Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-25
COL. cRoFToN's CASE
Probably . Private Suggestion Has Been
Made Is to His Retirement.
officials Reticent About the Matter
Dissntisfa ctfOn VITA the Discip-
line of His Regtment.

Secretary Lamont and the officers of the
War Department who are in a position to
know what, If any, steps have been taken
in the case of Col. Crofton, in the fifteenth
infantry, stationed at Fort Sheridan, re-
fuse to discuss the matter In any shape.
1t is regarded as very improbable, how
ever, that the Secretary has himself ad-
dressed letter to the colonel inviting him
to apply for retirement. If any move
ment has been made in this direction, 1t
has probably been through third party
and not directly in the shape of a COM
municat.on from the Secretary. Under the
law Col. Crofton may be retired upon his
own application by virtue of the fact that
he has served in the regular establishment
for more than thirty years. He cannot
now be forced into retirement. His retire
ment at preSe 1t must be Lurely voluntary.
If he refuses to accede to a request from
the department to apply for retirement t,
then the only recourse would be to court
martial him. 1t can be stated that at pres
ent there are no charges on file at the War
Department that would form the basis for
such n trial. December IS next Col. Croft
ton will have reached the age of sixty
two years, and then, under the law, the
President may retire him without waiting
Tor an application, even against his wish,
as was done 4. the case of Gen. Carr.
Otherwise the officer will remain In active
service until December, 1898, when, hav-
ing reached the age of sixty-four years, he
must retire without recourse.
Col. Crofton's Career.
Col. Crofton was born in Ireland Decem-
Der Is. 1884, and in 1861 ne was appointed
directly captain in the regular army, so
that he is neither volunteer officer nor a
West Pointer. His promotion was regular,
and his record of service during the war
IL
OF the Cumberland, and as a member of
Gen. Nelson's staff, he was in the thick of
the fighting at Chattanooga, and was bre-
vetted major and then lieutenant colonel
Ior gallant service there and at Shiloh.
He came to Chicago from Fit. Buford, Dak
IN January. 1891, to assume command at
r. Sheridan. and from that moment his
troubles began. owing, as his friends here
say. 10 the refractory composition of his
regiment, the fifteenth infantry.
Inere were complaints of the state Of dis
cipilne or the command, as evidenced in
the frequent quarrels among the officers
ana men, eliminating in the killing Of Capt
HedburS and the last attempt upon the life
OF the commanding colonel himself by
Lieut.. Pague. Ugly stories have been aflo1t
here as to the grounds for these events, and
there has been talk of whisky and wome IN
and other scandal, but IL this has taken
any official shape it must have been con-
cealed In the evidence taken in secret in
the court martial proceedings against Lieut.
fiSue, Wnlch Is now in the archives of the
war Department. The record in that case
has been read by Secretary Lamont and by
the President himself, as basis fer action
IN approving the recommendation of the
court-martial that the lieutenant be dis
missed from the army for the attempt upon
the life of Col. Crofton. 1t Is known that
the War Department has been much dis
satisfied with the state of affairs at Fort
Sheridan for long time. The movements
incident to the great strike last year were
used to shift around nf tho
I've disturbing elements, as it was supposed
at the post, but the result was not entirely
satisfactory, and it is assumed that The
present dissatisfaction of the department
officials has been made known to the COM
mandant at the fort, and has, perhaps,
served as the basis for this last story
May Be COurt-MnrtiaIed.
Although Secretary Lamont will not ad-
NIT that he has even intimated to Col.
Crofton that his retirement from active
service is desired, there is good reason for
the belief that such is the case. Secretary
Lamont has had the case of Col. Crofton
under consideration during the past week,
and has taken some action in regard to it,
the precise character of which is carefully
concealed. Whatever has been done is
more in the nature of a private suggestion
than an official communication, which
would have to go through the usual mill
tary channels. 1t is asserted by some Oil
GERS that if Col. Crofton does not embrace
the opportunity to retire without scandal
he will be formally tried by court-martial
with view to his dismissal from the SER