are informed, from what is believed
to be a reliable source, that the
shooting was the direct outgrowth of
attentions which were paid to Faulk-
ner's wife by Grassland. The depart
ment has information that the secre-
tary of the legation, Joseph r. Sur
geon, is afraid of Grassland, and he
states that Grassland terrorizes him
by keeping a revolver on his desk at
all times. The messenger of the lega-
tion tells a similar story. The officers
of the department also say that COM
plants have been received from resi-
dents of the capital of Liberia, but
the nature of these complaints are
personal rather than of an official
character, so the department does not
wish to make them public. No ac-
tion has been taken relative to George
w. Ellis, the Kansas City colored man
who went to Liberia with Grassland
and who was named for secretary of
the legation. II is probable, howev-
er. that the nomination will be with
drawn Immediately after the holi-
days.