The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-04
WHY GEN. SHARPE RETIR ES.
A stalwnrt View York Rrpubiican-Hn Public
LLre Since the war Broke Out.


A Washington despatch to n SUN. printed
yesterday morning, stated that Gen. George II.
Sharpe of Kingston was about TO retire from
the Board of United States General Appraisers,
and that Walter 8. Chance of Canton, o.. now
Supervising Special Treasury Agent and a per.
sonal friend Of President Mckinley, is slated
as Gen. Sharpes successor. This was the first
intimation that any Of Gen. Sharpe's New York
friends had that he intended to retire to private
life. He said yesterday to a reporter of THE
SUN:
ITO my friends 1t is well known that 1 have
recently suffered a great affliction, which has
left me only with a desire to set out OF public
office and spend the rest Of my days in retire
ment. My resignation has not yet been handed
in. and will not be until such time as l deem
proper. The man spoken of in your despatch
as my successor I know very well. lilo has been
a special Treasury agent for some years. and
more recently he has been stationed at Wash
ington as tho supervisor of the work of all the
Treasury agents.
The Board OF United States General Apprais.
ers was constituted by an act of Congress passed
in the spring of 1890. By the provisions OF the
behavior; The salary. is $1,000 a year; Tie
board. which was appointed by President Harri-
Chicago, President; George II sharpe. King.
ston; George T, Tichenor, Washington. D.. G.;
Jewell, New York: Ferdinand \. Shurtieif.
Portland. Or; Joseph 3. Wilkinson, Jr.. New
Orleans; Ihaddcus >. SnarrettS, baltimore and
Wilbur F. Lunt, Portland. Me. James r. Lake
OF st. Louis IL the chief CLERK. Gen. Shnrpe has
served since his appointment on the sub.l3oard
OF Classification. consi cred the most important
subdivision Of the whole board.
For nearly half n century there have been few
better known republicans in Now York State
than George Henry Sharpe. He was born In
Kingston Oh Feb. %. 1928. was graduated from
Rutgers College In 1877, studied at the Yale
1854. lie practiced his procession until he
entered the Union army in 1881 rs n Captain In
the Twentieth New York Infantry. In 1862
no was commissioned Colonel Of tho 12oth New
York Infantry, and participated in all the
battles OF the Army of the Potomac. He served
on the STATS of Gems. Grant, Hooker. and Meade.
and was breyetted BriGadier-General IA 1864
and Major.General in 1865.
One OF the greatest works Of Gen. Sharpe dur
ing the war was the organization and perfec-
ton OF the Secret Service Corps of the army.
He brought the corps to u point OF great eiti-
In 1857 Gen. Sharpe was the special agent of
the state Department. In Europe: From 1870 to
1878 he was United States Marshal for The
Southern District OF New York. In 1873 he was
appointed Surveyor Of the Port, and he served
until 1873. From 1879 to 1858 he was a MEM
Der OF the Assembly from Kingston. and in 1880
and 1881 he was Speaker. When the Repub-
lican party was divided between Stalwarts and
HAlf.Breeas Gen. Sharpe was counted among
tho Stalwarts, and no was u warm friend Of
Roscoe ConklinE and Chester A. Arthur.
Tho great a%ffliction 10 which Gen. Sharpe re.
ferred was the death Of his wife, which occurred
at Kingston q little more than two weeks ago.
He has ono daughter. who married the son of
the Hon. Ira Davenport of Bath. and two sons,
ono of whom is a MAJOR in the regular army
and the other q County Judge OF Ulster county.