The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-09-10
OLD SOLDIERS WELCOMED
PEOPLE OF LOUISVILLE GIVE THE
q. E.G. A. n. 4 GREIr RECEPII0N.

the Gait House Are Beautifully Decorated
Reception of COMMUNICATIVE Chief and
STAFF Was an Imposing Event-scenes
About the Depot Exhilerating and In
spring.
Louisville, KY, Sept. 9.-The twenty
ninth encampment of the G. A. r. was
opened with a fine parade on the ar
rival of Commander-in-Chi Lawler
and the Columbian post of Chicago,
and other organizations DIN the escort
special Monon train were met at the
depot by members of the committee and
the reception carriage. The Kentucky
National Guard, local posts and other
civic organizations were formed on
Broadway waiting the arrival of the
special train, which was on time to the
satisfaction of the multitudes assembl-
ed along the line of march from the
Union depot to Broadway, Third and
Main streets to the Gait house. In the
first carriage with Commander-in-Ch
Lawler We're Colonel R. w. Kelley,
editor of the Louisville Commercial,
and commander of the G. A. r. depart
ment of Kentucky and the chairman of
the invitation and reception committee.
The Loyal Legion was feature of the
parade
At the Gait house, the headquarters
of the national officers, beautiful deco
rations and elaborate arrangements
were made for receptions during the
day. While the reception of the COM
mander-in-chief and staff was the most
important of the day, there We're many
receptions at G. A. R. posts, which
Were very interesting.
Special trains arrived as fast as they
could be accommodated in the depots
and everyone was kept busy. From
early morning, throughout the day.
drum corps were heard in all directions
as the veterans We're being escorted
to their respective headquarters. Re-
ports from all the railways indicate
that the roads are full of extra trains
The leading candidate for command
er-in-chief is Colonel Ivan N. Walker
ysSf Indiana. At Pfttsburg last Septem-
Der Colonel Walker came within IL
votes of ain election and advices from
many departments now indicate that
unless a combination stronger than
has been apparent is made against him
the unanimous choice of the gallant
comrades of the Hoosier state will this
week became the head of the great or
gahization of union veterans, in which
nine-tenths of the soldiers and sailors
of the civil war are enrolled. When
the war broke out Colonel Walker, al
though only twenty -one years of age,
was holding an important civil office.
He promptly resigned the emoluments
of the place to raise company for
the Seventy third Indiana Volunteers,
of which he became captain. He was
in the daring mounted infantry raid of
1863 into Georgia and Alabama, which
ended disastrously, and for many
months endured the horrors of Libby
prison He escaped through the histor-
ic tunnel in February, 1864. Colonel
Walker became a member of the G. A.
r. in 1857, and on the reorganization
of the department of Indiana served as
commander of George H. Thomas post,
the largest post in the department.
His greatest work, and that which en-
deared his name to the comradeship
everywhere, was his mastery report
as chairman of the pension committee
to the national encampment at Indian
apolis. The encampment endorsed the
report unanimously by a rising vote,
and the loyal patriotic sentiment of the
l,,, ~r;x, ~, Iir1
COMMANDMENT Chief Lawler took pos
session of the main parlor of the Gait
house. Next door the flag of the Wo-
mans Relief corps was displayed, and
National President Margaret Wallace
with her staff received the visitors. The
tars of the Naval Veterans association
took possession of the boats William
Tell and Carrie Hope and the official
fleet was placed lin commission.
At the annual dog watch tonight the
ex-sailors were welcomed by Governor
Brown and Mayor Tyler, and responses
were made by Rear Admiral Allen of
Hartford, Conn, and Mr.. Robinson Of
Philadelphia. The ex-prisoners of war
established themselves in Music hall,
where they fraternzed with the surviv-
ors of the Mississippi ram fleet.
Tonight Commander-in-Ch Chief Lawler
and staff General T. N. Walker of In
dianapolis, the leading candidate to sue
ceed Lawler; ex-Speaker Warren Keifer
of Ohio, Colonel ]. M. Schoonmaker and
Henry Watterson were banquetted by
Colonel Andrew Cowan, since the war a
resident of Louisville, and who during
the conflict commanded the First New
York Battery. The New Hampshire
men, who arrived here to-day, told of
the state they hailed from through the
medium of small blocks of granite pen
dant from their badges.
Despite the fact that the rush more
than doubled expectations there was lit
tie confusion or difficulty in housing the
delegates, and the plans of the commit
tee worked to a charm. Only three
hundred assignments to free quarters
were made to-day.
Buffalo has entered the list for the
next encampment. Among the dele
gates on the ground Denver is the IA
vorite. with ST. Paul a close second.
Throughout the day the scenes about
the four depots where crowds had gath
cred to greet visitors arriving in large
numbers, were exhilerating and inspir-
ing Train after train as fast as the
deserted cars could be switched, de-