The San Francisco call., 1896-08-07
CHANGES IN THE ARMY
Colonel c. G. Sawtelle to Be Pro-
NOTED to Quartermaster-
General.
Scramble of Civilians to Secure Po.
Sitions in the PaymaSter's
Dspartm

WASHINGTON, D. c., Aug. 6.-An off
cial of the War Department stated to-day
that Secretary Lamont had selected the
officer who would be the next quartermas-
ter-general. That officer ne declared would
be Colonel C.NG. Sawtelle, chief quarter
master of the Department of the East.
The announcement of Colonel Sawtelle's
assignment Is not expected until next
week. Then, it is understood. the Secre-
tary will announce the appointment of two
officers to the com missary of subsistence
corps, an officer to the quartermaster's de-
partment and an officer to the pay depart
ment. At present there are fl We appoint
ments to be made, and it is the desire of
the Secretary to dispose of them in a
lump. The delay in making the appoint
ment Of quartermaster-genera is there
fore due to the intention of the authori-
ties to await the retirement of Major +. G.
Robinson of the pay department, which
will take place on the 18th inst.
Paymaster-General Stanton. before his
departure for the West. urged Secretary
Lamont to make an appointment to fill
the vacancy 10 be created by Major Robin
sons retirement at as early date as pos
sible, as the work of his corps demanded
all the officers that could be obtained.
The paw department is the only one
besides that of the Judge Advocate and
medical department to which civilian
can, under the law, be appointed. Con-
siderable pressure has been brought to
bear upon the President and Secretary OF
War by a number of civilian applicants,
who are desirous of securing this fat army
billet. 1t can be stated on high authority,
however, that the appointment will be
made from the army and not from civil
life. For this vacancy as many as 156 ap-
piications have been received at the War
Department
1t is expected that three officers, with
the rank of lieutenant, will be assigned to
vacancies existing in the commissary and
quartermaster's departments, and upon
such assignment they will be promoted to
the grade of captain. 1t is equally impos-
sible to state who are the fortunate officers
who will secure these billets.
Secretary Lamont is now considering
two court-martial cases of interest to the
army. One of these is that of Captain G.
g. Ayres, Tenth Cavalry, who is stationed,
with his regiment, at Fort Custer, Mont.
Captain Ayres was tried by department
court some weeks ago on charge of using
improper language toward brother off,
Ger. and was sentenced to dismissal.
partment it was reviewed by the Judge
Acknowledgement, and by that official was
transmitted to army headquarters, where
it was considered and passed upon by
Major General Miles. The latter officer
transmitted it to Secretary Lamont's Off
Ger and the Secretary is now giving it his
consideration. He will make his recon-
mendation on the matter ard the case
will be laid before the President, he alone
being empowered to dismiss an officer
or to set aside the sentence of court
martial such as has passed on Captain
Ayres' case.
The same procedure that has been fol-
lowed in Captain Ayres case has been
gone through with in the case of CAPTAIN M.
+. lamar. Fourteenth Infantry, who was
tried on charges growing out of indebted
ness at Vancouver Barracks. Captain
lamar claimed irresponslpility on the
ground, it is understood, that he was a
victim of the chloral habit. This claim
had little weight apparently, for the court
sentenced him to dismissal, and in their
Endorsements the judge-advocate-ge
and the major-geneIal commanding rec
ommend that the sentence be carried out.
Secretary Lamont has as yet taken no
action. It is expected that he will lay
this case and that of Captain Ayres before
the President next weak