The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-05-13


Lieutenant CoIoneI-Ofer Came
by Wire From Washington, and
Was at Once Accepted.
r. B. c. Bement, president of the
board of water commissioners, of st.
Paul. and an engineer of national repu-
tation. will be appointed chief of en-
sineers on the staff of Maj. Gen. Wes-
lev Merritt with the rank of lieutenant
colonel.
The appointment was rendered to Mr..
Bement yesterday by Maj. Gen. Merritt.
He accepted the proffered honor.
The appointment, or rather the offer
of il. was not exactly in the nature of
"a surprise to Mr.. Bement, though his
Intimate friends knew nothing CT 1t.
Nor did they know that Mr. Bemeht
had rendered his services to the gov
arnor of the state when troops were
first called for Gov. Clough was too
lusily engaged in placing his appoint
ments where they would do the most
good politically to accept the services
of an engineer of such ability and
Soldier Of such experience as Mr.. Be
hnent, and his offer of service was not
accepted.
Gen. Merritt has been a very close
friend of Mr. Dement'S for many years,
and there was always a close social
connection between the military house
hold of the major general when he was
in command of the department of the
Dakotas, and Mr.. Dement'S family.
1t will be remembered that Lieut.. Stur-
fln
some wears. married the daughter of
Mr.. Bement. Maj. Gen. Merritt has
been aware for some time that Mr..
Bement was DESTROYS of putting him
self at the service Of the government,
in case of hostilities. and yesterday he
found the opportunity to offer the st.
Paul man a place that would be COM
mensurate with his qualifications.
When it was decided-and it was de-
cided though not yet officially an
nounced-that Maj. Gen. Merritt was
TO command the expedition to the Phil
ippines. he had conference with the
president, and the result was the send
ing of a telegram to Mr.. Bement-
which he declined to give copy Of
in which he was asked if he would &C
C6Dl lllS pbSlNlOlI VI NlllCL VI
n on the staff of the major general in the
expedition which the latter would
command to the Philippines. The in
formation was added that the major
general had seen the president and
that the executive had said he would
make the appointment. Mr.. Bement
was desired to indicate his acceptance
by wire TO the major general at Wash
ington last night.
Mr.. Bement wired accepting the ap-
pointment, and it will be made in due
time.
When Mr.. Bement was seen at mis-
residence last evening he was receiving
the congratulations of a number of
friends. He said to the reporter that
he had been rendered the appointment
and that he telegraphed Maj Gen. Mer-
rift that he would accept. The matter
was still unofficial and he did not care
to discuss it any further.
Chiefs on the staff Of a major general
have rank fixed by statute and the
chief of engineers wears the rank of a
lieutenant colonel
Mr. Bement did not know when the
expedition would be ready to start or
when Maj Gen. Merritt would leave,
but in case the appointment was made
he would be ready. He was obviously
Gratified at the opportunity that had
been afforded him of entering the serv-
ice of the country and there will be a
good deal of regretfui surprise when it
becomes known that so we'll equipped
a man might have been appointed to a
and was not so appointed.
1t will not be the first time that Mr..
Bement has worn shoulder straps when
he dons them this time. He was a
chief of staff with Maj. Gen. Rogers in
the national guard of the state of New
York, and a petty officer in the line
of the Sixth Separate company, of
Troy, a crack organization of the EN-
pire state.
Mr.. Bement has not been identified
with the militia or other military or
ganiZatiOn since coming to the North
west. He is quite as we'll known as
any individual in St. Paul in business
and social life. His administration of
the affairs OF the water board has
ADDED to his reputation for knowledge
of his profession a g we'll as for business
ability. His stand taken in the mat
ter of the -partisanship of the ad-
minisration of the affairs of the board
brought him very recently strongly be-
fore the public.
Socially Mr. Bement has hosts Of
friends and his home at 81 Summit
court is one of the most hospitabe
among the houses that have been open
to St Paul society.
OTHER STAFF APPOINTMENTS.
Among the men who get promotions
and staff appointments in the regular
army by the nominations sent to the
serate yesterday, there are four who
are very we'll known in st. Paul from
their connection with the Third infan-
try, u. S. A.
Capt. Philip Reade is gazetted inspec-
tor general with the rank of major
Lieut.. F. ?. Fremont is made assis an;
adjutant general with the rank of cap.
tain; Lieut.. J. H. Beacon is given the
same staff appointment and the same
rank, and Lieut.. Omar NJ. Bundy is
made commissary Of subsistence witt
the rank of captain.
Capt. Reade is the best known o.
the four in st. Paul. He was popular
socially, and his home at the fort wa:
noted for its well-bred hospitality. H,
was a member Of the Sons of the Amer
lean Revolution, and came of we'll
known fighting stock. His papers a
meetings of the society were Away
features. He was at the fort Sunda.
on his way to Milwaukee. where h
was to establish a recruiting rendez
vous. MIS-. Reade Is still at Fort Smell
ing.
Lieut.. Fremont was very close t,
the top of the list of lieutenants AM
his Pre- emotion could not have bee,
long delayed. He Is the son of Gen