The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-14
NSULTED CONSUL GENERAL
cor TRIES TO ARREST ". EBRAf
IN FRENCH CONSULATE.
Mayor Apologies for violation OF Treaty
Right and suspenus Policeman
woman says Was Insultcd In
Inc Onuce-Odd Talk About NOtoriety.

Old htdlAOu hOdNt WhV "GN hlPOAAbVN
four months ago. was suspended yester-
day by Commissioner Bingham pend
ing an investigation into his conduct in
the Office Of Alcide Ebray, the French
Consult General, az IS South William street.
on November S. Anglin was OF post that
evening when he was approached by Mrs.
Z Mary Nunziata, 10 year old, OF ? Beach
place, Brooklyn, who asked him to accom-
panye her to an Office on the second floor OF
the building. where she was employed to
clean, in order to insure her safety against
a man who, she said, had insulted her two
DAYS before. Anglin went with her to an
Office on the second floor which was occcu-
pied by Consul-Genera Ebray.
What do you van herel" demanded the
Consul.
This Young woman says she was insulted
here ON Saturday and asked me to accom-
pany her to see hat she isn't insulted again, "
Anglin replied. .
well. YOU can get right out; o have
no right in here. This is the Office OF the
French Consulate and you ought to know
better than TO come here
Anglin. who Is young ON the job. under
took. Il is alleged, to arrest the Consul-Gen-
eral. who telephoued ut once for his counsel.
Maurice Leon Of 10 Wall street. Mr.. Leon
In a letter 10 Mayor Mcclellan gives the
following account Of what took place when
he arrived At the Consul's Office.
MY first step was to ask The Officer whether
ne was acting under n warra mt. but for some
time the officer would not answer my in
nuiry and simply said that the woman with
whom he had come complained that the
Consul General had -insulted' her. and tn T.
l. - -. 49,. a~.n-,, I.,n1a ~ khaf
complaint. I then proceeded to question
the woman in the presence of the Consul
General and Nice-Consul and the oficer.
She stated TO me In substance in answer
10 nv questions that on the Saturday after
noon previous At some time between = and
4 o'clock abe was engaged in cleaning SOM
rooms in the consulate. that the Consul
General was in his room and that although
the entrance door Of the consulate had been
omen no to that time the Consul General
had locked IL after = visitor had called and
left nd that in order TO cave the Consulate
she had been compelled to ask the Consul
General for the key,
She admitted that the Consul-Genera had
given her the key readily and that he had
not maltrested her in any way whatever.
bu, she asserted that his locking the en-
trance door satisfied her that he had evil
intentions. ] then stated to the woman
that on Saturdays the consulate il closed at
] O'Clock, and that 10 Is customary to lock
the door At that time in order that no one
shall importune the members OF the consulate
stan outside OF Office hours. The woman
remained steadfast to her attitude and in
sisted that she had been "insulted."
Then the Officer turned to me and in a con-
ndential tone informed me that II the woman
pressed her complaint there would be "A lot
Of notoriety." This satisfied me as to the
purpose of the visit Of the Of1cer and the
woman. and ! informed the officer in emphatic
Language that the womsn's attitude was I'M
reasonable, TO say the least. and that the Con-
sul-Ceneral was unconceIned with whatever
uotoriety she was able TO create.
| then again demanded that he produce
n warrant il he had one. and he then admitted
that he had none. then called his attention
10 the text OF the treaty and Informed him
that whether he had a warrant or not he had
no right to enter the Consulate, and that he
should withdraw therefrom. which he did
promptly. By that time ne had spent over a
hall hour in the Consul-G~ enerals private
office.
Mr.. Leon complained TO Third Deputy
Commissioners Mathot the day following
Anglin's visit to the consulate. but the Com
m~issioners were busy will election work and
the affair received no official attention.
Then the lawyer wrote his letter to the
Mayor, calling attention to the treaty be-
tween France and the United States relative
to the personal immunity Of Consuls, The
sections covering the case are as follows:
Convention concluded February %. 1859.
ARTICLE IT,
The Consul General. COnsuls. Vice-Consuls
or Consular Agents Of the United states and
France shall enjoy in the two countries the
privile ges usually accorded to their Offices.
such as p~ersonal. immunity. except in the
case Of crime.
ARTIcLE III.
q The consular offices and dwellings shall be
inyiolsble. The local authorities shall not
invade them under any p~retext.
Mr.. Leoh tells the Mayor that Mr.. Mathot,
when he finally took cognizsnce Of the case.
at once admitted that the policeman was in
the wrong. He adds:
The Vice-COnsul repeated to ME to-day
the substance NJ a conversation which he
had with the officer shortly before my ar
rival at the Consulate on the 9Th. In the course
Of which Anglin had mentioned that although
he was satisfied the COnsu General had
done nothing wrong ne thought it would
he better to arrange matters with the woman.
aud thou gbt also that that could be done. al
ihough he was not sure.
Before reporting the matter 10 the Federal
State DepaSment and In Difference TO the
reputation Of the city and Of its present
municipal adnllnlSt milton. " seems 10 us
appropriate 10 call the facts 10 the attention
II the Mayor for such m consideration
as he might deem 1t wise 10 give,
This is the letter that the Mayor wrote
TO NJ. Ebrsy;
Nov, IL, 1908.
Hon. Aicidc Ebrdy. French Co~nsvI-GeHerdt.
NeV YOrk cir.
My DEAR SIR: profoundly regret the IN
warranted invasion Of the French Consulate
General. on the afternoon OF November s. by a
patrolman attached TO the First Precinct po-
lice station. and beg you to accept my apollo
gies for the Hffront TO you personally, and to
your Government. My attention was only
called to the violation OF your rights this
morning, aud assure sou that amends will be
Instantly made.
The Police Commissioner. who shares my
deep regret at the occurrence. has suspended
the patrolman. and ordered the inspector
in command OF the district to prefer charges
with all possible expedition.
That the representative OF tho French
Government should have been subjected to
such an experience In this city is without
excuse. and | again ask that you accept my
EpologIss for the incident. Very truly yours,
GEoRoE B. MCCLELLAN. Mayor.
-Angfih was suspended yesterday without
pay. Charges viii be preferred against him
within a day or two and on thursday he