Arizona republican., 1900-12-13
BY A HOUSE BILL
His Distinguished Services In the Navy During the Civil War-He is to Be Retired With the Rank of Captsin-Precedent For the Pro- posed Action.

plan is in contemplation to place Representative Charles A. Boutelle, of Bangor Me, nominally chairman of the committee on naval affairs, on the re- tired list of the navy, after which he would resign his seat in the house of representatives. A bill to accomplish this has already been prepared and will probably be presented in the house within few days. It will propose that he be placed on the retired list with the rank of captain, in view of consplcu- ous service which he rendered as vol unteer officer of the navy during the civil war.
 The matter has already been talked over with officials at the navy depart ment, and With a few prominent men in the senate and house, and Capt. Bou- telle's friends believe there is a good chance of its passage. The precedents have been looked up and several cases are known where similar action has been taken. An act approved March S, 1871, authorized the appointment on the retired list of Henry c. Keene and Edward E. Bradbury. Still another case is that of R. H. Lamson, who the president was authorized to restore to the navy by an act approved March 27. 1871.
 Lieut.. Lamson's case was peculiar in that he refused to accept the provisions Of the act. He had served through the CIVIL war in the navy, but resigned in lSoo on account of ill health. He re- fused to go on the active list again be- cause his health would not permit him 10 resume active service, and because ne was able to earn a living for himself ana family. Later his health failed en- tlrely and he became helpless inva- lld, and in 1894, on petition of the sen- ators from Oregon, Capt. w. T. Samp- son u. $. N, and others, he was placed on the retired list by President Cleve- Iand. The restoration of Commander John N. Quackenbush of this city, by act approved Feb. 4, 1897, is the most recent precedent which is supposed to be Tn line with Capt. Boutelle's case.
 capt. Boutelle is still in an asylum near Boston. He has what is known as asphasia, and it is well understood that he will never be able to return to public life in Washington although he IS able to receive a few intimate friends. He was never a man of much t@OtSN4 ~ oliu NIlil IlIlle ne mad has been spent in maintaining a republican newspaper in eastern Maine which ey- never afforded him financial returns. The pay of retired captain in the na- " would keep him comfortable for the remainder of his life. He has served continuously in the house since the be- gining of the forty-eighth congress. Ills naval record is summarized in the COngreSSiOQ1l dirpctnr-Nr
 He returned from a foreign voyage in the spring of 1862, volunteered and was appointed acting master in the United States navy. He served in the north and south Atlantic and west gulf squadron; took part in the blockade of Charleston and Wilmington, the Poco- taHgo expedition, the capture, of st. Jchn's bluff and occupation of Jackson Vile, Florida, and while officer of the U. S. $. SassdcuS was promoted to lieutenant for gallant conduct in the engagement with the rebel ironclad AL bomarle," May ,, 1864; afterward, In command of U. S. s. Nyanza partici- pated in the capture of Mobile, and in receiving the surrender of the confeI- crate fleet, was assigned to command of naval forces in Mississippi sound. Was honorably discharged at his own request January 14, 1866.
 Few members of the house in the last decade have been better known. In his earlier days he was a powerful dabater. His most notable work in the house has been as chairman of the committee on naval affairs. He Was first appoint ed to that position by speaker Reed in the fifty-first congress, and has held it continuously since then save only the hfty-second and fifty-third congresses, which were democratic. As early as four or five years ago it was noticed that he had grown unusually irritable and petulant. These characteristics grew upon him and particularly in the Fifty fifth congress cropped out ire quently in the meetings of the commit tee and in the transaction of its busi- ness on the floor of the house.
 When Capt. Boutelle came to Wash lnSton a year ago his health was badly broken and he had several attacks that showed his mind was affected. On the trip home from the holiday recess he collapsed in Boston and since then he has been in the Mclean asylum, near that city for treatment The immedi- ate cause of illness was the formation of d bloOdclot on his brain, but that eventually absorbed, and his condition improved somewhat. Notwithstanding his inability to attend to public duties, his constituents reelected him by an overwhelming majority to the fifty seventh congress. a generous act which was commented on at the time all ovsr the country.