The silver state news. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1907-1909, 1909-01-02
WASHINGTON News
LETTER

(By Sheldon s. Cline.)

SrdHteu memDeIS OI Inc OlpiOmdIlc
Corps at the American Capital been
better exemplified than by recent oc-
curance which has set the inner circles
of Washington society in whirl of
gossiping excitement. Because one of
the men concerned in the affair happen
ed to be a diplomat, an effort has been
made to hush the matter up. And
this notwithstanding the fact that a
man was mysteriously and seriously
and mysteriously wounded in one of
the most fashionable streets Of the
city.
According to the story, colored man
stopped gentleman in evening dress
and fashionably gowned woman about
nine O'Clock one evening recently in
New Hampshire avenue and asked his
! way to another part of the city. The
answer of the gentleman in evening
dress was to draw a revolver and shoot
the negro down.
The man who did the shooting ani
his richly -attired companion have new
er been located or officially identified,
although they stopped for half an hour
after the affair in fashionable apart
ment house near the scene of the shoot
ing and talked to the clerk there.
This is the story, SO far as made pub
lie by the authorities. But from other
sources it was learned that the man war
a diplomat from one of the South Amer
lean republics and that the woman with
him was the wife of an army officer and
prominent in society here; that her hus-
band, becoming suspicious of the atten-
tions showered upon his wife by the
diplomat, had hired the colored man to
follow them. This story is going the
rounds of diplomatic and exclusive SO
cial circles, and will not down.
This immunity from the laws OF
Uncle Sam, even though a serious of
fense has been committed, is extended
to some two hundred diplomats, togeth-
er with their families and households
in Washington. The law is very string
ent toward an officer who attempt to
arrest or bring to trial member of the
diplomatic corps, providing long term
of Imprisonment for the over Jealous
official. Under the immunity law, dip
Iomats also are freed from suit for debt.
They may run up bills, if they see fit,
and suddenly leave Washington with
out the possibility of being brought to
justice. But it must be said in behalf
of the corps, that it's members rarely
take advantage of them. This is due
to the fact that other governments, as
rule, select high-class men to repre-
sent them in Washington.
A number of cases are on record OF
attempts to hold diplomats for exceed
ing the speed laws in their automobiles,
but this government has always hasten-
ed to uphold the international law re-
lating to diplomatic immunity, and
country justices have been in danger
of summary punishment. A year or
more ago diplomat was assaulted on
the streets of Washington by we'll
known politician. The trouble arose
over woman whom the diplomat was
escorting home, and the latter was stab
bed. Although he was seriously wound
ed, the diplomat refused to press the
case against the politician and it was
dropped.
The government has one redress II
diplomats become obnoxious. 1t may
demand their recall as being persona
non grata to this country. Frequently
this course has been adopted. OF course
the same immunity is granted American
diplomats abroad as are granted the
foreigners hore.
One of the most sensational attempts
to interfere with the right of diplo-
mat to do as he pleases occurred when
the Duke of the Abruzzi was visiting
in Washington. Accompanied by the
Italian Ambassador, the Duke went for
a motor ride in Maryland along what
is known as the "Conduit road This
road was built and is maintained by the
Federal government and follows the
course of the conduit which brings the
Capitals water supply from the Great
Falls of the Potomac
In its course the road runs through
a small hamlet known as Glen. Echo.
and the village had recently elected as
its marshal young man who didn 7
propose such trivial thing as interna-
tional law should stand between hin
and his duty as he discerned it. When
the Duke and the Ambassador came
scorching along, therefore, they were
promptly halted by the marshal, who
proposed to place them under arrest for
violating the laws of the sovereign