Daily globe., 1883-05-25
WASHINGTON.
GEORGE BUTLER,S CRITICISM OF
GEN. TERRY.
Arthur's Health Not Very Good-His Aspi-
rations-Army Officers Who Bring Dis
grace Upon the Organization-The Hill
Investigation Begun.
Especial Telegram to the Globe. ]

Terry, and who resigned or was discharg.
ed, has written letter, addressed "To
Gen. Terry's Staff" In this he saws
Gen. Terry exhibits high courage
but singuiarly bad judgment, in selecting
his fights. Sitting Bull and myself are the
most recent examples. We know the result
of his collision with the Sioux chief, where
his paco tempo flank movement and tardy
II not tasty marching, in the opinion OF
distinguished officers who were with him,
caused the death of so gallant a soldier as
Custer and the 250 men with him, Gen.
Terry, of course could not be expected to
tight Indians, as he never saw warrior in
paint, but he had officers with him of am
pie frontier experience, and men enough
with him to have sent Sitting Bull and his
Sioux flying over the border if the head of
Gen. Terry's column had even appeared
above the horizon. That they did not get
up IN time, as agreed upon,
is now a matter of mournful history
to the Custer family and sorrow to
the American people. Having held Gen.
Terry off at arms length while on the pra:-
ries Of Montana, and contemplated his
struggles to prove that he commanded his
own department with amused curiosity, 1
accept the opportunity his friends have
made by rushing him into print at my
expense, and shall do my best to let the
country know what is known to every Off
Ger in the department of Dakota, viz: GEN
Ierry's proverbial laundering and neglect
of his command, which has frequently fro
zen and starved under him. And this, too,
all unnecessary and inexcusable, for rich
and generous government places at the call
of commanding officers more than enough
to make the soldiers life a comfortable,
even happy one."
ARTHUR's HEALTH.
One who is said to have the confidence of
President Arthur has written letter. dated
IL this city, to friend in New Haven. The
writer says: Il know whereof speak, and
so does every personal friend of the presi-
dent. 1t is no secret whatever that
the presidents health is poor, that he
chafes under the wear and tear of his of
flee, and that he looks forward with intense
longing to the day of his release from his
irksome responsibilities. Only few days
since he said to very near personal friend,
not an Office holder: MY ambition is to
see the country more prosperous at the
close OF my administration than it has
been in the past, and have that prosperity
guaranteed by another Republican sue
cession.' He has repeatedly given his
friends to know that under no conceivable
circumstances would he again be presi-
dent"
DISREPUTABLE ARMY OFFICERS,
The time-honored record of army and
navy officers for square dealing has en-
countereda very serious eclipse through
the idiosyncrasies of several who are not
only disgrace to themselves, but the
country they serve. Following one upon
the other almost, six army and navy CT
ficers are in disgrace. These are Lieut..
Col. Morrow, an aid dc camp on Gen.
Sherman's staff, Paymaster Wasson, of the
army, Paymaster Smith, of the navy, Col
onel Ilges of the army, and Col. A. H.
Nickerson. Col Morrow is guilty of having
duplicated and Implicated his pay ac-
counts. He has creditable army record,
but has lived high since he resided here.
He had arranged to compound with his
creditors by having them accept large
section of his salary, to be drawn monthly,
until the claims should be satisfied. This
was agreed to by the creditors, contingent
upon the paymaster general of the army
issuing an order to all paymasters not to
pay Morrow's accounts until further or
ders. Morrow, at his own request, also
had an order issued, directing him to re-
join his regiment, alleging as au excuse
that he was in debt and could thus re-
trench his expenditures. Meanwhile the
secretary of war heard of his duplicating
his salary accounts, and it is probable he
will detail court martial. The defalca-
ton OF Paymaster Wasson is we'll known.
1t is found to be in the neighb 0rhood of
$1,000. He took the government money
as an enforced loan, he says, intending to
pay it back, but more veracious
authority is that he lost it at poker. Pay
master Smith, of the navy, will be court
martialed at an early day for dishonest
practices. COL Ilges, of the army, like
Col. Morrow, also duplicated his pay ac-
counts, and was given the alternative of
resignation or disgraceful dismissal. He
resigned. Commander White, of the navy
is charged with disgraceful conduct, which
shocked the proprieties at Norfolk. He,
too, will probably be court martialed.
These cases are cited to show that the
proverbial honor of the army and navy is
undergoing sad deterioration. Here in
Washington the social influence of the
army and navy clubs is not calculated to
impress, but rather to detract from the
morals Of the service. The uppermost
vice is gambling. This is not done in
public places, but in the quiet chambers
of select clubs. Young officers, who
come in from the frontier with
their savings, are generally shorn like the
unsuspecting lamb, and to keep up appear
ances and hold up their end of the line,
proceed to duplicate their pay accounts
as the most convenient resort for ready
cash. The end is inevitable. 1t is disgrace.
Secretary Lincoln, who is fully aware of
the pernicious effects of gambling in the
army, is making an honest endeavor tn