The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1894-09-21
IaMIer in Chosen.

pittsburg, Sept 14.-The feature OF
the encampment, and the hottest ana
closest contest ever known in the Grand
Army. was the fight for the position
Of commander-in-c chief The contestants
were Col Thomas q. LaWler of Rock
ford. Ill, and |. n. Walker OF IN
dianapols. Electioneering OF most
vigorous character has been gong on
all week, and last night and this morn
inc the friends Of both candidates
claimed a victory by good margin
The closcness of the result was sur
prise to both victor and defeated. II
took forty-tive minutes to cast ana
count the ballot OF 649 delegates. Ihen
Commander Adams announced that the
vote stood: I.auler, $50: Walker, 5l3,
the Illinois man winning by the narrow
margin of eleven votes. AS soon as the
election was announced, pealS or ap-
plause rang through the opera house.
When some semblance of quiet was
restored Col. Walker withdrew his
name and the election Of Col. LaWler
was made unanimous.
La a brief speech the new commander
in-chief thanked his supporters, and
said he would work to the utmost for
ation-the G. A. r. Nevins post, OF
Rockford. Ill. in honor of the election
of Col LaWler, fired 4 salute OF twenty
one guns on the river bank.
Col. Lawler was born in England on
April Z, 1Si4. When child he was
taken to Illinois and educated In the
public schools of Rockford AT the
ICE of seventeen he enlisted as private
in Company e, Nineteenth Illinois Vol.
unteer infantry. He saw much nara
fighting He commanded his company
for two months during the Atlanta cam
pai.la. and was elected captain by the
company and placed upon the roll OF
/ honor by Maj Gen. Rosecrans, or the
Army Of the Cumbureland. Col. Law
/ Ter organized the Rockford RineS ID
1876. and was elected colonel and COM
manded the Seventh regiment. |. n. u.
/ for some years, when he resigned. lie
was postmaster 1T Rockford under the
HAYES and Garfield administrations,
and is in the lumber and coal business.
Col. LaWler post, Of Rockford. Tor
| twenty-six consecutive years. lie has
also served rs member OF the council
of administration, and Junior and senior
| vice commander.
The first business when the conven
ton met was the nominations for na
tional officers. Maj. A. r. Burchfield
OF this city, was nominated for senior
vice commander-in chief. and a3 there
was no opposition, was elected unanl
mously. Eor junior vice commander
Corporal Tanner proposed Philip >
Elglin When Charles IL. Shute wa!
put forward iii nomination for the sam'
position b. the present departmen
commander CT Louisiana. MIR. Biglil
withdrew and Charles Shute was elect
ed junior vice without ballot.
The next election was that for SUI
geon general, Comrade 0. .. Weeks
of Marion. Ohio. was without opposi
ton AMI was III arimously elected.
Chaplin L. II. Hasgerty of st Louis
was elected, unanimously, chaplain-i1
chief, Iii. oals opponent, Conrad
SoutnaId OF Maine, Wittdraw wing befor
3 ballot was taken.
The Daughters of Veterans electe'
J the following national officers: Pres
ident, Mrs Ellen II. Walker. Worces
! ter. Mass, senior vice president, Mis-
, Anna s. amidt, st. Louis; junior vic
!, president, Miss Gladys Foster. Kansas
chaplain, Miss Lena Stevens. Massl
! Ion, Ohio. treasure. Miss Ida J. AleI
! NeWtoat -.