Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-03
MR.. McWADE'S DENIAL
MADE BEFORE THE HOUSE COM
MITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
Submits Affldavits to Support HIS
Statements, and Made Sensational
Charges Against Mr.. Peirce.

Robert NJ McWade of Philadelphia. for
rner United States consul general at Cam
ton China, against whom serious charges
were preferred by Assistant Secretary or
State Peirce following the latter's inVesl-
cation of consular conditions In the ORIENT
appeared today before the House commit
tee on foreign affairs to make statement
in his own behalf. Mr. McWade spoke Tor
an hour and half. although the commit
tee was at first disposed to grant him only
ten minutes. He replied to the charges IN
detail supporting his statements by nu-
merous sworn affidavts from missionaries
of all denominations and business men in
China.
Mr. McWade made charges of sensa-
tional nature against Assistant Secretary
of State PIERCE. 1t is considered quite PROB
able that Congress make take up the mat
ter of these charges at a later date
At the conclusion of the hearing Mr.. NC
Wade was personally congratulated by
every member of the committee present
and assured that in their opinion he had
cleared his record.
His Denial of the Charges.
In support of his denial OF the charges
made by Mr. PIERCE, Mr.. McWade pre-
sented to the committee affidavits from
Ensign William W. Smith. L. S. N; Au-
torus da Silva. chief clerk of the consulate
Russell Colgrove. one time vice consul gen
eral. later discharged by McWade: LON
Chun Som. a Canton banker; Lee Chee,
interpreter and deputy to H T. Hoppe
Cheung; Jay Kan, Canton silk merchant,
FuUg Hung and Up Lai of the Pun l dis
trict of Canton. all bearing upon the fssu-
ance of Chinese certificates and on the
character of Chas. +. Richardson, who
brought the charge in this connection
against McWade. and certified copies of
letters from Yang. colonel of the Shemeen
legation guards; the superintendent Of i'm
peral customs at Canton and c. w. Mead.
In support Of his denial of the charge
that his rAputa ton considered bad IN
China, Mr.. McWade presented letters or
&C. w Mead. engineer-in-chief of the lmpe-
rial Chinese railway administration; e. H..
Fuller. president of the Canton and Hong
kong Ice and Cold Storage Company. ami
eleven other American citizens of standing
~ Canton and Of r. B. Ward, w. w.
Clayson. Andrew Beattie, a. n. Fulton,
DR.. J. NJ. Swami Fl. A Kemp, Thos. No
Clay, w. A. Dobson, II. V. Noyes. F. E.
FglmwoOd and other American mission
aries of various denominations.
MI Peirce's Assurances.
In his sworn affidavit. presented to. the
committee, Mr. McWade says:
con the occasion of the visit to him (Mc-
Wade at his consulate of Assistant Secre-
tary of State PIERCE he was assured by that
official that he need give himself no further
concern over reported rumors of charges
having been preferred against him; that
there were no such charges, and that the
character or lack of character of the men
who instigated them must be taken into
consideration by this respondent as it was
by the assistant secretary of state.
And l was assured by Mr.. Perce that
would never again hear from the charges.
In addition TO this Mr.. PIERCE dictated a
CabIe2ram to Senator Boise Penrose, which
wrote down at the time, to this effect:
" Am instructed by Assistant Secretary
PIERCE to inform you that after exhaustive
investigation have been absolutely exoner-
ated and indicated
In Presence of Mr.. Pierce.
in the presence of Mr.. PIERCE. Twice dur
ing Mr. Peirce's stay he assured me OF the
absolute lack of foundation of any charge
against me. and volunteered to procure my
transfer TO Melbourne, Australia as a re-
ward for my faithful services at the unde-
siraDle post of Canton"
Mr.. McWade calls attention to the fact
that he IS without remedy against Assistant
Secretary Of State Peirce for the scandalous
charges preferred by him in an official doc
ument, because under the law such COM
munications are privileged and not action
able. and said he was content to rest his
case with unprecedented men.
He added that although he remained as
consul general at Canton for about four
try poor man.
Affidayits and letters presented to the
committee by Mr. McWade charge that the
men upon whose testimony Assistant Sec
Rotary Pelrce based his charges are, with
out exception. Of bad character. Some of
the allegations against these men. made
by reputable American business men In
China unfit Tor publication.