Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-27

the latter a colored candidate The choice
| was in favor of DR.. Raub. the vote being
139 to %. Other officers were elected as fol-
| lows: Senior vice commander, A. ]. Hun
toon medical director, DR.. A. l.. Johnson
chaplain. Rev. H. S. Stevens; council of adj
ministration, Calvin Farnsworth, NJ. Ma
hany. S. w. Tuley. Judge I. G. kimball and
inees. Five delegates and four alternates
to the st. Paul encampment this year have
yet to be chosen.
Reception of Reports.
The next business in order was the re-
ception Of reports from special committees
appointed to consider the reports submitted
by the standing committees. In reference
to the employment committee, 1t was sug-
gested that the committee in the future
confine its efforts to securing employment
for the members Of the local department,
while not discriminating against the
widows and orphans Of veterans elsewhere.
The recommendation was made that COM
mittee be appointed for the special purpose
OF ascertainins the possibility of CONSOLE
dating the small posts of the Department
CT the Potomac. The committee on the re-
port of the quartermaster general suggested
more economic observance of Memorial
day by the department than has been the
case heretofore
Protecting Pensioners.
Judge Kimball. as chairman of a special
committee appointed to devise means for
the protection Of pensioners who are in the
habit of squandering their pension money
Immediately after collecting the same
recommended that steps be taken to secure
the passage of an act to be enforced in the
District of Columbia, providing for a sum-
mary process, under which justice Of the
Supreme Court Of the District shall be en-
powered to appoint a guardian for an in
nanSinnar II uac cat fnrfh NV
Judge kimball that, through the co-opera-
ton of the Secretary of the Interior, sug-
gestions were secured from the pension
agents throughout the country on the ques-
ton. There was general concurrence in
the statement Of dissipation about the
agencies on the occasion of the quarterly
payments, when the pensioners are victim
lied by class of INSCRIPTIONS persons
who are on hand for that particular pur-
pose. Payments by checks mailed to the
homes of the pensioners. 1t was thought,
would do away with the prevailing condi-
ton Of affairs.
Greetings Received.
During the evening a letter was received
from the Ladies Of the G. A. R., expressing
cordial greetings, and a proper acknowl-
edgment was made. A committee from the
Womans Relief Corps. consisting of Mrs.
Anderson, Mrs. Gist and Mrs. Turner, pre-
sented the greetings of that organization,
Mrs. Anderson introducing the, committee
and Mrs. Gist making a patriotic address
The encampment adjourned to meet at Z
o'clock this evening, when, 1t is expected, all
business will be completed and a final ad-
journment taken.
The New Commander.
The new commander Of the department,
John McElroy, is a native of Kentucky but
began life in st. Louis as printer He was
thus occupied at the outbreak of the war,
but soon afterward removed to Chicago and
secured employment as a shorthand re-
porter. In a few months, however he en-
listed in the McClernand Guards, and served
in the Army of the Tennessee until after the
fall of Vicksburg. His regiment was then
transferred to the Army Of the Ohio, and
on January 3, 1864, the battalion to which
he belonged was overpowered and captured
at Jonesville, Va, that during the rest
of the war Mr.. McElroy was a prisoner
He was a member of the first squad that
was confined at Andersonville where nearly
all of them died.
After the war Mr.. McElroy returned to
Chicago and became a newspaper reporter.
Later on he accepted the position of man
aging editor of the Toledo Blade, continuing
In that capacity for ten years. In 1854 he
took charge of the National Tribune of this
city, position which he still holds He is a
past president Of the National Prisoners Of
War Association.