The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-09-03
MAJOR WHAM'S WOES.
The Paymaster 10 Undergo An
other Court Martial Trial.
ne SAYS HE IS PsRsscuTEo.
sunday Attendance az the Interstate
FaIr-NeFesants' Bank 10 Fay
Half Gts Debt

WAsmIsGrox CRY, sept "A general
eourt-raartsaI has been ordered at Van
couver barracks. Wash. September II, for
the trial Of gensral of.enses The detail Of
the court is a. follows: Brig. Gen Elwell
5. Otis, Col Thomas Anderson. Lieut.. Col.
Hugh A. Ihacker. Fourteenth infantry:
". d. WoIverton. deputy surgeon general:
John NJ Bacon, First cavalry; Mai Frank
". Coke. psymaster; James c. Post. corrs
Of engineers; TuIly MeCres. Fifth artil-
lery; W II. Nash, co@missa-y officer:
J. NJ Marshal, qcarsermaster; ]. ".
French. Fourteenth infantry; George ).
Wilson, FIRST cavalry; Adjt. Gen. Charles
McCully: Capt Charles Mcclure acting
jadge-advoeate L. ;. A, jud se-sdvocate OF
the court One Of the principal duties OF
the court-m atrial will be the trial of Pay
master Wham, who has been in trouble
for some time and whose career has at
tracted considerable attention IN army
circles.
PosrEAxr. Sept Mai. J. W. wham,
paymasser. United States army. who Is TO
be tried by military court st Vancouver
barracks September IL, said today in refer
ence TO his trial:
II nave much to tell the court of official
persecution commencing Immediately
after did exeeiently we'll as expressed
by the secretary of var, in defense OF my
treasure box against the assaults OF at
least twice the number OF my escort. until
every soldier but one who remained with
me was wounded. My old comrades OF
Gen. Grants Old regiment had the temerity
and Audacity 10 state my record as made
in thirteen battles and nearly five years
service during the rebellion. and to ask
my appointment as paymaster general.
soldier with a lighting record IS made TO
feel very lonesome in the pay department.
which is composed. particularly near the
head OF the list, Of men who, IN the Ian
guage of my old comrades. did their fight
ing in safe and comfortable Offices, far re-
moved from the sound of battle
''0f course / feel deeply Inundated by
this injustice, but I could not help il any
more than / could help the order for nv
trial on false charges soon after the rob-
berry in Arizona. and of which | was ae-
quilted without the introduction of
particle of testimony in my defense. La
my judgment the result of the fortacom-
ing trial will be exactly similar. The sec
ond sick leave of absence ever obtained by
me in a period of nearly thirty years
service was revoked after having been
granted by a board OF officers convened TO
determine whether it should be granted or
not, and I was ordered back TO my sta
, ton, there TO be held for three months
subject 10 q secret espionage TO determine
my sanity, but DIR. Byrne. the medical
director, having. 1 presume, grown thor
oughIy indignant at the humiiiating duty
thus uniawfully imposed upon him,
tried TO terminate the unlawful, cruel
and unjust action of the assistant
secretary of war, Lewis A. Grant,
by at once reporting, on my
return TO my station, that there was moth
ing whatever the matter with Maj.
Wham's intellect. Just thing of It'll A
United States soldier with commend
able record both on the battlefield and on
disbursing duty is, without the shadow of
legal right or common justice. deprived of
his sick leave of absence and liberty by
Assistant Secretary of War Grant, 10 be
held for three months subject 70 secret
espionage. without his knowledge. to de-
termine the question as to his sanity,
when every cent of the millions intrusted
TO his care for disbursement had been
satisfactorily accounted for. If necessary
10 determine this question why was II not
done in the usual legal way, and the poor.
afflicted soldier not left to wonder from
day 10 day at his anomalous and unlawful
status7 Was there a fear that the de-
mented soldier might parry the blow thus
shamefuily aimed from an official covert?
LAS to the charge that am in debt, |
will say, yes: and l am just about as
much responsible for Ii as | would be for
the accidental killing of my mother, IL
having occurred through the unprece-
denied Arizona floods OF 1891.
Maj. Wham was appointed paymaster
by President Grant. in whose regiment he
served. The charges against Maj. Wham
are many. and cover long series of years.
II is understood that the principal charge
against him is his failure 10 meet legal
Judgment against him for several thou
sand dollars growing out Of a scheme for
the irrigation OF Arizona lands many years