Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-13
HITS BACK At McWADE
Asst. Secretary PIERCE Before
Foreign Affairs Committee.
REITERATES OLD CHARGES
Says That Tiger-Skin Rug Was 4
Gift.
PRACTICALLY FORCED UPON HIN
Presents Letters to the Committee De-
neuneing MeWads and His
Methods.
REITERATES OLD CHARGES
PRACTICALLY FORCED UPON HIN

The Peirce-Mcwads controversy. involv-
Ing charges and counter-charges regarding
Robert NJ McWads's administration ~ con-
sui general At Canton. China, was the SUBJ
3ect Of . two-hour1 hearing today by the
House committee on foreign Affairs. Mr..
PeiFce was heard behind closed DOORS and
no record was taken OF his testimony.
Mr.. PIERCE reviewed the formal charges
he had died with tbs etats Department
against McWade. and produced afidavits
and statements bearing especially on the
charge made regarding the Issuance Of
fraudulent Chinese certificates of admission
to this country.
The acceptance of the $500 tiger-skin rug
by Mr.. Peirce ~ q present from Mr.. Nc
Wade was explained by the former. who
said that the rug was practically forced
upon him by being PACKED in his effects by
McWads and shipped to the United States
without his knowledge.
That Tigsr-skin Rug.
Mr. Peirce took UP fret Mcwads's
charge that he had been practically coerced
into presenting valuable tiger skin rug to
his official inquisitor.
When I went with Mcwade into his
living apartments over the offices Of the
consulate" said Mr.. PIERCE, "he called my
attention to a tiger skin lying on the floor.
and as he seemed to expect me to admire
1t courteously made some remark upon
Its beauty and asked him whether 1t was
Chinese, remarking that possessed myself
q Chinese tiger skin. which. though larger
than his, differed from 1t In color and had
longer fur. McWade then urged me to
accept the skin, which declined to do. On
has subsequent visit he again urged me to
accept it. and 1 again declined He then
asked me to accept q set Of teakwood fur
niture, which l declined and said:
You should understand. Mr.. McWade,
that cannot accept any gifts from you.
and do not want either your teakwood
furniture or your tiger skin. or anything
else"
Mr.. PIERCE then said that after leaving
Canton he had certain purchases which
he had made there forwarded to him at
Shanghai They were cased up. and the
case was shipped with his other luggage
to San Francisco, where 1t remained for
some time. being subsequently shipped to
Washington by freight, and arriving here
after he had gone to New England for the
summer. These cases were not opened.
he said, until his return to Washington for
the winter. after McWade had been re-
moved from Office.
when I discovered" said Mr. Peirce,
that he (McWade) had unwarrantedly
had the tiger skin in question packed In
with my effects. I did not know where to
send 1t. Doubtless prudence should have
suggested my packing the skin In box
marked with hts name on the outside. and
storing 1t at the State Department for him.
But was greatly occupied with the prepa-
ration of my formal report. with picking
up the threads OF departmental duties and
the matter passed out of my mind NV
report shows for itself, however whether
or not 1t was Influenced by this attempt to
embarrass the performance of my duties"
Denounced as False.
Taking UP McWade's charge that he had
dictated telegram for McWade to send
to Senator Penrose Mr.. PIERCE said: He
accuses me of double dealing stating that
l told him he was entirely exonerated, and
that l dictated telegram to Senator PEN
rose to that effect. This is unqualifedly
and absolutely false in every particular"
Mr. Peirce then submitted some tele-
graphic correspondence which he had had
with the State Department Immediately
subsequent to his inspection of the Canton
consulate. Cabling in cipher, he said:
Canton conditions are incredible" and
asked for authority to suspend Mcwade
and discharge his clerk. Sierra Secretary
Hay refused to grant such authority. and
cautioned Peirce to maintain the utmost re-
serve In his work, and especially that no
publication referring to 1t should be made
Replying to this. Mr.. Peirce said: ct is
clear that consul general at Canton is
guilty of gross corruption"
Mr. Peirce told the committee that when
ne arrived IN Canton he found McWade '.in
an extremely nervous condition. so that II
TOOK me some time to put him at his ease"
He then remarked that his investigations
had been carried on chiefly at Hongkong
put that he had had the assistance of F. g.
Cairns. surveyor Of customs at Manila
who had been sent to Canton some time In
advance OF Peirces visit there to inyestt-
gate the alleged conspiracy for sending
To he
issuance of fraudulent Chinese certificates
Peirce Produces Proof.
Commenting further on McWades charge
that Senator Penrose had frequently re-
quested hearing for him. Mr.. Peirce pro-
duced copy OF letter from Senator Pen
rose to the President written September g.
1904 In which Senator Penrose said "Of
course, remove McWade IL he has been
found incompetent or unworthy"
Mr. Peirce also submitted to the commit
tee the telegraphdc correspondence by which
McWade was removed. which includes this
reply from Mcwade to Assistant Secretary
Adee, who had signed the cable removing
him:
Your thieving conspirators were ahead
OF you in your announcement. McWade"
referring to McWade's denial of the
charge that he was drunk at the opening
OF the Canton-Hankow railway. Mr. PIERCE
submitted papers to show that the occasion
TO which his original charge referred was
not the one which McWade's denial con-
Mr.: McWade gave the committee during
his hearings letters which said that not
one upright. reputable American citizen
could be found who did not speak in tho
highest terms Of him. Answering this, Mr..
Peirce submitted letter from Clifford PIN
chot, chief OF the bureau OF forestry OF
the Department Of Agriculture; Admiral
r. d. Evans, Secretary Taft, Robert s.
Minturn. Lieutenant Commander William 81
Sims and Lieut.. R. q. Pope of the United
States navy. The letter Of Mr. Minturn
which Mr.. Pinchot indorsed says:
Every decent American and Enxiishman
that I met considers both him (McWade)
and our consul at Shanghai to be utterly.
corrupt No story OF dishonesty or drunk
enness. Of protecting prostitutes and NIL
busters and sharing their profits In disbe-
lieved about Them.
Taft's Letter Read.
Admiral Evans said that he had been to
Canton twice ohacially and ION each oo-
casion was struck With the fact that the
reputation OF Mr McWade was such that
he was not q proper representative OF the