Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-03-29
BLAINE'S NEPHEW.

Times.
On the Sd of March last, the day before
the Forty-fifth Congress adjourned. the SEN
ate confirmed Robert @. Walker as major
and paymaster in the United States army.
Mr. Walker is nephew Of Senator Blaine.
On the 18th of January, 1878, Mr.. Maginnis,
delegate from Montana, introduced in the
House bill for the relief of Robert G..
Walker. The bill was short, and read as
follows:
"Tnat the President of the United States
is hereby authorized to restore Robert G.
Walker, late paymaster in the United States
army, to the army register, for the purpose
OF being placed on the retired list.''
The bill was referred to the committee on
military affairs. On the 4th of May follow
ing, the chairman of the committee wrote to
the secretary of war
ASKING FOR INFORMATION
in Walkers case. On the 18th day of Nav Mr.,
McCrary answered the letter. He said that Wal
ker first entered the military service on No
vember 1, 1861, as captain and commissary
OF subsistence of volunteers, and served as
such until January /, 1868, when he was ap-
pointed major and additional paymaster of
volunteers, in which capacity he served until
honorably mustered out on November Is,
1868. He was commissioned major and pay
master of the United States army on Nav a.
1866, and resigned on Sept 8, 1874.
THE LETTER OF THE SECRETARY
further says sIt appears now by most con-
elusive evidence that for year or two before
his resignation he had given signs of mental
alteration or incompetency, which, however,
was not specially noted or reported until
some confusion arose in his accounts. A
full investigation into the subject, however,
showed that no loss had ensued to the GOV
eminent He turned over all the funds for
which he was answerable to Maj. A. b. Sew
ard, his chief paymaster, and re-
signed his commission. His mental troub-
les developed at Helena, Montana, where
he was stationed, previous to which he had
been for several years on duty at St. Paul,
Mimi. The paymaster general of the army
says his reputation was that of a vigilant
and faithful paymaster.' Mai. Gen. Han
cock, under whose command Mai. Walker
served for some years
BEFORE HIS MENTAL TROUBLES
speaks in high terms of him as an officer,
and says that his labors were extremely ar
duous.'" Appended to the secretarys let
ter, which closes with strong recommends
ton that the bill pass, are extracts from let
ters from various army officers saying that
the strain upon Walker in the performance
of his official duties was so great that he
broke down bodily and mentally. Surgeon
A. s. Click testifes that Walker was men
tally incapacitated and of unsound mind.
Delegate McGinnis' bill was reported to the
House favorably, and passed. On the 23d
of May Mr.. Paddock introduced in the Sen
ate bill ''for the relief of Robert G. Walk
or, late paymaster of the United States
army" This bill authorized the President
to appoint Walker major in the army
ON THE RETIRED LIST,
with rank and pay from September 3, 1874,
the date at which he resigned his commits
sion, said Walker having been of unsound
mind and having incurred his mental dis
| ability from exposure and hardships in the
line of his official duty. This bill was re-
ferred to the committee on military affairs
and the same information given by the war
department. to the House committee was
sent to the Senate committee. The latter
committee, on June 15, reported back Mr..
Paddock's bill with amendments providing
that Walker should be appointed by and
| with the consent of the Senate. The
clause providing back pay for Walker was
struck from the bill, and it was expressly
stipulated that he should receive no pay for
the time he was out of the service. About
the time that
MR. PADDooK's BILL
was reported back to the Senate from the
committee the House bill restoring Walker
| to his rank in the service was passed and
came to the Senate for concurrence. Mr..
Blaine, without explaining that Walker was
ralative, requested several Senators to vote
| on House bill, and it was passed and the
President approved it June 10, 1878. In the
| month of December last Hayes nominated
Walker to the position which the passage of
| the bill entitled him. The appointment was
referred to the committee on mil&ary af-
| fairs.
MIR. SPENCER
| was chairman of the committee. In course
of time the appointment was laid before the
committee for action. Spencer made a state
| rnent concerning it which astounded the
other members Of the committee. In SUBJ
stance the statement mads by Spencer was
this: That on q visit to the Black Hills,
where he owns some mining property, he had
| OCOA AAAOI"SO ny S0V0Ed1 MILITARY OIuCofS
| and gentlemen of good standing that Walker
Helena but that he had gambled away sew
eral thousand dollars of public money at the
| card table and in speculation in mining
stocks. The condition of his accounts be-
came known to few persons. The situa-
| ton of affairs was conveyed at once to
MR. BLAINE,
| who was then member of the lower house
Mr.. Blaine and other friends of the disgraced
officer came to his rescue Walker resigned
John E. Blaine, brother of the Senator,
who was appointed paymaster in the army in
1868, was Immediately detailed to Helena
He took charge of the accounts, made up
| whatever deficiency existed, and a public
scandal was averted. Mr.. Spencer said that
in his opinion, under the circumstances that
had come TO his knowledge, it would be dis
graceful to honorably reinstate Walker to
his rank in the army and place him upon
the retired list. In conclusion the chairman
of the committee added that the nomination
of Walker had better remain in stGtu quo
until be could obtain
FURTHER INFORMATION
from Montana on the subject. At this time
| there was not single member of the COM
mittee who deemed that there would be any.
| thing but an adverse report upon the nom
nation. Weeks passed. Nothing more was
said by Spencer about the case. Some Of the
Democratic members of the committee be-
lieved that the nomination would not even
be reported to the Senate. day or two be-
fore the adjournment of Congress, Spencer
sent messages to members of the committee,
while the Senate was in session. saving that
he had been mistaken in what he had said
concerning Walker, and that he would move
his confirmation at the next executive ses-