Waterbury Democrat., 1900-12-07
THE MILITARY sQUABBLE.
Letters That Passed Between Adiutan

Letters That Passed Between Adjutant Van Keuren and Colonel Callahan. New Haven. Dec 7.-Although Adju- tant-General Van Keuren refuses to talk. he has finally consented that a friend should see and, if he wished make public the official correspondence relating to the official resignation of ColGnel Callahan. It will be remem- pefed that general orders were issued November ., raising an examining board and ordering nearly ninety off cers before it for examination for thelr respective commissions. Among these was Colonel Callahan. The date set for his appearance was November i'' so that he had two weeks in which 10 prepare himself. in case his long service as lieutenant-colonel. as well as his service for nearly a year as colonel did not make such preparation | unnecessary.
 It will be observed that Colonel Cal | lahan asked to be excused from ap bearing for examination until Fehru- aly l. 1901, which, as General Van heuren'S friend said to your corre- Spondent. was not only inconsistent 1 but evidently diScOurtCOuS: for it was well known to all concerned that the adjutant- generals term did not extend beyond January 9. 1901. at which date the new administration will take office. and also that the examining board would close it's Sittin@s December f. and probably be dissolved by Decem- ber 10. He must. therefore. have known that his request could not be legally granted and that on it's face it gave evidence of being an attempt to avoid the examination ordered for No " 1ln, hot J,n of 1a request would give him an opportunity to resign and attempt to lay the blame on the adjutant- general.
 | 1Orr correspondent was also further asked to notice that there was no iin- due haste in accepting the resignation Of Colonel Callahan, which came ill on November 19 and was considered and accepted the same day: for he had been ordered before the board for eNamina- tCn that same day and his failing to appear would have compelled the board to report him to the cOmmaDier- in-chef for disobedience of orders, which under the law would Have re- suited in his appointment being re- voked So that whatever expedition there was must have worked for his interest and not against it.
 The formal correspondence is as fol lows:
 Colonel Callahan. after receiving no- tice of the meeting of the examining board and orders to appear before it, wrote as follows:
 Headquarters Second Regiment,
 Connecticut National Guard.
 New Haven. Conn. Nov F. 1900. Adjutant-General, State of CGnnectl- cut:
 Sir. I have the honor to state that by reason of the completing of the re assessment of all taxable property i1 New Haven. which will require my un divided attention until about January 13. 1901. it will be impossible for me to prepare. or appear before the exam ming board appointed in c. O.. No Fl A. C. O.. (C. SD for examination fol my commission as colonel I there fore respectfully ask Ito be excused from appearing before said board fol examination before February ], l9Ol
 Very respectfully.
 Your obeuient servant.
 TIMOTHY r. CALLAHAN, Colonel Commanding Second Regi
 ment, C. N. c.
 Hartford, Nov 16 1900.
 Adiutant- General Van Keuren sent the following full reply to the request when he declined to entertain it:
 State of Connecticut.
 Adjutant-Generais Office.
 Hartford. Nov 1G. 1900. Colonel Timothy F. Callahan. Com
 manding Second Regiment, C. \. G..
 New Haven. Conn:
 Sir: I am directed by the adjutant