The herald., 1894-09-03
OFFICIAL PERSECUTION.
Msjor whsm Has Much to Tell to the
Court.

Major Whsm Has Much to Tell to the
Court.
PORTLAND, Sept. 2. Major J, W.
Whsm. psymaster of the United States
army, who is to be tried by a military
court at Vancouver barracks, September
18th, said today in reference to his trial:
~ have much to tell the court of off,
cial persecution. commencing immedi-
stely after Il did excellently well,' as
expressed by the secretary of war in the
defense of my treasure box against the
assaults of at least twice the number of
nv escort, until every soldier
but ono who YemRinded with
me was wounded, and nv
old comrades of General Grants old
regiment and the temerity and audacity
10 state my record, az made in IS bat
ties and nearly five years service during
the rebellion, and to ask my appoint
ment OF paymaster-general. A soldier
with a fighting record is made to feel
very lonesome in the pay department,
which Ia composed, particularly near
the head OF the list, of men who. in the
language of my old comrades. did their
fighting in safe and comfortable offices,
far removed from the sound of battle
''Of course, l feel deeply Inundated
by this injustice. but could not help it
any moro than | could help the order
for my trial ON false charges soon after
the robbery in Arizona, and OF which |
was acquitted without any introduction
OF q particle of testimony in my defense.
I'm my judgment the result OF the
forthcoming trial will be exactly simi-
lar. The second sick leave of absence
ever obtained by me in period of near
ly 30 years. service was revoked after
having been granted by q board of Off
GERS convened to determine whether it
should be granted or not, and l was or
dered back to my station, there to be
held for three months, subject to &C.
cret espionage to determine my sanity,
but DR.. Bryne, my medical director,
having, L presume, grown thoroughly
indignant at the humiliatin0 duty thus
unlawfully imposed upon him, tried to
terminate the unlawful, cruel and unjust
action OF the Assistant Secretary of War
Grant, by at once reporting on my re-
turn TO my station that there was moth
ing whatever the matter with Major
Wham'a intellect"
"Juet think of It! A United States
soldier with o commendable record,
both on the battlefield and on disburs-
ing duty, lie, without the shadow OF
legal right or common justice, deprived
OF his sick leave OF absence and liberty
by Assistant Secretary of War Grant, to
be held for three months subject to
secret espionage, without his know edge,
to determine the question as to his
sanity, when every cent of the millions
entrusted to his care for disbursement
had been satisfactorily accounted for.
"If necessary to determine this ques-
ton, why wac it not done in the usual
legal way, and the poor old afflicted sol.
der left TO wonder from day to day at
his anomalous and unlawful status?
Was there fear that the demented
soldier might parry the blow thus
shsmefully aimed from an official
covert?
"As to the charge that am In debt 1
will say yen. and am just about as
much responsible for it as l would be
for the accidental killing of my mother,
it having occurred through the unprece.
dented Arizona floods in 1891"
Major Wham was appointed paymaster
by President Grant, in whose regiment
he served. The charges against him are
many and cover long series of years.
1t is understood that the principal
charge against him is his failure to meet
legal judgment against him for several
thousand dollars growing out of scheme
for irrigating Arizona lands many years
ago,