The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-09-20
GRAND ARMY ELECTION.
COLONEL LAWLoR CHOSEN AS
CoMMANDER-IN CHIEF.
Major Burchfield, Senior Vice; Charles
Shupe of Louisiana, Junior Vice; u
w. Weeks, Surgeon General
Council OF Administra-
ton Elected.


new Grand opera house at an early
hour. and long before the second day S
session of the Grand Army convention
onened there was a crowd of lobbyists
n at work in favor of their several can
didates for office As nominations
were only made yesterday for office OF
commsnder-in chief those depart
ments that had candidates Tor the
other national offices were busy, Dut
of the delegates as they made thelr
Uav into the convention hall New
York came out with Phillip 5. Blglln
for Junior vice commander, and LOUIS
lana had an opposition candidate IN
the person of Chas Ii. Shupe. BoIh
sides of course were confident.
The two candidates for the highest
office IN the giving of the Grand Army
of the Republic came to the convention
early. Col. Thomas Lawlor at 9l5 a.
m. with all his department delegates
They were confident that things look
ed bright for them.
The first business when the cOuVeh-
Tion met was the nomination FOR ma
tional officers. Maj A, p. Burchheld
of this CITY was nominated for senior
vice commander-in. chief, and as there
was no opposition he was elected
unanimously.
For iunior vice commander, Corporal
Tanner proposed Phillip >. blglin;
When Charles Shupe was put forward
in nomination for tie same Office by
the present department commander OF
Louisiana. Mr.. Biglin Withdrew and
Charles Shupe was elected junior VICE
without a ballot.
The next election was that for sur
Uecn general. COmrade q. w. weeks
of Marion, o., was UNANIMOUSLY
elected.
Chaplain-in.chief was the next elec-
tive office. For this Chaplain L. n.
Haggerty of st. Louis and Comrade
Southland of Maine were nominated, so
the matter went over for election later:
Then the nomination OF members OF
council of administration begun. They
were as follows: Utah, @. o. Farms
worth; Virginia and North Carolina,
August Hager South Dakota, Gov.
Cbas. II. Sheldon; Delaware, Charles
Zerbey; Ohio, r H. Cochran; Missls-
sippi. f. NJ. Sterrett; Nebraska, ): f.
Decher; New jersey, Emanuel Sanolsp;
Rhode Island, Chas. A. Barbour; New
York, David s. Brown; Michigan,
George Hopkins; New Mexico;
Smith H. Sampson; Minnesota, Albert
Scheffer; Pennsylvania, Charles w.
Gerwig; Washington, G. H. Holmes;
Tennessee, w. H. Veasy; Arkansas, A.
ID. Thomas; Iowa, Albert w Swain;
Indian Territory, r. w. Hill; Potomac,
q. N. Hustled; West Virginia, /. H.
Duval Georgia, g. II. Thibadeau;
Kansas. O. g. Coulter; Kentucky,
Chas. w. f.. Erdman; Alabama, q, h.
Patrick; Wisconsin, w, O. Carlson;
Illinois, II. s. Dietrich; Connecticut,
Gourtiand s. barrow; Arizona, L
Guthrie; Indiana, w. H. Armstrong;
MARYLAND, DIR. A. Manhlin; Massachu'
sets, Allen NJ. Stickney; New HampS
shire, Sam N. Brown.
The feature of the encampment and
the hottest and closest contest ever
known in the Grand Army was the
fight for the position OF commander
iu-chief The contestants were Col.
Thos. &. Lawlor of Rockford, Ills and
|. N. Walker of Indianapolis. Elec-
pioneering of most vigorous charac-
ter has been going on all week, and
last night and this morning the friends
of both candidates claimed 4 victory
by good majority. The closeness of
the result was surprise to both vic'
tory aud defeated. 1t took 40 minutes
to cast and count the ballots OF the
$40 delegates. Then Commander
Adams announced that the vote stood:
I,awlor, $50; Walker, $40, the Illinois
man winning by narrow margin OF
II votes, AS soon as the election was
announced peals of applause rang
through the opera house. When some
semblauce of quiet was restored Col
onel Walker withdrew his name and
the election was made unanl-
NOUS. In a brief speech
the new commandment ch eff
thanked bis supporters and said he
would work to the utmost for the
advancement of that grand organizaN
ion-the &. A. II. Nevens post oil
Rockford. Ill.,, in honor OF the election
OF Colonel Lawler, fred a salute OF u
guns on the river bank.
Colonel Lawler was born in England
April Z, 1874. When a child he was
taken to Illinois and educated in the
public schools of Rockford. AT the
age of II he enlisted as private in
company +, Fifth Illinois volunteer
infantry. He much hard fighting.
He commanded his company for two
months during the Atlanta campaign
and was elected captain by his com
pany and placed upon the roll OF
honor by Major General Rosecrans OF
the army of the Cumberland
He organized the Rockford Rifles
in 1876 and was elected
colonel and commanded the Third
regiment l. n. &. for seven years
when he resigned. He was postmas
ter at Rockford under the Hayes ano
Garfield administrations and is in the
lumber and coal business. Colone
Iswler has been commander of u. n
Nevins post at Rockford for 26 consec
utiye wears. He has also served as
member OF the department council o
administration and junior and senior
vice supreme commander. After lht
election of Colonel Lawler the copven
ton adjourned for dinner.
AT the afternoon session of the en-
campment resolutions condemnlns
Colonel Ainswortn for dischsrgin&
veterans because of their testimony a.
the inquiry into the Ford thester dis
aster at Washington was taken uI
and discussed.
General Adams returned thanks FOL