Rosebud County news. [volume] (Forsyth, Mont.) 1901-1906, 1904-10-06
LIE HAS REPEATEDLY ASKED
PERMISSION TO DEFEND
HIMSELF.
INC WAS tx0NtRAItD BY PIERCE
laUT WAS LED TO Believe THAT
REPORT WOULD BE HOS.
TILE TO HIM.

Washington, Sept. 30.-That Consul
General Goodnow was yesterday au-
thorized to come to Washington and
present his side of the case in regard
to the charges filed against him in
connection with his service in the
Shanghai consulate is due to the fact
that Mr., Goodnow had repeatedly
urged that he be permitted to come
here and state his case in person.
Assistant Secretary Feirce in his
report covering the conditions in the
Shanghai consulate in eG.ct exoner-
ated Mr. Goodnow, or at least went
so far as to demonstrate that the
charges against the consul general
had not been substantiated. There
are some evidences that when these
facts were laid before President
Roosevelt. coupled with the request
by Mr.. Goodnow that he be
Heard in His Own Behalf,
the president preferred to have Mr.
rGoodnow accorded hearing, regard
less of the fact that the findings by
Mr.. PIERCE were really favorable to
him.
In this state of affairs Secretary
Loomis of the department consulted
with the president, and it was decided
that Mr.. Goodnow might come and be
heard.
1t is also stated at the department
that the request made by Mr.. Good
now was the result of a rumor sent
over to the Orient that the report of
Mr.. PIERCE would be hostile to the
> consul general, and it was upon this
that Mr.. Goodnow asked to be heard
in person.
Curtis Is Blamed.
Since it has developed that if any,
thing the PIERCE report was favorable
to the consul general, it is alleged
here that the conflicting rumors on
the subject are given out through the
activity of the attorney, George F.
Curtis, who practiced law in Shang-
hail. and who some time ago filed
charges against Goodnow involving
the exaction of exorbitant fees by the
consul general.
The state department officials have
. constantly declined to discuss the sub
ject, saying that the facts would be
brought out when Mr.. Peirce's report
was made public. if it
Should be Made Public,
by President Roosevelt himself In
the face of these official announce
ments there appears here from time
to time in the local press detailed
statements, coupled with the name of
Attorney Curtice, giving details of
3" charges against Goodnow. especially
with respect to matters of fees. 1t is
assumed, therefore, that MI Curtis
makes public these statements regard
ing the Shanghai consulate. Some
surprise is caused by this because it
was reported at the time the Curtis
charges were filed that Mr.. PIERCE re-
"quested that they be kept secret until
I. an investigation could be made.
Goodnow's Friends Disturbed.
The friends of Mr. Goodnow have
been disturbed by these constantly re-
curing statements, and they, too,
have urged that Goodnow have
hearing. 1t is certainly given as the
impression of the officials of the state
department that Mr. Goodnow has
been an efficient and useful Official at
Shanghai, and it is suspected that the
matter would have been allowed to
rest with the more or less favorable
decision by PIERCE had it not been for
the constantly recurring charges in
the public press, the activity this pro-
fduced on the part of Goodnow's
friends and the request which Mr..
ri,
versy for hearing.