Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-20
The Great Loss Sustained by the
Country.
his DEATH ANNOUNCED TO THE ARMY
Proposed Fund to Clear His Home
From Mortgage.
PENSION FOR HIS WIDOW

| ers today expressed to him their profound
| sorrow at the news of the death of General
| Lawton, and the President likewise re-
| ferred to the great loss the army and the
country had sustained. Senator Fairbanks,
representing General Lawton's state, In
| diana, called at the White House and later
| at the War Department. He will join in
whatever Mrs. Lawton desires as to bring
| ing the remains to this country. The sena-
tor said that he would at once introduce
bill granting an appropriate pension to Mrs.
Lawton.
The senator suggested that the funeral
ceremonies be given something of nation
al character.
Senator Sewell also called on the Presi-
dent to express his deep regret. Senator
Sewells son, Captain Sewell is a member
of General Lawton's staff, and the senator
desired to know whether there We're others
killed or wounded Senator Sewell received
letter from Captain Sewell a FEW days
ago, in which the young officer referred TO
the daring and exposure of General Law
ton. He said that at the battle of Zapote
river bullets fell around Lawton from every
direction, and that it was a great wonder
he had not been killed. Captain SeweH
said that General Iawton had been IN over
sixty fights in the Philippines to that time
and had behaved with the same gallantry
each time.
secretary Root Cdileu Oh tIie L itsiucA'
about noon and they talked about Philip
pine affairs, the President directing the
Secretary to send suitable kilograms TO
Mrs. Lawton and General Otis.
Death Announced by General Order.
The confirmation of the report Of the
death of Gen. Lawton, which was received
at the War Department last night, left
feeling of oppression among the officers on
duty there, many of whom had secretly
cherished a hope that the first report might
have been erroneous.
Under the conditions of his death and the
remoteness from Washington of the scene
of the tragedy there is little that can be
done by the officials here to honor the
memory of the brave soldier. A general or
der was issued todaX announcing the death
to the whole army, officially, and paying
proper tribute to Gen Lawton's worth.
The funeral arrangements must, Of
course, be entirely left to Cen Otis, and it
is not doubted that there will be an impos-
ing demonstration at Manila. 1t Is the IN
tention of the officials to have the remains
brought to the United States for final in
terment, but it is not known when that can
be done. and Gen. Otis reports must be
awaited on that point.
Appeal of His Friends
Gen. Lawton died poor man. but so
self-contained and modest was he that few
beyond his circle of immediate friends knew
of the small pecuniary return that had
come to him from his life work in behalf of
his country. Therefore some of these
to the aid of his family, is shown by the
following statement, addressed to the
American people, issued today:
WASHINGTON, D. C., December 20, 1889
Maj. Gen. Henry W. Lawton, United
States Volunteers, whose death occurred at
San Mateo. Island of Luzon on December
10, 1899, has left little but his good name
as legacy to his wife and children A
piece of DrQpprtv DnrchaS hv
meme In California has mortgage of half
the purchase price still outstanding and
unliquidated. The undersigned nave vol
unfairly associated themselves together for
the purpose of raising funds to pay off the
Indebtedness. Contributions will be hank
fully received by them, and be devoted to
the object hereinabove set forth.
THE aid of the newspapers of the country
Is requested.
Contributions will be received by any
one of the following: H. c. Corbin ad-
Weston, acting cummissary general, Wash
tngton, D. c.; William Ludlow, brigadier
general, Havana, Cuba; William R. Shaf-
ter major general, San Francisco, Cal"
Tribute of Associates.
Adjutant General Corbin said:
"Lawton was one of the best officers In
the army, a great fighter and a thorough
gentleman. He appeared to be a born SOL
dier and was never found wanting when he
was Cdlltu upOn lie was popular With the
officers and adored by mis- men. His loss
will be severely felt by all who knew him,
and the army has lost faithful, capable
and brilliant officer"
Commissary General Weston said:
IaWton was a fighter without a supert-
or. He had knack of winning the conf
dence of his men, and they were ready to
die for him. He knew how to fight his men
and get the best results He showed the
Spaniards at Santiago what fighting was,
and his record against the insurgents in the
philippines has few equals in any war
When the insurgents killed Lawton they
killed one of the best fighters that ever
wore the uniform of our army"
The Tribute of the Navy,
Secretary Long of the Navy Department
said:
"Lawton was, in many respects, an ideal
soldier; single minded, devoted to his duty
and of unqualified courage. He belongs TO
that class whom the world designates as
the bravest of the brave. He made his
reputation on the field and not through the
paragrapherS or in the streets of WASH
lngton. He wanted no soft place. There
was no russ nor feathers about him. | saw
a good deal of him during the President s
trip to- Atlanta last winter, and was i'm
pressed by his quiet, unassuming manner
When called upon to speak in public he
answered with but word But, Somehow,
as you heard that word and looked in his
race and saw the man, you felt that IL any-
tiins was 10 De done he was the man to
do it,
To Pension Mrs. Lawton
Senator Fairbanks todays introduced a bill
granting pension of $1,000 year to the
widow of Gen. Lawton.
Representative Lands of Indiana intro
duced similar bill in the House. Mr..
Lands represents the district from which
Lawton's first regiment was recruited.
Mr.. Lands desired to secure Immediate
consideration of the bill, and request to
this effect would have been made had NOT
the rules imperatively required that the
bill first go to the regular committee.
Moreover a bill of somewhat similar tenor
had been introduced for pensionins the
widow of Gen. Guy v. Henry who
was governor general of Porto Rico. and
as this is pending before the committee ii
was felt to be desirable to make no dis
tinctions.
Gen. Lawton's Military Record.
Following is the official military record
of Maj Gen. H. W. Lawton prepared at
the War Department:
He served as sergeant of Company E, 9th