The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-05-21

great injustice seems 70 have been
6one John A Logan. IL. II has been pub
listed all over the country that ne strutfed
at the coronation ceremonies IL Mcseow in
q borrowed uniform and wearing his
fathers medals. II vas said that the story
so angeres President Mckinley that he re-
fused. for that reason. TO appoint Mr..
Logan minister 10 Austria There are
other reasons why the appointment should
NOT have been made. but the report has
done him considerable injury.
Mr.. Logan began an investigation. and Is
70 satisfied that the story originated with
Gen. Nccook that he has addressed a
scafhfng letter to that gentleman Mr.
Logan gives a very straightforward expla-
nation. and accuses Mcccok OF wiEifully
incorporating the facts. The story told
by him is that he accompanied his mother
10 Moscow as private citizen. He desired
10 attend the grand reception, but was told
that all visitors must wear court uniforms
unless entitled to wear military uniform.
He did not care TO assume the court dress.
bur asked Minister Breckenridge IL there
was any objection to his donning his own
uniform Of q captain Of the Ohio National
Guard. II was suggested that he consult
Gen. Mccook. who said there could be no
objection. He also wore the badges of sew
eral patriotic societies Of which he was q
member. This may have been the result
of little vanity and a desire to appear
decorated. but 1t does not possess the OBJ
jecsionabie feature or claiming medals
which he had no right to wear. Gen. Nc
Cook afterward told Logan il was a mis-
take to wear the uniform. and there is no
doubt he spread the story, which was ex-
aggerated in repetition
The affair Is the worse AZ Gen. Logan
was a warm friend of the McCooks. and
young Logan refers TO many instances Of
more than friendship. For instance. he
says:
Il remember that hanging at home is
coat that my father wore in the battle or
Bull Run: II Is faded, but down the front
are dark red stains. Do you know what
those stains are? / win tell YOU They
are the life-blood of Charles McCook.
your brother. whom father aided, carry
ing from the field OF battle dying In his
arms There II a grave out in Dakota.
you know IL as well as ], Ed McCook
sleeps there. As boy in 1851 he went TO
the front an officer of the Thirty-first
Illinois volunteers. made so by the colonel,
who looked upon him as son.
II hardly need tell you that the name
Of that colonel was John A. Logan. or
that they served together for four years,
advancing together step by step. Nor Is II
necessary for me to tell you that Gen.
Grant appointed Ed McCook secretary or
the territory of Dakota at the personal
request Of the same John A. Logan"
All this would not have excused young
Logan had he been guilty of the impro-
priety charged, and II does not make any
less the questionable taste of wearing So
ciety medals on a military uniform: but
1t should have served TO prevent the Nc
Cooks taking serious notice OF a petty
fault on the part of their dead friends
son.
President Mckinley had plenty Of rea-
sons for declining TO appoint him to SO
important q position as that OF minister
TO Austria. chief among them being his
inexperience and failure TO show any ca
pacity for the office. II is a satisfaction
to know that the son OF much respected
soldier did not. at least. make q theatrical
display of that dead soldiers decorations.