Mr. Adee to Mr.
Harris.
Department of State,
Washington, August 4,
1899.
No. 33.]Sir: I inclose for your information a copy of a
dispatch from the United States consul at Athens, Greece, No. 36, of
July 17, 1899, relative to the conduct of the Austrian consul at Braila,
Roumania, in relation to a passport issued by Mr. McGinley, in the
absence of the United States minister from Athens. The facts are
sufficiently narrated in this dispatch, showing the action of the
consul, who, it is alleged, declared the passport to be a forgery and
the holder thereof, Mr. William Trauber, a swindler. He intimates that
the consul threatened to tear up his passport as being false.
[Page 53]
The reported, action of the Austrian consul is of so extraordinary a
character as to need no argument in remonstrance, and it is believed
that it will only be necessary to submit the facts in order to convince
the Imperial and Royal Government that the consul gravely exceeded his
powers in declaring a regularly issued passport of this Government to be
a forgery.
In this connection you are referred to a dispatch from your predecessor,
No. 93, of August 23, 1894, relative to the validity of passports. (See
Foreign Relations, 1894, pages 36
and 46.) One of the points ceded by
the Austrian Government reads as follows:
First. It is conceded that the passport of the citizen of either
Government, native or naturalized, not bearing upon its face the
insignia of its own invalidity, can not be called in question by
the municipal district and inferior officers of the Government,
but that such paper is prima facie evidence of the facts therein
stated and must be respected as such. If the subordinate
officers of the Government have suspicion of the fraudulent
character of the paper presented, they report the fraud or
irregularity alleged to some tribunal, if any, having competent
authority under the rules of international law to determine the
same.
It is desired that you bring these facts to the attention of the Austrian
Government in order that it may issue such instructions to its consul at
Braila as will prevent a recurrence of such action on his part.
I am, etc.,
Alvey A. Adee,
Acting Secretary.
[Inclosure.]
Mr. McGinley to
Mr. Cridler.
Consulate of the United States,
Athens, Greece, July 17, 1899.
No. 36.]Sir: I have the honor to advise you that on
June 10, 1899, I issued a passport to William Trauber, a naturalized
citizen of the United States residing temporarily in Roumania,
taking in his old passport, No. 59, issued by the legation at Athens
two years ago, and which I forwarded to the Department with my last
quartery returns. On July 5, 1899, the following telegram was
received at this consulate:
Braila, July 4, 1899.
McGinley, American Consul, Athens:
Austrian consul, Braila, refuses recognizing your passport.
Considers false document. Please take steps. Thanks.
William Trauber.
On July 6, 1899, I stated the case verbally to the chargé d’affaires
of the Austrian legation, Athens, showing him the telegram. He
kindly informed me that his legation had no control over the consuls
in Roumania, but that he would telegraph the consul at Braila that
the passports issued by the United States consul at Athens were
good. I then wired Mr. Trauber as follows:
Athens, July 6, 1899.
William Trauber,
Braila:
Austrian legation wires consul at Braila that my passports
are good. Write particulars immediately.
McGinley.
[Page 54]
I now am in receipt of a letter from Mr. Trauber giving particulars,
and I inclose a true and correct copy of that letter.
Awaiting your instructions, I am, etc.,
William McGinley, Consul.
[Subinclosure.]
Mr. Trauber to
Mr. McGinley.
Dear Sir: I beg to confirm my wire of
yesterday, and to inform you herewith what happened to me in last
few days.
As you remember, I got my passport from you some time ago, dated 10th
June, under No. 5. It is perfectly in order, with the only exception
that in place of the word “Legation,” you crossed this off, putting
the word “Consulate.”
Saturday, the 1st instant, I went to the Austrian consul here to have
my passport viséd, as I intend going to Carlsbad, so I “wanted to
avoid having difficulties at the frontier. As I produced the
passport to the secretary he put the visé, made me pay the legal
fee, and then brought the paper to the consul to sign it. In a few
minutes he turned back with the remarks, “Not necessary to visé;
Americans are free,” and refunded me the tax. So I asked the
secretary whether I shall have no difficulties, to which he replied;
“No; consul must probably know that it is so.” So I went off.
On Monday, 3d instant, I was called for by Mr. Chatmer, the chief of
the well-known banking house Ieschek & Co. here, who informed me
that the Austrian consul had communicated him he had refused to vise
my passport because he is suspicious of me, of which he notified the
“Procureur,” as he believes my passport to “be false.” As I heard of
this I went at once to the Austrian consul in order to inquire of
what is going on, so as not to be retained somewhere for suspicion.
Coming into his office I spoke, as usual, very politely to him, and,
opening my passport, he said to me, “You dare coming (come) with
that paper to sign. This is a forgery; you are a swindler,” and
uttered some other indecent expressions that I am rather ashamed to
reproduce. Instead of letting me explain him that the paper had been
issued at your office, of which I can prove him by a letter received
from your good self, dated 22d May, or he should inquire
telegraphically of you and the consul at Bucharest, who, as you
know, has signed the application, he commenced to shout on me,
calling me “scoundrel, swindler, bearer of false passports,” and
other very common expressions, and menaced me to tear up my passport
as being false. He then chased me out from the office in spite of my
polite behavior and my repeated demands to give me a chance to speak
something on my behalf.
You can hardly imagine, dear Mr. McGinley, how this offense
influenced upon me, and would you know the position I am occupying
since many years, as manager of a great firm, you would make
yourself an idea what an impression this incident has made upon
me.
As an American citizen, I beg to appeal to you, as my protector, to
kindly investigate this matter, and to take necessary steps against
this official who, without reason whatever, has dared to insult an
American
[Page 55]
citizen, blessing
my honor, by this treatment, or I may say, by this indecent
behavior.
I hope and trust that you will not let this matter into oblivion, and
relying upon your sentiment of justice, I am quite certain you will
know how to make the consul to render to me satisfaction in some
way.
I beg to apologize for the trouble I am causing you and awaiting your
favorable reply I express you my sincere thanks, and remain,
etc.,
