davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times., 1899-03-28
GENERAL MILLER RETIRED.
Speculation Over the Probable Sue
cessOr to His Rank.

The successor to the title and rank held
by Brig. Gen. Marcus P. Miller. who was
retired yesterday, having reached the age
limit, will be chosen by the President.
The officer next in rank is Col. Thomas
NJ. Anderson. recently ordered home from
Manila, who was a brigadier general in
the Volunteer Army. Army officers be-
lieve he will be chosen. Others say the
choice will be Col. Edwin V. Sumner, who
was also a brigadier general in the Vol
unteer Army. 1t may be that General
Miller's successor will not be determined
until the return Of Secretary Alger from
Cuba. The President may. however, have
consulted the Secretary before he went
away.
Col. Edwin V. Sumner is a native OF
Pennsylvania and West Point graduate.
He was made second lieutenant of the
First Cavalry August 5. 1851. first lieuten-
ant November u, 1851. captain September
90, 1853 and was honorably mustered out
August 10, 1868. He became colonel of
the First New York Mounted Rifles Sep
tember s. 1864. and brigadier general of
volunteers March IS. 1865. The next day
he was mustered cut. He was made ma
jor Of the Fifth Cavalry March I. 1879.
lieutenant colonel of the Eighth Cavalry
April 10, 1890, colonel OF the Seventh Cav
airy November 10, 1894 and brigadier gen.
eral of volunteers May 27, 1898.
Col. Thomas ". Anderson entered the
service as private in Company A. Sixth
Ohio Infantry April 90 1861. He was pro-
NOTED April 20 1861. to lieutenant OF the
Fifth Cavalry. He was made captain of
the Twelfth Infantry May II. 1861: was
transferred to the Twenty-frst Infantry
September q, 1866; was advanced TO major
March 26. 1858; unassigned March 10. 1862
assigned to the Tenth Infantry June "a.
1863; lieutenant colonel Ninth Infantry,
March 20. 1879; became colonel of the
Fourteenth Infantry September 6. 1886;
.brigadier general of volunteers May 1.
1898. and major general of volunteers Au-
gust IS, 1898.
General Miller turned over his command
at Iioilo yesterday TO his next in COM
mand, Col. David d. Van Valzah of the
Eighteenth Infantry, who viii be in COM
mand until the arrival at Iloilo OF Brig.
Gen. Robert p Hughes. now at Manila,
where he was provost marshal and General
Otis chief of staff
The times., 1899-03-28
TUESDAY. MARCH 2S, 1888.
The Chief Scandal.

The Court of Enquiry is back to its start
ing point, but loaded with evidence which
it is impossible the negative testimony
of subsistence officers can refute There
is no intimation that among the witnesses
10 be called are any who can convict of
conspiracy and perjury, or even OF igno-
rance. the many persons who have sworn
to the bad and injurious character of the
beef bought for the Army through the Of
fee and sometimes through the direct per-
sonal agency of Eagan. There is no rumor
of the calling of anybody who is disinter-
ested TO establish the honest quality of the
meat that should have been inspected by
officers of the Government. But among
the coming witnesses is said to be Eagan.
who has been recalled from his pleasure
trip to Hawaii 10 meet the accusation of
q commissary purchasing agent at Chicago
that he bought large quantities of beef
contrary to the regulations without the in
teryention of the purchasing agent. Per-
haps. too. he may be allowed to testify
concerning the error that crept into con-
tract by reason of which the Government
VIII pay Swift d Co. for large cargo of
The Board of Enquiry occupies quarters
in the same building where the Alger Re-
lief Commission prepared its whitewash,
and people instinctively recall the shame
fuI record OF that body. 1t was in its
power to gather the facts that are now
in possession OF the Court 1t was its duty
TO receive these facts and use them as
the basis of its findings. The members had
been chosen by the President TO reach
verdict that would make clear the duty
OF the Administration in order to do
justice in the matter and save itself from
popular censure. Yet the Commissioners
who dominated the Board made ii their
supreme purpose to shield the packers.
however appalling a crime they might
have committed, regardless of the interests
OF the Government. the record of the Ad-
ministration or the suffering of our SOL
diers. Without an exception this is the most
hurniliating incident of the whole scandal.
1t is shocking that wealthy men should
rob the Government and poison its SOL
diers for gain; it is infuriating that the
agents Of the Government should be so
incompetent corrupt, or Indifferent as TO
permit the crime, but the country was bet
ter prepared TO believe such things possi-
bic than that Commission whose mem
bers we're chosen by the President for a
serious duty should consider the defence of
the accused as the first and superlative ne
cessity. What trust can the people place in
such tribunals after such an experience?
The Alger Relief Commission did more TO
destroy confidence in public men than
those who were the perpetrators of the
crime. The chief scandal is. indeed. the re-
port of that Commission. Evidently the
President realized this when he failed to
accept it as final
The times., 1899-03-28
TREBLEs ITS CAPITAL.
The American Telephone and TeIe
graph COmpany's Lnst Move.

New York, March 27.-The American
Telephone and Telegraph Company of this
city, which operates the long distance
branch of the Bell telephone business. filed
with the Secretary of State at Albany today
certificate showing an increase of It's cap
ital from 81, 900, 900 to $75, 600, OOO The
shares of the company have par value
of 800 each. The amount of the company s
capital actually paid in is s23, 800. 900. 1t
has been several times rumored that the
American Telephone and Telegraph Com
pany was to be utilized by the Bell tele-
phone interests to effect a consolidation of
the various Bell companies and Wall Street
was inclined to the view today that the
increase of capital had something TO do
with this scheme. Ii has also been report
ed that the Bell telephone interests con-
sidered the Massachusetts, corporation law
too stringent and proposed by utilizing the
American company to reOrganize under the
laws of this State, and that the telephone
headquarters would be removed to this
city from Boston. No confirmation of
these reports was TO be obtained at the
Office of the American Telephone and Tele-
graph Company, where it was said that
the capital had been increased because the
company's business was increasing and
wanted more capital.
The times., 1899-03-28
Soldiers and Citizens.

The patriot American at home, living in
comparative security and comfort. cannot
withhold from our soldiers in the Phil
ippines the admiration which heroic deeds
inspire and the gratitude which is the due
of those who offer their lives to uphold
aud enforce the rightful authority of the
Government. II is easy to imagine the
scenes that were enacted in the remote
islands, under a tropical sun, while the
people at home were at their churches or
enjoying a restful day. The heat OF this
season in the Philippines is severe, and to
men reared in northern climes especially
trying. Yet the inspiration of patriotism
and noble rage against the peryerse, de-
luded. and barbarous natives, sustains our
sons in circumstances the most terrible as
they struggle over every foot of the miles
that lay between them and their goal
They are fighting foe that in courage
and tenacity is worthy to fight for a bet
ter cause. However ignorant indolent,
thriftless, and unciyilized the FiIipinos
may be, they are in a position where they
believe their best chance of escaping death
is to fight A coward is formidable en-
envy when he is cornered and compelled
to struggle for his life; and when men
who are not towards are in such situa-
tion it is necessary to kill them to win
victory. These unhappy people are
firmly convinced that defeat or surrender
means a cruel death; that if they fall into
| American hands, torture is their fate; that
| If they retreat before that is necessary
to escape capture, death under the orders
of Aguinaldo is sure. Many of them are
! as well armed as our own troops before
Santiago or even better. Their only weak
ness is inability TO shoot well. although
they have their sharpshooters who do fattl
work. On the whole, they are not a con-
temptible foe, and a victory won from
them is not without glory. II their ground
looks. after conflict, like a shambles, it
is only because of their desperate courage
and the superior craftsmanship of the
Americans. If our own soldiers suffer
fewer fatal wounds, it is partly because
they are, in spite OF the influence of an
unaecustomed climate, physically superb,
the flower of American manhood. Wounds
that would be mortal to a Filipino do not
always kill our own men
While our sons in the remote islands
Of the Pacific are displaying a gallantry
that receives the enthusiastic praises of
all the world, on the people at home de-
wolves the duty of giving moral support
to the cause for which they are struggling
and often dying, and OF preparing to fulfill
the high mission in recognition of which
these sons have given up the blessings OF
home and peace. Not a drop of Ameri-
can blood has been shed for an unworthy
motive nor has single life of a Filipino
been taken in wantonness. Although the
natives of the Philippines have conspired
to massacre innocent on-eombatants, the
women and children Of, the Americans, and
have applied the torch to Manila, even
those who were captured red handed have
been treated with kindness and Ieniency
almost without a parallel in the history
of wars. That every prisoner fully ex-
The times., 1899-03-28
A PREACHER IN POLITICS.
Vile Corruption In the California
Senatorial Contest

San Francisco, March 27.-Sensational
charges against members of the Legisla-
ture and other politicians who worked in
the interest of Daniel NJ. Burns for United
States Senator during the recent long fight
in the JOINT legislative session were made
today in a public address before the Pres
byterian Union by Rev. W. Barton Parry
chaplain OF the Assembly. He suppressed
the names, but he said he could furnish
names, facts, dates, and witnesses who
would give full legal proof of everything
he said. He said he considered 1t his duty
to expose the corruption that he witnessed
in order that it might be checked at the
next session, and he promised that two
years hence he would journey up and
down the State to arouse public sentiment
against the prostitution of the States
honor by gamblers, racetrack touts. and
other disreputable people who had free en-
tree to the legislative halls and openly
worked for prominent candidates. He
mentioned the case of an honorable old
soldier who was brought one day into
the joint session and induced to vote for
Burns. He had been made drunk by some
of Burns workers, taken 10 a disreputable
house, and there pledged TO Burns. An
other country member was made drunk
and when he awoke found he was in a
disreputable house with a strange woman.
He was threatened if he did not vote for
Burns that his wife would be warned of
his misdeeds. He fatty refused and an
anonymous letter was sent to the wife She
hastened TO Sacramento. when her husband
made a full confession and she forgave
him. other instances of a similar char
acter were mentioned, as well as the no
torious fact of attempts TO bribe Grant,
Barnes. and Scott to retire from the con-
test. The address created a profound i'm
preston, but the union took no action
On
The times., 1899-03-28
THE CITY PoSTMAsTERSHIP.
Civil service Commissioned John Il.
Harlow nm Applicant.

II is believed that President Mckinley
will announce the name of the successor to
James =. Willett as postmaster of Wash
ington, within few days. There is much
speculation among the residents OF the city
as to whom the position will be given. and
the name OF the new postmaster is watched
for with considerable interest. There seems
to be but little choice among the candi-
dates by the public in general provided tn =
President selects a local applicant. Mr.
Mckinley has expressed his intention of
selecting postmaster who shall possess
the requisite qualifications and executive
ability necessary for the proper conduct of
the office, and has said that if the local
candidates do not meet with the require
ments of the position he will make his Sc
lection irrespective of the wishes of the
people of the city.
The latest person 10 be named is. John B.
Harlow of st. Louis, at present member
of the Civil Service Commission. Mr.. Har-
low has never made a formal application
for the position, but it is understood that
his appointment has been strongly urged
on account of his ability TO meet the re-
quirements of the important office. Mr.
Harlow first entered the postal seryi e
when he was mustered out of the army
after the termination of the Civil War, and
time. He is familiar with every branch OF
the business. For number of years he
was postmaster of st. Louis Upon the
expiration of his term. in 1894, Mr.. HARLOW
moved to Washington. He was appointed
Il member of the Civil Service Commission
by President Mckinley in recognition OF
his political work during the campaign of
1896
The rumor regarding Mr.. Harlow's ap-
pontment cannot be verified, of course.
until the President returns this afternoon.
II is known. however. that the matter of
the Washington postmastership has never
been officially considered by President Nc
Kinley and Postmaster General Smith, and
this leads the local candidates TO doubt its
authenticity. Consequently the applicants
for the position are preparing to make a
vigorous fight for the appointment when
the President returns. Louis ID. Wine is
said to have the strongest endorsement of
the local candidates. and his friends still
hope that he will secure the position.
Others in the race are DIR. Henderson. Mr..
Greenlees. and Major Anderson. cashier of
the city postoffee, all OF whom are more or
less probable winners.
The times., 1899-03-28
PASSING ON REAR ApM1RA1s.
invesfisntion of the Qualifications
of Promoted Onicerx

The special Admiralty Board appointed
to pass upon the mental. moral. and pro-
fessional qualifications of the eighteen Of
hcers appointed to the rank of rear admi-
raj held its preliminary session in the
Navy Examining Board room yesterday
The Admiralty Board is presided over by
Rear Admiral McNsir The other members
OF the board are Rear Admirals Howison
and Howell
The names before the board are George
c. Remey, Norman H. Farquhar. John c.
Watson. Henry b. Robeson, Winfield S
Schiey. Silas Casey. William T. Sampson
Bartlett J. Cromwell John w Philip
Francis ]. Higginson. Henry F. Picking
Frederick Rodgers. Louis Kempff George
w. Sumner. The last three are captains.
The mental. moral. and professional ex-
aminations do not require the presence OF
the candidates. as they are based on the
records of the Navy Department and the
personal knowledge OF the examiners. The
examination of the candidates for promo
tion might have been concluded yesterday
but for the fact that certain records had
not been got out by the clerks. Some of
these records referred to Rear Admiral
Schley. but 1t was stated that there was
no significance in this. Today. it is thought,
the report recommending all the promo
tions will be made
In the case of Captain Sumner there are
some slight specks on the record which
have been carefully considered by the
board, and as they have been condoned by
the continuation in the service OF the CT
fender. it is not expected that the captain
will fail to pass. The records show that
a pilot ran the cruiser Columbia on to the
Buikhead Shoals, in Delaware River. 4
court OF enquiry found that the captain
was not on the bridge and the ship was
not slowed up. as the regulations demand
AS the board did not make any recommen-
dations the matter was allowed to end with
the report
The Columbia got the captain into an
other kettle of fish. He let the dry doch
men at Southampton dock the cruiser
without giving the matter personal atten-
! tion. The result was that the Columbia
was placed in such a position that heI
weight did not rest evenly on all the
blocking and she was strained and hazard
ed. The court-martial found the captain
guilty of violating new regulation. that
provided that ne should personally super
intend the docking of his ship. II was the
first violation of the rule and the verdict
was only six months suspension. This
was not carried into full effect. and so the
captain has a good chance OF kind treat
! ment.
In the examinations of captains, COM
manders, lieutenant commanders, lieuteI-
ants, junior lieutenants, and ensigns the
board has reached the morality feature
There are said 10 be a few lieutenants who
! have had lapses now and then from strict
sobriety and have otherwise diverged from
the line. These are being left until the
last. when they will be threshed out in
| bulk.
The times., 1899-03-28
lIr Mckinley in lHNn.

(From the Philadelphia North Amcrican.)
He is the logical candidate Of the Republicans.
No national leader rivals him in his claim to the
honor; and. indeed. as he stands for certain is
sues which the party has adopted. and which are
vet pending, there can he no other name serious
ly considered for the office. Moreover. he has the
confidence OF the people and Of the headers OF
the party. and To withhold from him the renomi-
nation which he has earned would be to open the
doors to several rival claimants, whose contests
for the nomination might result in serious harm
to the unity and harmony of the organization.
As to the nominee for Vice President Mr. Ho-
hart has filed that Office well. and there is no
apparent reason for change now: but the exi-
rencies Of politics may make evident the desira-
bility Of nominating another man one year hence.
in which event real difficulty ought to be en-
countered in reaching decision satisfactory to
all.
The times., 1899-03-28
THE zELTNERs RESTING EASY.
They Do Not Expect to Suffer Death
for Their Crimes

Toledo, Ohio. March 27-PauI and John
Zeltner. locked in the Wood county Jail,
at Bowling Green, on the charge of mur-
dering Attorney Westenhaver and Clar.
ence Wettemeyer. do not appear TO be wor-
ried over their situation. The men are
safe at Bowling Green, as far as lynehing
is concerned but If Sheriff Kingsbury has
the least suspicion that their lives are en-
dangered he will run the men into the Jail
in this city. Arrangements have been
made for carrying out such a plan.
The Zeltners are stolid and refuse to
talk about their case 10 the hundreds of
callers at the jail. To friends they did
say that they did not expect to suffer
death for their part in the affray. They
advance the argument that Wittemeyer met
death while trespassing on their premises
They contend that they were justified in
killing him because he was attempting to
forcibly enter their house without proper
legal authority. Their defense in the
Westenhayer shooting. it is said, will be
that while Westenhaver was their attor-
ney he betrayed them or sold them out.
The Zeltners are typical German farm
ers of the lower class. They are short in
stature, poorly educated, and u good type
OF degenerates From all that can be
learned of them they are fiends when
aroused, and their tempers are uncontroll-
able. They have lived in their present
location for about three years. having few
friends or intimate acquaintance. pre-
ferring 10 live apart from the world. Con-
stant neighborhood quarrels with numer-
Gus lawsuits over petty difficulties have
given them a harsh opinion of the world.
and they have come to the conclusion that
every hand in the community was raised
against them. Mrs. John Zeltner seems
to be of higher order of intelligence than
her husband or his brother. She states
that her husband compelled her to work in
the fields because few farm hands could be
secured to work for them. The time tor
the preliminary hearing has not been set.
The times., 1899-03-28

pected to be tortured indicates a sense of
the requirements of retaliation; but they
have had the care of our surgeons if
wounded. have been fed and cared for as
our own soldiers. There is nothing vim
dictive in our warfare.
The first duty of the American people
is to silence all selfish appeals for our
abandonment of the Philippines, which are
made under the false pretence of regard
for the right of the half-savage Filipinos
to an independence which they could not
maintain, an independence that would be
the principle that the corruptions of parti-
san politics shall not enter into our ad-
ministration of the island government, and
that the narrow and mean doctrines of
Chinese trade exclusion shall not mar the
friendly relations it is now more than
ever necessary we should effect with other
countries, is another duty of tremendous
/ Importance we cannot escape without dis
honor We have no more right to leave
these things to chance than our soldiers
would have to shirk the dangers they are
now courting to the glory of the Amer
lean name. He is a poor thing who can
read the story of the advance OF our army
without thrilling at the thought that he
heroes and prepared to serve, in more
quiet but not less important ways, the
same splendid cause.
The times., 1899-03-28
HONOR TO DEAD SOLDIERS.
Preparations for the Reception of
the Roumanin nt New York

New York March 27.-Orders were re-
ceived today at the Brooklyn Navy Yard
from Washington to make preparations To-
an unusual reception to the United States
transport Crooke. formerly the steamship
Roumania, and better known Gs the ''fu-
neral ship. which is expected TO arrive at
the foot Of Pacific Street some time tomor
row with the bodies of hundreds OF army
and navy heroes who died in Cuba and
Porto Rico. From the orders the officials
at the yard believe there is to be cooper
alton between the army and navy depart
ments in saiuting the ship as sac enters
New York Bay
Captain Fahrenault has been placed In
charge OF the arrangements. II is the d.
| sire OF the army and navy officials to mako
! the occasion as impressive as possible. and
1t is likely that a national salute VIII b.
] hred by all the forts commanding the en-
{ trance to the harbor and by the guns at the
/ navy yard. There is no regulation permit
/ ting the firing OF a salute from the big guns
over the body of an enlisted man, but il ia
believed that in this case an exception will
/ be made.
The transport left Santiago several DAYS
ago and is expected To reach the Govern
ment pier tomorrow morning though she
. may be late in getting in. The forts In
the Narrows will fire a salute as the ship
passes Governors Island will salute and
| "heh the Doules reach the navy yard the
guns there will boom. The number OF dead
| the Crooke has on board has been esti-
mated variously. but conservative reck-
oning puts ii at about 4S0 to 500 Ii Is
said that half the number of bodies are
| those OF volunteers. including former mem
bers OF Massachusetts and Michigan regi-
ments. Rough Riders, and the Seventy
| nrst New York. There are a few bodies
OF marines and sailors. and these will bs
Inferred with all military honors in the
cemetery near the naval hospital
Captain Fahrenault with company OF
sailors. sergeants guard OF marines. and
several officers will receive the bodies and
as soon as the remains of the sailors and
marines can be secured they will be taken
to the cemetery in the yard and Inferred.
Two companies of marines will fire vol
ley over each grave
Each Theoretically sealed coffin weighs
about LOCO pounds. and there will be cor
siderable difficulty experienced in handling
| them II is safe to say that three-quar-
ters at least OF the dead soldiers will be
buried in the National Cemetery at Wash
ington. Many will be shipped as soon as
! they arrive TO relatives. the Government
bearing the expense OF transportation
! large number OF undertakers have been
engaged and viii be on hand tomorrow tc
superfntend the removal OF the bodies