The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-04-13
THE NEW COMMISSIONERS.
Judge Loc!ren Succeeds Gen. Eaum in the
f. = t-EtssfHH Pension Bureau.

Judge Ioc!iren Succeeds Gen. Eaum in the
sEee Pension Bureau.
The nomination of Judge William Lochren,
OF Minnesota, will no doubt challenge greater
attention from our readers than that OF any
person yet named to Office by President Glove
land. Judge Lochren is highly spoken of by
Republicans as we'll as Democrats Of Minnesota,
whore he has resided since 1857. He came to
Washington with the unusual compliment of a
unanimous Endorsement by the Legislature OF
his State. His record a soldier is brilliant
one, and entities him TO the sympathy of his
comrades, over whose interests he is hereafter
to watch. AS lawyer he stands very high,
having for years enjoyed a lucrative practice
In Minneapolis. This makes it ell tho more
wonderful why he should have accepted a
position paying only $1,000 a year, which re-
qures in the discharge of its duties an unusual
amount OF the hardest kind OF labor and de-
votiOn to detail. The judges friends explain
! his acceptance of the Commissionership on the
ground of mingled duty to party and sincere
admiration of President Cleveland.
Judge Lochren was born in Vermont 81 years
ago, and received his education in the public
schools Of that State and studied law. He
went to Minnesota in 1857 and practiced his
profession, but when the war broke out be was
one of the first men i'm Minnesota to abandon
civil pursuits. He enlisted in the LIST Mimi.
His service during the war was severe, Begin
ming at Bull Run and eliminating at Gettys-
burg, where his regiment made the famous
charge. OF the 262 officers and men of the 1st
Mimi. who made that charge. so were killed
and TIA were wounded. Seventeen officers
were killed or wounded, the latter including
the Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel, Major, and
Adjutant. The killed, with those who died OF
their wounds, numbered 70. over % per
cent. of those engaged. loss unparalleled.
Young Lochren, who started on the charge az
First Lieutenant of Co. L, came out of the
desperate encounter in command OF the regi-
ment every officer above his grade having been
killed or wounded. Lieut.. Lochren resigned
his commission in December. 1863 and returned
+ to Minnesota, where no resumed the practice
of law. He was very popular. and was twice
the Democratic caucus nominee for a seat in
the Senate of the United States. In 1882 he
was appointed by Republican Governor to a
Judgeship on the Circuit Bench, and at the ex-
pirati0n Of his appointment was twice re-
elected to the same place without opposition.
He has never sought office, and his popularity
is attested by tla fact that, although he is
Democrat. his candidacy for the Pension Com
missionersbp. to which he has just been nomi-
mated, was Endorsed by the unanimous vote of
the Republican Legislature of Minnesota.
Judge Lochren is short, thickset, horid-
faced man, with gray mustache, and long,
gray imperial. He is a good talker. first
class stump speaker. and good Grand Army
man. He was Judge Adyocate- General Of the
Grand Army of the Republic on tho staff of
Commandment Chief Palmer He also belongs
to the Loyal Legion.
Judge Lociren left Washington on Friday,
April Z, for his home at Minneapolis, to
straighten out his business affairs before begin
ming his arduoas labors of revising the pension
rolls. He called at the White House to bid
President Cleveland adeu before leaving the
Capital. He stopped over at Gettysburg and
went over the battlefield with the officers of the
Battlefield Association, he being commissioned
by the Minnesota Legislature to locate the spot
whereon will be erected tho $4,000 monument
commemorative of the charge made by Judge
Lochrens regiment, the 1st Mimi. at the
battle Of Gettysburg. The Judge will assume
control of the Pension Bureau May /.