The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-10-16
Very Pew Discharges Secured bv
Red Tape Methods.
FORGED LETTER ABOUT COL. MARRY
Unjust md RidicuIous Charges Made
Against Him-The Wen Deny
signing It-Notes.

has about alb ted and only ore or two men
have been ordered discharged during the
past few days. Until recently have Deen
allowed to see some OF the papers going
through the a. tutants office OF the First
Texas regiment. | haveNyet TO find the nrst
discharge that went though the regular
military chalmers by mail and came pack
the same way. No man. so far as ] have
been able TO iearn. tD the reg 'ment mas Sc
cured q discharge except through outside
and In most cases strong poi Ieal influence.
OF example The dozen men aeely ordered
cisonarsed from company A nleG apIrica-
lions IN the proper form, giving various
reasons. some perhaps not unfairly SUI
hcaent. The discharges were not grained
Oh these Applications SO lar as 1 have Deon
abe TO iea4n, ana only wnen Congressman
ban personally secured tue promise OF rne
auJuuAnt geueral's Office in Washington
uaat the men would DO discharged. Asss.-
amt AuJutant Gene,al Wara wllea the COM
manditg ot.cer OF the reglmeGt Laal the
men named in the telegram would be dis
charged upon receipt OF their Applications
TIN ough mIitiry channels" The cap ain
OF the company caused TO be maize out ahd
iDdoIsed his approval upon new set OF
app..cations for discharge, and forwarded
the papels Through military channels.
Some were approved before, some weGt up
drsapproyed. A few days later the dis
cha ges, with travel pay, were ordered by
wire from Washington, and the men lost
no time in getting up final statements and
going home.
Speaking OF applications for discharges,
the colonel. several days ago, pointed to a
pile of papers accumulate4 on his desk,
and informed me that he was holding and
investigating the truthfulness OF various
reasons given by applicants TO get out OF
the army, SO many widowed mothers" he
said Il never heard tell OF before" And
so many men who were the sole support
of families, ETC." He said he investigated
every one, sometimes the captains and
other times by writing or making i'll
qnlries direct. DurIng this period the
paper work of the regiment had increased
to proportions not reached before, Lieu
tenant Duvol West, the able and efficient
adjutant, having become ILL.,, secured
leave of absence. He soon after res gned
and his resignation was accepted. His rea-
sons, ] understand, were i'll health and
itgt the work was too heavy for the sal
airy attached. BY dnt or much labor ven
ture TO state from experience, Lieutenant
West kept up with the work Of the off zee.
Both he aud his clerk (now promoted to
lteutenancy) left the adjutant's office. More
work came in. and new adjutant and
other clerks. This was the condition when
arrived about the Goth of September.
Since that time an adjutant has been APP
pointed by the governor and is now wrest-
ling with the office. The two clerks in the
office are busy night and day and the
business Is now moving along more
smoothly
Along about the 9th Of last month Major
scurIy was placed IN command OF the regi-
ment by the brigade command falling upon
Colonel Mabry. Major Scurry is a man who
doesn't like to have anything hang fire.
Tho adIutant gathered up the stuff and
the major made an attack or the pile of
accumulated papers in the colonels tent.
Some dated as far back as the LIST instant,
/ am told. Clerks were busy, pens scratch
ed, The dry waned and drifted into night
and stu clerks were busy. Candles were
resorted to and night was creeping near
tn ioInl whel began another day before
the major sbated his attack The day
Owned again, as usual, but the rising sun
iauta 10 nnu he PIE OF papers. They were
gone, gone forward, either approved or dis
approved, but they were Soae
In this connection | wish to say how
Major scurry is regarded in the regiment.
Ever kind and consderate quiet unassum-
Ing, not particle OF buster or assumed
dlgnty about him. almost a model for
Southern gentleman and a soldier, he is,
hrnlly believe, one of the most popular off,
GERS IN the First Texas inflnrry His mill
tary record is neither short one nor one
10 be compared with any other militia off,
Ger OF my acquaintance. As captain of the
old Houston Light Guard, Major Scurry's
reputation needs no exploiting He was
successtul beyond ordinary men as SOL
d1er. He was a successful business man be-
FORE voiunt erlng to serve the country in
time OF actual war. He has been more than
SUCCESSFUL az an army officer.
Colonel Mabry today received letter
from the governor referring to the colonel
letter written by a soldier to Governor
cu'berson criticising the conduct OF affairs
In the regiment. The communication was
signed in typewriter with the name of near
~ every man in the regiment The Pos,
correspondent was unable to get copy,
Colonel Maory stating that, being a forgery
and a alsehood. he did not consider il
proper Tor publication. Tie men, when
called on stated that they signed no such.
paper Some OF them volunteefei the state
ment that they would not sign such a paper.
from all can learn the men were asked
how many wanted 10 go home and gave
Their names 10 somebody now strangely
unknown. 1t would appear that tae un-
known petitioner wrote the caustic letter
and signed In typewriter all the names.
some OF the names are those of men dead
or d,seha. gei. Some whose names appear
are on the warpath for the writer OF the
letter, The letter charged among other
things, am told that the colonel sun
pressed applications for discharges and was
doing everything in his power u retain the
regiment N the service against the wishes
OF tes enlisted men. II purported to be an
answer to RE governors question whether
the men desired TO be mustered out or stay
IN. Also that It was useless 10 file appli.
cations for discharge for only those hayiny
political influence behind them would he
approved and the deserving cases would
fare no better than the rest
The officers have the matter in hand and
II the petition maker Is caught his chances
viii be gooi for court martial. The officers
Of companies tonight are wiring the gov
erner that the petition is false and A for.
gerry.
The uniform Kindness and courtesy or.
hihited st corps headquarters when callea
has Impressed me as something out of the
! ordinary. Hay ng been aip,osf ora..., III