The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-08-29
Gov. Leedy's Promotions In the
Twentieth Kansas
Are Those Recommended by the
Lieutenant Colonel.
MIR. DEFORD EXPLAINS
Says Little Was Prosecuted and
LibeIed
From the Time Colonel Funston
Arrived in Camp.

Inc trouble between Col Fred Fun
ston and Lieutenant Colonel Ed Little
of the Twentieth Kansas told in a spec
ial dispatch in Saturdays State Journal
occasioned much surprise in Topeka
among people who know both men as
old time friends and school mates at
the university
The news of the promotions announc-
ed by Governor Leedy had not reached
San Francisco but the fact is that the
promotions are those recommended by
Lieutenant Colonel Little.
W. A. Deford of Ottawa who recently
resigned his position as adjutant of the
Twentieth Kansas gives the following
explanation of the difficulty between
the two men:
In my judgment the statement of
Col. Funston that he can sustain charges
of INSTRUMENTATION against Lieutenant
Colonel Little for making recommenda-
tions for appointments in the Twentieth
Kansas regiment to Governor Leedy is
absolutely q untenable.
IF this recommendation had been
made to superior officer in the regi-
mental service, then there might be
some foundation on which to support
the charge. But inasmuch as the rec
concentrations were made by Lieuten-
ant Colonel Little to his friend, Cover
nor Ieedy, there certainly can be
question of INSTRUMENTATION or breach
of military etiquette. The appointments
made by Governor Leedy on recOmmen-
in every instance deserved and fit pro-
motions.
Lieutenant Green was young law
yer from Fort Scott who had had large
experience in the Kansas national
guard, and Lieut.. Afford, promoted from
second to first lieutenant, is a son of a
Republican attorney at Lawrence. He
was as deserving of his promotion as
any second lieutenant of the line Ser
geant Q. H. Ball of company K was
re-eminently deserving of the honor
that tn q a for f11ea
last two months the chief clerk of the
assistant adjutant general of the second
brigade, and since the departure of As
SlStant AdJutant General Blaine for
Manila, Ball has nOminally been second
assistant adjutant general of the sec
ond brigade. To my certain knowledge.
Gen. King has spoken as highly of his
fitness for promotion as any officer in
the army.
'It is perfectly true that there has
been trouble in the Twentieth Kansas
regiment since Col. Funston returned to
his command Dating from that day
bitter factional war has been waging.
and it has never come to the surface
hitherto, because it was thought that
the publicity of the fact that such a
fight was going on in the regiment
would annihilate the chances of the
regiment going to Manila.
''The causes for this factional dis
turbance are many. They may be
first month of the regiments encamp-
ment at San Francisco it was without
shoes, underwear or shirts, and sub
Stantialiy without any of the eOIipnent
essential to the service. The volunteer
officers in the line and regiment were
| for the most part unacQuainted with
| the administrative steps necessary to
| secure Such equipment, and the assist
| ant commissary and QuartermaSter ap-
| pointed from civil life, as well as those
| raised in higher stations from the regu-
| lar army, were almost totally unac-
! Quainted with the duties suddenly de-
| vOlving upon them. The first month of
! service was the month of equipment.
| 1t was conflict with red tape, and
| when it terminated the men were for
! the first time ready to enter heart and
| soul into the drill necessary to efficient
! organization. At this period Col Fun
| ston returned to his command. The
| months previous drill and the knowl-
edge of their duties and drill regula-
! tiOnS had brought to the company Off
| so that, with the new equipment, the
| regiment showed marked progress,
| the credit Of which was given to the
/ officer then commanding.
| Previous to the return Of Col Fun
| stOn, Lieut.. Col. Little had some diff
! culties arising out of a lack of recip-
! rocal courtesies from the officers of the
! regular army then in command, the
! fault lying alternately with one or the
| other. When Lieut.. Col. Little indulged
| in criticism of some of the officers of the
! regular army, who disagreed among
| themselves on information given on
| some point. that criticism was borne by
| L
| major to the ears of his regular army
/ confreres, on whom the criticism was
/ made; and this, though the criticism
! was of a private nature and should not
| have been repeated, for the good of the
/ regiment.
! 1T was reported to me that this same
| regular army officer attached to our
| command never hesitated to speak of
| what ne termed the incapacity of our
| regiment and line officers to the regular
/ army officers, with the result that the
| poor reputation that at first attached
| to the Twentieth was largely due to
| calumnies uttered by an enemy in our
( own camp. When Colonel Funston re-
| turned to his regiment his previous an
| tipathy to Lieutenant Colonel Little
| was famed into a flame by the same
| officer. The criticisms of Lieutenant
! Colonel Little's conduct during his com
mand of the regiment, we'll as that
| of other officers, was inspired by in
| terested motives, which will hereafter
! appear
when Colonel Funston came into
| camp, and while Little was absent he
| at once assumed command and bore
| himself toward Lieutenant Colonel Lit
| tie without giving the latter opportuni-
! ty for defense, as an enemy rather than
| as a friend, and took no pains to dis
| guise his animosity toward him. This
| was the condition of affairs when Little
| was taken sick and while he was sick,
| and at the time supposed to be at the
| point Of death. Colonel Funston launch
/ ed into brigade headquarters an apph-
| cation for q board of inquiry into Lit
| Ties physical condition, and this, too,
| without notice to Little that such pro-