The record-union., 1895-09-28
field. but was refused. He sent letter

| field, but was refused. He sent letter
TO General Schotield in part as follows:
General Scbofeld: Before you are re-
tired from active duty l thought / would
call your attention TO the injustice,
wrong and prosecutions you have in
hicted upon me during the years 1867 20
and up To the present time. TO my
| knowledge | have given you no cause |
would like to have an explanation as to
your grounds for making my life hell
and trying to ruin me in the way you
have. The Endorsement upon the
charges l preferred against Lieutenant
y. ID. Nelson in 1870 denouncing me as
worthless character. ETC., was the nrst at
tack upon me. In addition to ignoring
and failing to investigate the serious
charges which l then submitted, because
L considered it my duty To do so, the
next wrong was TO select few characters
from the army, call court, and ap-
prove of their sentence of dismissal, you
as Judge having selected the jury.
You sustain Colonel Nelson In not
bringing Captain Graham 10 trial, aud
after was dismissed for bringing these
charges Colonel Nelson found that Gra-
ham would have to be tried because Of
the great pressure of all the officers and
others at Camp supply, /. i. Nelson, TO
save himself, recommended Graham's
trial upon the charges that | had submit
ted long before 1 was so unjustly dis
missed, and he was not only cash
Tered, but sentenced to the penitentiary
for term OF years.
After my retirement you caused
another court to be selected and tried 10
ruin and disgrace me. You also issued
an order, and | was published as per-
son whose sanity was questioned, but
after the mischief WAS done you stopped
the investigation without any request on
my part. Lately, | am informed, YOU
/ have secured the marks to ai1idaVits OF a
few negroes who cannot read or write,
telling a lot of falsehoods and stuff that
has tendency to injure me with those
who would be influenced by what you
say or do on account OF your position.
i am a gentleman, and have always
conducted myself such. l have done
my duty as military man, as the true
records viii prove, and any charges that
are on file tending to reflect discredIt
upon me are instigated by personal en-
NIFTY or untounded malice, and are un-
worthy OF belief. Common Justice on
the part of superior officer, the manly
instincts of a gentleman when shown
that he IS mistaken, should cause you TO
apologize aud show a disposition to
amend the wrongs, as far as possible,
which you have for so many years
GEORGE A. ARMIES"
Major Armes was sitting in his parlor
after dinner when Lieutenant Commings.
accompanied by Second Lieutenant Cor
don Heiner, appeared IN the doorway
with a file of soldiers and road the order
OF arrest. Ma jor Armes attempted TO re-
sist arrest, but finally requested few
minutes to prepare himself, and then ac-
cOmpanIed the officers 10 the arsenal IN
an ambulance which had been provided.
After his arrest, Major Armes said to
reporter:
II have no official knowledge of the
reason for my arrest, though l might
naturally presume that 1t was in conse-
quence OF a letter which l sent to General
ochotield yesterday, calling his attention
To the fact that he has treated me for
many years with great injustice. In 1869,
when l was stationed at Camp Supply,
|. T., | preferred charges against q. ".
Graham for stealing Government horses.
The comuandant OF the post, Lieutenant
Colonel A. ID. Nelson took sides with
Graham. i preferred charges then against
elSon. Nelson appealed TO Schoheld,
who was then in command OF the De-
partment OF Missouri. | was court-mar-
tailed on charges signed by Graham, and
finally dismissed from the service.
"COngresS investigated the charges
against me and made a report favorable
to my reinstatement. Sohofield fought
me bitterly at ali times, and Secretary of
ar Belknap joined forces against me.
| settled with Belknap by proving that
he sold post traderships. Belknap got
out of the War Department in disgrace.
l was restored to the service in 1876, and
was retired in 1883. In 1889 | pulled
Governor Beavers nose in the Riggs
House because he grossly insuted me,
and Schoheld had be court-martialed for
that. L was sentenced to five years
imprisonment in the city of Washington,
within a tifty-mile limit. l served two
years, and the sentence was remitted.
OF course, L want to get out of this as
quickly as possible, and | Will consult
my lawyer as soon as l cam
Lieutenant General Schofeld, when
seen last night, said: Captain Armes
has been endeavoring to secure a brevet
to which he thought himself entitled for
his participation III a certain Indian fight
a good many years ago Captain Armes'
case came before me, and 1 gave it very
careful consideration but l could find
nothing IN his record that would war
rant my recommending the comforting OF
this distinction upon him. Captain Arines
pleaded so urgently that / acceded TO the
request, and reconsidered the matter at
great length. In fact, | did more for
Captain Armes than | have done for any
one, and / have searched all over the
country for evidence which would war
rant me IN making favorable recon-
mendation. 1t was without avail, how
ever, and l have recommended to the
Secretary OF War that the brevet rank of
Lieutenant-C Colonel which was desired by
Captain Armes be not conferred upon
him.
Captain Armes presented himself at
the War Department yesterday afternoon
just before | was leaving and sent In his
card. | sent out word that | did not care
to see him. lie tried TO force his way
into the Office, and, failing in thai,
he left letter for me which was
abusive aud threatening. The letter was
of such a character, in fact, that it was
absolutely necessary that discipline
should be enforced. Unfortunately, as it
happened, L was Acting Secretary OF War
yesterday. The Commanding General
OF the Army has no authority over retired
officers, and ii Secretary Lamont had
been here | should have simply sent the
papers up to him for him TO take such ac-
ton as he might deem proper and neceS-
sary. AS twas, there was nothing for me
to do but to take immediate action, and
ordered Captain Armes' arrest and contine-
ment in the guard -house. AS soon as the
Secretary returns | shall turn the prisoner
aud the case over to him, and shall have
nothing more to do with il. There is alb
solutely nothing personal in the mat
ter"
GENERAL SCHOFIELD.