Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-10-24
ANOTHER VERY WARM SHOT.

GTaf tor ". Va, October %, 1898.
TO Richard Robertson, Department
Commander of w. Va. G.. A. R.
Dear Sir:-I was surprise in reading
the Intelligencer this morning to see
that you mad gone into its columns
with incorrect statements regarding
Reno Post No. Z, G. A. R., located at
Grafton.
Had you done this as an Individual
] would not have been surprised, but
when you officially publish us as 'falsi-
fiers," "distorters of the TRUTH will
fers," and as base designers OF
schemes to mislead the members of our
order, every word of which is incorrect
and an outrage on Reno Post, you ex-
coed your authority and jurisdiction.
You say there are warning factions
In Reno Post 1t is positively NOT
true. One member of Reno Post hold
ing postofIice In Preston county, who
never visits his post, who has not been
In it for several years, and who takes
no interest in it's affairs, turns his back
on his comrades and, for the sake of
the man who gave him the postoffice,
makes just such false statements q
one of the Board Of Pension Examin
ers, who accompanied Dayton to the
pension Office when Vankirk was ap-
pointed, and who then made a speech
TO j. L. Davenport, the first deputy
commissioner of pensions, in behalf of
DR.. Vankirk, it Is natural to suppose
would do the same, and If he does they
are the only two members who would
or could raise their voice against the
resolution, and neither of them have
been in post meeting for years, ex-
cept when DR.. Thayer attended two or
three meetings. when the post undertook
to discipline him. Your letter shows
that you know nothing of our affairs,
Or, If you do, you entirely disregard
such knowledge. 1t also shows what
many of us believe, that your interest
in the G. A. R. is open to criticism.
You say that "condemnatory resolu-
tons were adopted by one faction of the
post only to be rescinded by another"
You, as department commander, have
no right to say Reno Post made a "das-
tardly attempt" in a spirit of spite"
There has never been a spirit of spite
in Reno Post. Our meetings are har-
monious, and your efforts to gain
political preference by abusing Reno
Post and trying to drag us into poll
tics will avail you nothing.
We believe that the course pursued
by Dayton worked great injustice and
hardship to many Of our most deserv-
ing comrades, and we, as ex-Union sol
diers, feel it our duty to use every
honorable means to prevent Mr.. Dayton
from being placed in a position where
he can continue to pursue the soldiers
as he has In the past.
1t is self-defense and not spite. and
you know it. Adam Grow. first lieuten-
ant company B, Sixth West Virginia
infantry became helpless from rheuma-
tism, and in the course of time became
blind. His hands were drawn up so
he could not use them. He was per-
fectly helpless and blind when taken
before the examining board and ex-
amined by Dr. Vankirk, who is now
On the Board of Examiners as Day.
toms appointee, and others who are
not now on the board. L1ut Grow
was a Christian above reproach. He
could go to any convention and return
without disparaging word from any
one 1t never became necessary for
any person to make an active fight to
keep down scandals against him. His
conduct at home and abroad was al
ways pure. No member of any society,
church or order were ever embarrassed
or had to blush for any action of his.
Grow, blind and helpless, was taken
before the Grafton Board OF Pension
Examiners, and their report brought