Evening star., 1922-11-28
OLDEST IN RANKS
Of FCONSULARCORPS
George H. ~Scidmore, Lately
Deceased, Served State De-
partment Many Years.

| George Hawthorne Scidmore. Amer
ican consul general at Yokohama
Japan. who died yesterday at his post
there. has been prominently identi-
fed with the State Department for
many years, being the Oldest member
both in age and in point OF service of
the consular corps. The following
sketch was prepared by officials Of
the State Department today:
He was born in Dubuque. Iowa, Oc-
tober 12. 1854. Was eudcated in pri-
vate schools in Madison, Wis. and
department OF the National Univer-
! sity. Washington ILL. B.): admitted
to the bar OF the District Of Columbia
in 1876.
Appointed Clerk in 1875.
Mr.. Scidmore was appointed an
American consular clerk May 6. 1876.
and continued in that position until
March 80. 1907, when he was appoint
Japan. He served during all this
time as a consular clerk. the COM
! pensation Of which was at the rate
i Of $1,000 year. in the belief that.
as eventually did occur. the service
! would become a career-one with
possibilities for advancement. This
long service as consular clerk re-
i suited in his appointment as consul
at Nagasaki AS consular clerk Mr..
Scidmore was first assigned to Liver
pool, England. July "a. 1876; appoint
land. August q. 1877: detailed for
! duty to the consulate general at
Paris. July S. 1873: transferred to
Kanagawa. Japan. for duty in the
i consulate general. February ~. 1851:
| served in that Office and in the con-
I ~ . a nd
June l. 1894. when he was appointed
deputy consul general at Yokohama.
i For some years during this period
Of service in Japan he was alternate
| ly Judge or attorney in the American
consular courts and also practiced in
the American and British consular
I courts until these were abolished. in
! 1899. In 1855 Mr.. Scidmore was in
/ charge of the American consulate
! general a Shanghai during the Stno-
E! the Fiji Islands as a special agent OF
| the department to investigate the
claims of American citizens to lands
in the archipelago. He spent nearly
two years on this work. The report
was used as basis for subsequent
ernment.
j Detailed as Legal Adviser.
From 1904 to 1907 Mr.. Scidmore
! was detailed for duty az legal ad-
| wiser to the American embassy at
! Toxic. AS result Of his expert
ence in consular court work. Mr.
| Scidmore published a volume on
American consular courts in Japan.
/, which was widely used in consular
court practice.
! Mr. Scidmore served as consul at
! EaRakaki from March 90 1907 to June
I. 1908. when he was appointed consul
to Kobe. He was promoted to be
| consul at Seoul in August, 1909. and
/ November "a. 1918. was appointed
; consul general at Yokohama Mr..
! Scidmore was again promoted to be
/ consul general Of class two; and ,s,l Son-
| In 1902 Mr.. Scidmore was offered
| the position of legal advisor to the
! Emperor of Korea. which offer he did
! not accept.
| The LATE consul general was = mem
the American Asiatic Association; also
a member of the Toxic. Yokohama
Yacht tcommcdore eight terms) Yoko-
hama Social. Kobe, NaSasaki. Nagasaki
i International and Yokoham Cnited
! clubs.
Dean of the Service.
| Mr. Scidmore was called the dean Of
| the consular service. being the oldest
consular in year Of service in the
! signal honors. distinguished service
! m edals having been bestowed upon
| him by many nations.
Surviving him is one relative. sis
ter, Miss Eliza r. Scidmore. of the
Stoneleigh Courts. this city.
! Indianapolis has blind woman's