The San Francisco call., 1899-10-12
FIFE WILL RUN
FOR GOVERNOR
OF WASHINGTON
The Colonel Is Now
Ambitious.
CHARGES AGAINST WHOLLEY
CLAIM THAT POLITICS CAUSED
The TROUBLE.
Officers and Men Await the Ac-
rion Of Committee That
is Looking Into the
Matter.
CLAIM THAT POLITICS CAUSED
TIE TROUBLE.

As a result Of the troubles among the
officers Of the First Washington Volun-
teers, during which numerous charges and
coUnter-charges have been made, the
matter has been left in the hands of
committee, composed of General Ashton
and Judge Thomas Carroll of Washington
and Colonel Duboce of California, and it
IS asserted that a determined effort will
be made 10 have Colonel Wholley of the
Washington Regiment forced 70 retire
from the army. II is claimed that the
entire trouble IS due to Wholley's jealousy
oI Lieutenant Colonel Fife ana to politics.
Shortly before the war broke out Fife,
VINO IS Republican and who was q
colonel on Governor Rogers staff, secured
permission to go to Alaska While he was
in 6he north war was declared, and 1t is
claimed that he received a letter from
Governor Rogers stating that Fife would
ne made colonel OF the regiment that was
being formed in Washington Fife i'm
mediately returned TO his State, expecting
10 take command, but upon his arrival
there he was told that Wholley, who was
a lieutenant in the army, had been Sc
lected for the place. Flies friends
claimed that Rogers and Wholley are
6oth PopQists and that rogers gave gave
Wholley the place through fear Of the
politicians. He gave Fife the second
place, however and Fife admits that he
agreed 10 be the dumping block between
the soldiers and the regular army Off
GERS"
The trouble occurred as soon as the
regiment Ltdcltu A1dIlld. + lie anu Il BdN~
talon went to the Philippines on the Va
lencia, and when they reached Manila
Captain Lane of the Valencia gave the
officers and musicians a spread Who'll
ley followed on the next transport, and
upon learning of Flies participation in
the spread had him cOurt-martialed for
conduct unbecomiug an officer, the speCi-
1ications being that he had allowed the
enlisted men to imbibe too freely and had
himself become intoxicated. Fife claims
that he was found not guilty at the court
martial but that he was suspended for
thirty days in order to protect WhOley.
During that thirty days he claims TO have
shOuldered a musket and fought beside
the men.
The officers and enlisted men of the
grave charges against Colonel Wholley.
They say that his animOsity toward Cap
tains FoTtson and Otis resulted in the
formers death. one of the officers, in
speaking of this incident yesterday, said:
"WhOlieN had no OutpOStS and when we
were attacked he sent FortsOn and Otis
10 the front with a handful Of men. AS
they started TO obey the oder FOrtSon
remarked To Otis that it was all over but
the death struggle. FOrtsOn was killed
in the first charge. and it is openly
charged by the men that the result would
have been different If Wholley had taken
only ordinary precautions. When the
fight was at its height WhOlley took ref
uge in . church and allowed the men to
take care of themselves.
Lieutenant Colonel Fife IS as popular
with the men as Colonel Wholley is un-
popular. and an effort viii be made 10
make him Governor of the State when he
returns to Washington.