The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-09-07
VETERANS CONVENTION
The Grand Army Will Meet Next
Year in Chicago.
SPLIT IN THE NAVAL VETERANS.

llc assembled IN tne Granu opera
House yesterday and the convention
resumed its sessions this morning,
final adjournment being set for this
evening. The sessions are secret.
The principal business of the opening
session was the receiving of reports of
officers and reference to the proper
committees. The first session closed
with the election, by acclamatlon, OF
Acting Commander Johnson to the
Office Of commander -in-chief, made va
cant by the death of James A. Sexton,
and of Junior Vice Commander Ross,
of Wilmington, Del. to the Office of
senior vice commander. Their sue
cessors will be elected at this conven-
tion.
The first business after recess was
the selection of place for the next en-
campment, and Chicago was chosen by
acclamation.
The report of the committee on PEN
sions was then read and a motion was
made to refer 1t to the committee on
resolutions. This created much dis
cussion, many Of the delegates favoring
the immediate adoption of a resolu-
ton covering the evils mentioned in
! the report The Michigan delegation
was the first to object to the report,
on the ground that 1t failed to specify
what the Grand Army wanted.
They were supported by Indiana,
Kansas and New York. After a dis
cussion lasting nearly four hours the
report was referred back to the com
mittee with instructions that it be pre-
sented at today's session embodying
| recommendations and resolutions. The
complaint of the veterans as contain
ed in the pension committees report
is that the law governing the granting
of pensions is misconstrued by the
pension examiner.
There were lively times at yester-
days session of the fourteenth annual
convention of the National Association
of Naval Veterans. A resolution pro-
viding for the admission of partici-
pants in the Spanish war to member
ship in the association started a rum
pus, and the result was that there Is
now split in the organization. At
the convention held in Cincinnati last
September the resolution just men
toned was introduced, and under the
rules was laid over until this year. The
leader of the forces in favor of the
proposition was Past Rear Admiral B.
8. Osbon, of Farragut association, New
York city. He was followed by Sur
geon A. Trego Shertzer, of Baltimore,
who stoutly maintained that the as
sociatlon was organized for the sail
ors of the civil war only, and that 1t
should die with them, The vote was
overwhelmingly against admitting the
men of the late war.
When the result was announced the
Farragut delegates from New York
and the delegates from the Admiral
Boggs association, of Newark, N. j.,
walked out in body 1t is their in
tention of starting an opposition asso-
clation, to be known as the United
States Veteran Navy, and the head
quarters will probably be in New York.
The boilers claim that they will get
nearly 200 members from the Naval
Veterans association, and Will admit
to membership all those who were in
the navy during the Spanish war.
At the meeting of the Ladies' Auxil-
larry, Naval Veterans, the greater part
of the days session was confined to eX-
tending the limits of membership.
Hitherto the wives, sisters, daughters
and nieces of veterans of the war of
1879, the Mexican war and the rebel
lion have been eligible. Yesterday de-
|
were added, and on the Spanish-Amer-
lean war 1t was decided to await the
action of the mems association, which
has resulted in a split Officers were
elected as follows: Captain Command
er, Mrs. A. r. Sears of Baltimore;
commander, Mrs. Lena RadditE of
Philadelphia; lieutenant, Mrs. r. A.
Witcher of Jersey City; senior lieuten-
ant Mrs Harriet Yeahulon of Phila-
delphia; junior lieutenant, Mrs. Han
nah W Green of Providence; fleet
chaplain Mrs. Cora B. Stone of Bal
timore; secretary, Mrs. Jennie Laird
of Providence.
At the meeting of the Ladies of the
G. A. r. President Winslow announced
that new home for veterans and their
wives will be established in California.
The total present membership of the
association is 1856. Representatives
from n states answered roll call. A
new department was added to Oregan
and 69 new circles were formed. A
gold badge and a diamond ring were
presented to President Winslow.
AT the convention of the G.. A. r.
Womsn's Relief corps Mrs. Harriet j.
Bodge of Connecticut was elected presi-
dent for the ensuing year, Mrs. Lizzie
Baer of Wisconsin senior vice presi-
dent, Mrs. Mary Evans of Washing
ton and Alaska junior vice president,
Mrs Isabella T. Bagley Of Ohio treas
urer, Mrs. Brown Of Rhode Island ma
tional chaplain.
The visiting veterans who are not
delegates to the convention spent the
day in visits to the various points of
interest about the city. The great at
traction of the day was the squadron
of fighting ships anchored in the Della
ware river. From early morning until
dark there was steady stream OF hui
manity pouring on the vessels, and
several times orders were given not
to let any more persons on board, ow-
ing to the great crush. Veterans from
all over the country visited the ships,
many of them never having seen a
modern engine of war.
Last night monster dog watch was
held at the Academy of Music, at
which many prominent Grand Army
men were in attendance. At Camp
Sexton, in Fairmount Park, where
nearly 10000 veterans are Quartered,
there was a display OF fireworks. Many
reunions of regiments. societies and
other organizations were also held last
Aight.