The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1900-01-19
The Lawrence Lieutenant
Breaks out in Another ViO-
lent TRADE Against
Metcalf
lola Soldiers OPINIONS
They Swear by Metcalf and
Brand Hall as a Disap-
pointed MalcOntent the
Tool of Others
The Topeka State Journal.

Lawrence, Jan. 16.-Lieut. j. f.
Hall has written the following open
letter to Geo. w. Martin, secretary of
the State Historical Society, protest.
ing against the prominence given
Gen. Wilder s. Metcalf at the twenty
fourth annual meeting to be held
Tuesday in Topeka. Mr., Hall says:
According to to-day's papers, Col.
Wilder S. Metcalf is going to read a
paper entitled History of the Twen-
tieth Kansas 1 wish to enter pro-
test against Metcalf being given 80
important duty to perform.
MetcalfIs a narrow-mlnded parti-
san. He has never been able to eradi-
cate himself from his prejudice. l
am sure that a paper read by him be-
fore your society will be highly color
cd with his prejudices and favoritlsm,
and will contain little, If anything, of
historic value.
Metcslf was in fewer battles than
any other officer of the Twentieth
y
in the morning OF March 20, just after
we began our advance north from
Mariloa. His battalion was in sup
port, and was fully 1000 yards in the
rear of the firing line. Although his
wound wvs only slight, yet he took
first train back to Manila and man
aged TO play the cripple act for more
than two months. He joined our
regiment at San Fernando and took
up the most comfortable quarters in
town. As long as there was nothing
to do but play tin soldier Metcalf
managed to go about camp, walking
as vel as any OF the rest ofthe officers
of our regiment But az soon as there
were a half dozen shots fired on our
outpost Metcalrs toe began to give
him trouble and he at once became
too lame to walk. Lieut.. Col. Little
or Major Whitman would then be ask
ed to take command of our regiment
and lead it into action.
Metcalf knows nothing about the
battle of Guiginto, fought late in
the evening of March 20, for which
he was breveted brigadier- general for
gallant and meritorious conduct in
charging a bottle of champagne in
Manila, fully twenty miles away from
the battlefield. He knows nothing
about entering Malolos and our cam
10 10 q
not at the Bagbag river or at the Rio
0rande. He did not take part in the
battles OF Apalit and Santo Tomas.
In fact, there is not q single member
of the Twentieth Kansas 80 thorough
ly disqualified to write the history OF
our regiment as Col. Metcalf
Metcalf will tell you nothing about
his experience with the British. AS
we were leaving Manila bay the crew
of an English war vessel gave US three
cheers and its band played the "Star
Spangled Banner" Metcalf replied
by ordering our band to play "Hot
Time" A greater breach of inter-
national courtesy could not have tax
en- place
After we put to sea, the only order
we received was to have setting uI
exercises twice day. Col. Metcali
did not bother himself about the COM
fort of our men or the condition of the
boat. The consequences were, thai
when we reached Hong Kong that oul
boat was in such filthy condition
that the British authorities positively
refused to grant us clearance papers
until the boat was cleaned up. Tha
disgrace could have been avoided haC
a man with a little executive ability
been In command of our regiment.
You are no doubt aware of the fac
that Metcalf Is charged with the mos
heinous crime ofmodern times. With
out just cause or provooation, he sho
and killed with his own hand pisto
an unarmed prisoner OF war in TIN