Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-16
STATUS OF COLONEL COTTON
Poyntor Receives a Letter from Secretary
Meiklejohn on the Subject,
OTIS GIVEN DISCRETIONARY AUTHORITY
May Retain Cotton In Customs once
or Not as lie Sees Fit-Eauip-
mcnt Furnished State
VIII lie Returned.

LINCOLN, May 15.-(specialJ-Governo
Poyntar today received from Assistant Sec
rotary of War MeiklejOhn a reply to a letter
Of inquiry sent to the War department April
2S concerning the appointment Of Lieuten-
ant Colonel Cotton Of the First regiment to
the position Of collector CT customs at Ma
Mia. AS soon as Governor Poynter was
officially notified OF the death of Colonel
stotsenburg he Immediately appointed Col
ton colonel, but the promotion was refused
with Il request that he be allowed to re-
main In the position he then held as col
lector Of customs. His refusal prevented a
number OF promotions, as he Is still lieu
tenant colonel Of the regiment. The reply
cf Mr.. Mciklcjohn throws but little light
upon the subject Of most interest to the
governor, though it states that General Otis
has been given authority to retain Cotton
ae collector until mustered out OF the
service. The letter received by the governor
follows:
Dear Sir: / have the honor to advise you
that your letter of the 2Sth OF April was
dufy received by me and contents of same
were carefully noted. 1t has proved imprac-
ticable, however, for me to reply thereto
prior to this date as certain questions re-
garding the reorganization and conduct of
the customs affairs in the Philippine islands
A'fN DNNh hlNtl NDAolltl dNlOls
An executive order provides that officers
of the regular army shall be appointed as
collectors of customs in the insular posses
sions, necessitating a change in the custom
house at Manila, az Colonel Cotton is an
officer of the volunteer forces.
Accordingly instructions were yesterday
wired TO the CoflectOrships. and at the same
time General otis was given discretionary
authority to retain Colonel Cotton in his po-
sition of collector of customs at Manila un-
a at4 .4V 80 - 4v.Tty ATnrNF rn-
specially, GEORGE ID. MEIKLEJOHN.
Ordnance TO lie Replaced.
Adjutant General Barry was today notified
that all ordnance supplied by the state to the
First and Second regiments would be re-
placed at once. These supplies, consisting Of
arms, belts, etc, will be sent from the Rock
Island arsenal and are expected in a few
days. While most of the ordnance has been
used 1t is reported to be in as good condi-
tion as that furnished the volunteers. The
list includes 7O7 Springfield rifles, 80 car
bines, 673 bayonets, . swords, 45 saddles, 4S
saddle bags, A saddle blankets, As cavalry
sabers and 3 Colts revolvcrs. This will about
complete the equipment for the Second regi-
ment of the Nebraska National guard.
The Episcopalians OF the city Of Lincoln
will be represented by six delegates and two
clergymen at the council of the diocese Of
Nebraska in Omaha next Wednesday. Rev.
Mr.. Eason of Holy Trinity parish and Rev.
Mr.. Turner of st. Luke's mission will go to
Omaha tomorrow. The delegates from Holy
Trinity are c.. H. Ridge, James Tyler and
Charles Neal. Much interest is centered in
the selection Of a bishop coadjutor and the
result of the council at Omaha will be anX-
iously awaited by the Pensioners in this
city. The tendency in this city seems to be
mora favorable tn conservative churclmgn
than to too much ritualism, and the dele
gates from Lincoln will probably oppose the
election of any man who is. known to favor
any radical change in the opposite direction.
The second fatal case within the last few
weeks of cerebro spinal meningitis or spotted
fever was discovered late Saturday evening
and about three hours later the patient died.
The disease has been occupying the atten-
ton of the physicians in Lincoln for several
weeks. but while it is especially dangerous
and often fatal very little fear is entertained
that the epidemic will continue. The dis
ease is infectious but not by contact. In this
case the unfortunate one was Hazel Woemp-
ner. 6-year-old daughter of Druggist
Woempner of South Tenth street. The little
girl was down town with her parents Sat
urday evening and was apparently in the
best of health. She returned home with her
mother about 10 O'Clock and a few minutes
later she complained of being sick. She
grew rapidly worse and physicians were
summoned. The usual methods were used
by the physicians, but without result. She
died at $40 yesterday morning, about three
hours after she first complained of being Ill.
Over u Hundred Applicants.
The members of the Board of Education
have about decided that 1t is almost as i'm
possible to hold a secret meeting as it is to
hold a peaceful meeting. As soon as the
newly elected members took their seats
they were confronted with a serious problem,
that Of the election of a successor to Super
intendent Saylor. For this position there
are now on file over a hundred applica-
tions, coming from educators all over the
United States and in the number are in
cluded a few who are not in the United
States. The plan of considering bids in
executive session does not appear original
with the State Board of Public Lands and
Buildings In connection with the governors
mansion, for the Board of Education voted
to discuss the merits of the different can
didates in private. The new members OBJ
jected to this privacy, but they were over
whelmed by the balance OF the beard and the
applications were opened in a small room on
one of the upper floors of the High school
building out of hearing, the members
thought, OF inquisitive reporters and candi-
dates, there being quite a number of the
latter present. To carry out the plan
adopted the board retired to a secluded room.
The members soon became so deeply in
terested in the subject before them that
vigilance was relaxed and without any diff
fculty whatever interested persons secured
choice positions back of the several doors
leading to the room. The next day the
entire proceedings were published in the
newspapers and since that time the mem
bers who voted for a secret session have
changed their minds and are now opposed
to executive or star chamber proceedings
of any kind. Since the Lincoln school board
was established repeated attempts to hold Sc
cret meetings have been made, but without
a single exception all were unsuccessful.
The members of the board seem to realize
that they are now no nearer the solution
OF the problem as to who shall be elected