The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-06

Governor Mount Expresses Some
Views on the Subject.

Views ON the Subject.
Governor Mount was somewhat displeased
yesterday when he read the Sentinel and
saw how much of a muddle that paper had
made of the appointment of surgeons. That
there is some dissatisfaction over the APP
pointments he admits, but declares that ex-
. pressions from members of the Indiana Ma
uonal Guard in complaint of the manner in
which the appointments were made are not
only unsoldierly but without reason
There were twelve appointments TO be
made" said Governor Mount. Fifteen men
came in to take the examination before the
board of examiners, composed of Captain
Wakeman, who was sent here by the War
Department. and Drs. Webster and Gott,
who were appointed by myself. The fifteen
passed the examination and their names
were submitted to me from which to select
the twelve men for the Twelve places DR..
William NJ. Wright was booked for place,
but General Mckee said he wanted DR..
Wright on his staff and left his name
out of the list of appointments and agreed
to strongly recommend him to the President
for appointment with General Mckee.
Then DR.. w. w. Barnett. who was
booked for appointment as first assistant
surgeon of the Third Regiment refused to
serve under Major Silver who was the first
surgeon and booked for reappontment.
That left DR.. Barnett out of the race. Then
there was objection raised to DR.. Hodges,
of Anderson, and he was left out. That left
but twelve men for twelve places. If any
body can find fault with me for filling the
places with the twelve men as | did he must
indeed be a hairsplitter and an unreason-
able man.
Notice how the appointments were made.
In the First Regiment the first surgeon and
his assistant were appointed. Under the
new law three surgeons are allowed instead
of two. The third place was filed by DR..
Davis. who had been chief of the hospital
corps under the brigade organization. In
the Second Regiment DIR. Charlton and his
assistant were appointed and the second
assistant was DR.. Barcus. He was the only
available man left. In the Third Regiment
Major Silver was retained and, DR.. w. w.
Barnett refusing to serve under him, G. r.
Barnett was appointed first assistant
and Dr. Garstang, of the indianapolis Light
artillery, was made second assistant. Since
then. however. DR.. Silver has resigned and
W w. Barnett mas been given his place.
DR.. Carstang could not go as surgeon in
the battery and 1t seemed right that he
should receive an appointment in the in
fantry especially wnen there was no other
applicant for the place. In the Fourth Regi-
ment Dr. Klmball declined 10 serve and
his ass istant was promoted to the office of
first surgeon with rank of major. There
were two other applicants for places. Drs.
Foxworthy and Brehler, and they We're ape
pointed.
The objections in the Second Regiment to
DIR. Barcus are ridiculous. IN. the first place
there was no other applicant for the place
who took the examination But the objec
ton is chiefly on the ground that 1t was
not proper recognition of the Indiana
National Guard to appoint a. civilian. That
is mistaken idea, as said to you yes
terday. BY the time the Indiana brigade
is mustered in one half of the soldiers will
be those drawn from the civilians. Certain
ly then one civilian is entitled to appoint
ment as surgeon.