Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1896-01-29
ASKS CROFTON TO RESIGN.
President Says There is Lack of
Discipline at Fort Sheri-
dan, Ill.

Chicago, ILL.,, Jan. 24-An autograph
letter has been sent to Col. r. e. \.
Crofton, U. S. A, commander at Fort
Sheridan, ILL.,, from Secretary Lamont
requesting him to apply for retirement
on the ground that the many scandals
in his regiment have indicated lack Of
discipline. The President is very much
aggrieved and would be gratifed if Col.
Crofton would retire.
Col. Crofton has decided to refuse to
retire, basing his refusal, it is stated. on
the friendship of his nephew, Mr.. Du-
pont of Delaware, who claims the cleo
ton of United States senator from that
state and who expects to be shortly seat
ed by the Senate. This, it is thought,
will give him enough influence to main
tain his position.
IA few months ago Lieut.. Pague shot at
and narrowly missed killing Col. Crofton
llclty to number of scandals that had
not previously been mentioned above a
whisper At the close of the Pague court
martial many persons thought that the
lieutenant would be eXonerated and the
colonel asked to resign; but the lieutenant
was adjudged to have been insane at the
time of his assault on Col. CroftOn and was
not punished. Lieut.. Pague has since
tired from the SERVICE.
Washington, D. c., Jan. 25.-Secre-
tary Lamont and the officers of the war
department who are in position to
know if any steps have been taken in
the case Of Col. Crofton of the Fifteenth
infantry, stationed at Fort Sheridan,
still refuse to discuss the mater. 1t is,
however, regarded here as very improb-
able that the secretary himself has adj
dressed Il letter to the colonel inviting
TO
movement has been made in this direc-
ton it probably has been through third
party and not directly in the shape Of
a communication from the secretary.
While under the law CrOftOn may re-
tire by virtue of the fact that he has
served in the regular establishment for
more than thirty years, he cannot now be
compelled to apply for retirement and his
action must be voluntary. If he refuses
to accede to a request from the depart
ment to make such an application, then
the only manner in which Col. CrOfton
could be relieved from active service
would be to court-martial him. and it
can be stated that at present there are
no charges on file at the war department
that would form the basis for such a
trial. The secretary of war, of course,
could change his detail and order him
away from Fort Sheridan to any duty
consistent with Col. Crofton's rank.
have reached the age of 81 years and
then, under the law, the President may
retire him without waiting for an appli-
cation, as was done in the case of Gen.
Carr. Otherwise the officer could remain
in active service until December, 1898,
when, having reached the age of 81
years, his retirement would be absolute
ly compulsory.
Col. Crofton was born in Ireland, De-
cember Is, 1884, and he was appointed
in 1871 directly q captain in the regular
army, SO that he is neither a volunteer
officer nor West Pointer. His promo
! ton was regular and his record of serv-
ice during the war was creditable, he dis
playing conspicuous gallantry at Chat
tanoOga and Shiloh. His troubles began
when he assumed command at Fort
Sheridan in 1891, and his friends here
assert in his defense that they are due
to the refractory composition of his regi-
ment, the Fifteenth infantry. There
were complaints of the state of dis
cipline of the command as evidenced in
the frequent quarrels among the officers
and men, eliminating in the killing of
Capt. Hedburg ami the late attempt up
on the life of the commanding colonel
himself. Ugly stories have been atloat
here as to the grounds for these events
and there has been talk of whisky and
women and other scandal, but if this has
taken any official shape it must have
secret in the court-martial proceedings
against Lieut.. Pague, which evidence is
now in the archives Of the war depart
ment and has been read by Secretary
Lamont and, it is said, by the President
himself as a basis for action in approx
ing the recommendation of the court.
martial that the lieutenant be dismissed
from the army for the attempt upon the
life of his superior officer, Col. Crofton
1t is known that the war department
has been much dissatisfied with the state
of affairs at Fort Sheridan. The move
ments incident to the great strike last
year were used TO shift around some of
the more active disturbing elements, as
it was supposed, at the post, but the re-
suit was not entirely satisfactory and it
is assumed that the dissatisfaction of the
department officials has been made
known to the commandment at the fort
and perhaps has served as the basis for
the report of a request that Col. Crofton
retire.
NO OBJECTION TO LYNCHING.