The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-07-17

Special Dispatch TO the Post st-Inteillesncer
OLYMPIA. July is.--The San Fraucisco
telegram to this mornings Post-Tnteili-
gencer referring to the arrest OF Maj. Cam
ton. Capt. Scudder. Capt Otis and Lieut..
Lemon. and the stories OF iissension In
the Washington regiment at Manila. Il
no surprise to those on the inside here.
For some time past 4 has been known
here that a bad state Of affairs existed In
the regiment. due wholly to the antipathy
Of almost all the officers to Col Whslley.
Letters from officers to friends here have
said harsh things about whoiley. 50 harsh,
In fact. that. were the officers names
known. they would be court-martiaied.
Feeliag Against Col. WAeiisy.
From all that can be gathered. the .ni-
tlal feeling against wholley arose froui
the fact that he was not q citisen of WASH
ington when appointed. ana ali but two
or three OF the officers are said 10 be Wig
orous In their opposition 10 him. Not al
together is this the sole reason OF his un-
popularity He II accused OF cowardicc IN
letters saying he has had a stone wall
built around his tent. Added to this, Ii
the serious charge that wholley was di-
rectiy accountable for Capt. Fortson's
death. due 10 whoiley.s stupidity. The
following extract from a letter from I
commissioned oeIscer in the regiment
shows the feeling against Wh6lIss:
An O0eer'a Geave ChaPges.
Zone thing hothers us or hampers us Z
little. That 10. that our colonel has Geld
feet. In coward. and II drag on ss.
Nobody here has any use for him. There
will be . row when We get home. His stu
p.dity was directly the cause Of Capt. Fost-
sons death. All the ofIicers agree q to
these facts''
Gov. Rogers Bellttles th~ Matter.
Judging from the following interview
with Gov. Rogers today. Lieut.. IAmon
was released with the other three officers
at the time Of their arrest. although the
Ban Francisco dispatch did not say 10.
Concerning this dispatch the governor
said TO your correspondent:
at IL contemplate TO ventilntc this
slight friction In the First Washington
regiment. Friction occurs In every regi-
menf. and don't think II II worse In ours
than in others. Several days ago I re-
ceiyed information Of the arrest Tor soms
petty infraction Of military Discipline of
Maj. Canton. but a. his offehse was not
serious. he was probably soon released.
Presumably the same state OF Affairs ex-
listed a. regards the other three named In
the San Francisco dispatch. Az have
recently received cable from Col Who'll
ley asking fer Lemons promotion. think
II Is an outrage that such stories should
be printed for they contain absolutely no
truth. ard are simply intended TO stir up
strife. Yes. I have received scandaIous
letters from both sides among the officers.
bus have paid M attention 10 them. Col
Wholly may not be popular. probably II
NOT, judging from lettArs l have received
This. believe. is in part due TO HIS beinx
a strict diaclpiinay.an. / believe that tha
success OF the Washington regiment Ii
largely due to his drilling the troops. I
hope 10 God this viii not be exploited. an
Col Whoiiey cannot be injured without
rejecting on every enlisted man"
II viii be observed that Gov Rogers
confirms the San Francisco dispatch To
the Poss-inteiiigencer about the arrest uf
Maj Canton fer what the governor styles
.'some petty snfraction OF military discip-
Inc" almost Idenflca'Iy the language
used In the dispatclssfo the Post-Inteili-
geneer. Ye. with singular Inconsistency
the governor gays such stories should not
be Published. "fos they contain nbeciufe-
iy no truth" Every word in the Cover
ncrss statement. with the exception Of
this peculiar comment. y In exact con-
firmation Of the Pnst-inteltgsncer's dis
patch "a 10 the unfortunate friction in
the Washington regiment. which " prob
ably responsible for the failure OF the ef-
ficers of that regiment to receive The OF
fetal recognition and promntion TO which
Their gaIlantry N battle has certainly en-
f7fiea them