The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-09-14
GRAND ARMY OFFICERS
Thomas G.. Lawler, of Illinois, Is
Elected Commander.
TIE CONTEST WAS VERY EXCITING
Major A. p. Burohheid. OF Pittsburg.
Chosen Senior Woo Commander, md
Charles H. shute, of New Orleans.
Junior Vice Commander

Junior Vice Commander.
PlTTsBuRa, Sept. 14-The homeward
rush of Pittsburgs soldier visitors has
begun in earnest. Together with their
relatives and friends who accompanied
them to this city they are leaving town
In almost as large numbers as they came
In. The railway stations are again con-
tinually crowded with bluecoats and ex-
ira trains are being pressed into service
by the different roads in order to accom-
modate the returning vterans.
The contest yesterday for commander
in-chief was the closest in the history of
the Grand Army. Colonel Thomas Law
Ter, of Illinois, was elected by a majority
of eleven votes
The others officers elected by the en-
campment were: Senior vice commander,
Major A. p. Burchfield. of Pittsburg; Junior
vice commander, Charles Shute, New
Orleans: surgeon general, 0. w. Weeks,
Marion, Ohio; chaplain-in-chief, Rev. L.
II. Hagerty, st. Louis; representative to
council of administration, Charles W.
Gerwig
The mem bers of the council of admins
tration are: l. H. Duval West Virginia.
Joseph ii. Thiabdau, Georgia; o. H. Coul-
ter, Kansas; Charles w. Herdman, Ken
lucky; G. H. Patrick, Alabama; Q. w.
Carlson, Wisconsin: H. s. Dietrich, Hi
nois; Courtland S. Darrow. Connecticut;
G.. Guthrie Savage, Arizona; w. II. Arm
strong, Indiana; DR. Hugh A. Maghlin
Maryland; Allison NJ. Stickney, Masss-
chusetts; Samuel IL. Brown, New ilamp-
shire.
The women's relief corps elected the
following officers without much friction:
President, Mrs Emma II. Wallace, Chi
cago; senior vice president, Mrs Helen X.
Morrison, Smethpert, Pa; Junior vice
president, Mrs. Lizzie r. Herrick, Seat
tie, Wash: treasurer, Miss Amelia A.
Cheney, Detroit; chaplain, Mrs. Agnes
Parker, Massachusetts,.
The Daughters of Veterans elected the
following national officers: President
Mrs Ellen M. Walker, Worcester, Mass. !;
senior vice president, Miss Anna Schmid,
ST. Louis; junior vice president MISS
GLADYS Foster, Kansas; chaplain, Miss
IIeva Stevens. Massillon, o.; treasurer,
Mrs Ida j. Allen, Newtonviile, Mass.
inspector, Miss Addie Yorke, Somerville,
4! Mass; installing officer. Miss Anna Rob
erts, Connells Vile, Ind; trustees, Anna
| Moore, New York; Minnie Trescott, Ohio;
Nellie King, Ohio; Cora Pike, Massachu-
setts and Il. Evelyn, Monroe, o.
AT the Ladies of the Grand Army OF
| the Republic convention the following
| officers were elected; President Mrs. Net
| tie f. Gunlock, Chicago; senior vice pres
| idtRt, Mrs. Eta Toby, of Indiana; Junior
| vice president, Mrs. Anna NJ. Hall, OF
| West Virginia; treasurer, Mrs. j. z.
George, of Washington, ID. O.; chaplain,
| Mrs. Mary Il. Reynolds, of Wisconsin. A
| council of administration was elected, and
| is composed of Mrs. Florence NJ. Davey,
| Mrs. Jane Slicker and Mrs. Margaret
| Stevens.
| This was the most exciting election IN
| the history of the organization.
Past Commander-in-C Chief r. b. Beath
installed, with the ceremony of the ritual
I the elected officers, and all the G. A. II
! flags, records and effects were turned over
to tho new officials. Commander-in-C Chief
| Lawler here grasped the gayel, but soon
the new chaplain-in-chief, Hagerty, came
1 to the foot lights to pronounce the bene
| diction, and the Twenty-eighth cncamp
| ment was finished. This is the first time
/ an encampment has concluded its bust
ness and elected and installed its officers
In sitting Of two days.
The resolutions censuring Colonel Aims
worth's conduct of the pension bureau
and supporting Judge Long in his contest
| witt the pension commissioner were ms
adopted.
The new commander-in-cnief issued hi,
first orders last night, appointing Com
rade G. c. Jones, OF Rockford, Ills, ad
jutant general, and Comrade j. n. Burst
Of Syracuse, Ills., quartermaster general
and establishing headquarters at Rock
ford, Ills.
At the afternoon session of the encamp
ment representatives of the Big Four
and of the Cincinnati, Hamilton and
Dayton railroad guaranteed Il one cent .
mile rate for the next encampment. Tht
| Pennsylvania has u similar guarantee.
| Colonel Thomas G. Lawler, who wa.
elected commander in-chief of the Crane
Army of the Republic, is an Englishman
having been born in Liverpool on Apri
Z, 1874 He went to Illinois when a child
He enlisted az a private in Company Il
| Nineteenth Illinois Volunteer infantry, il
June, 1861, when only II years old, ant
served three years and three months II,
served as private, sergeant, and wa
elected first lieutenant, but not mustered
out. He was postmaster at Rockford un
| der the Hayes Garfield and Harrison ad
minlstrations. and is now engaged in tn,
lumber business.
Colonel Lawler was one of the first m EN-
bers of G. l.. Neyius Post, No. /, Depart
met of Illinois, G. A. r.. which has
membership of nearly 900. He has beer
I its commander for twenty-six consecutiyt
years. He served for five years as mem
Der of the department council of admins
tration, one year each as junior and senio
vice department command err and wa
elected by unanimous vote of the encamp
ment to the position of department com
mander for 1881 his post refusing to nc
cept his resignation as it's commando
ment commander.
Major A. p. Burchfield who was elected
senior vice commBnder, was born in Allie
gheny on Jan. 90, 1874. When the On,
Hundred and Twenty-third regiment
Pennsylvania volunteers, was organized
he enlisted AZ n private in Company +, Il
1852, and remained In the service until tn
regiment WAS disbanded at Harrisburg il
1868. He is one OF its past commander
department Of Pennsylvania, having hell
this office during 1885 He Is a member o
the national council of the Grand Arm,
of the Republic, having been elected t.
succeed General William McClelland, de
ceased, and is a member of the executive
committee Of the council.
The new chaplain-in- chief Is mem be
of the famous Iansom ost, ofSt Louis
When the post was org anized by Genera
Sherman he personally urged the diyin
to aot as Its chaplain, and he has beer
the spiritual adviser of the post eve
since.