The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-10-31
ROMANCE IN LIFE OF AN IOWA
VETERAN.
FELL VICTIM TO HIS FOES
Major WATSON Seeking Reinstatement
in Army from Which He
Was Dismissed.

EluOId, iowa, OCI. lS.-MdJCr was
son of Polk county, Iowa, who is 4
veteran Of three wars, has had a life
whose would be worthy OF
the pen of Captain Charles King.
WATSON is on his way to Washington
to see President Roosevelt and at.
tempt to secure a reinstatement in the
United States army. IN President
Lincoln's time he was the victim of
circumstances that robbed him of his
army position and placed him in dis
repute in the service.
The story of Major Wasson's life
during the past 40 years, while
sounding like fiction, is substantiated
by lei of integrity who have been
conversant with the facts. When in
his early twenties Mr.. WATSON gradu-
ated from West Point, and at the
breaking out of the Civil war was CIV
en- a commission as paymaster in the
army, with the rank of major.
Shortly after the commencing of
hostilities he married the daughter
of United States Congressman John
A. Bingham of Ohio. Bingham was
at this time n of the most in1u-
entail men in Washington, and WELD
ed no little power with the admins
tration. He was bitterly opposed to
the wedding of his daughter with
young WATSON, and used every means
in his power to prevent the match.
The young people we're married, how
ever, and in SO doing young WATSON.
gained the everlasting hatred of his
father-in-law. After the war had been
in progress some time certain officers
in the army, who were friends of Maj.
WATSON were badly in need of funds
and prevailed on their paymaster to
advance them their salaries for "
month or more. This WATSON did,
and in some unknown manner the
news of the transaction reached Con-
gresham Bingham, and through his
influence WATSON was tried and dis
charged from the service and sentenc-
ed to prison.
After having served a portion of
the sentence, friends of the man who
were in the army, took up his cause
and brought the matter before Pres
ident Andrew Johnson, who investi-
gated the charges. AS the president
found that the offenses committed
were only of a technical nature, and
as the government had lost nothing,
he pardoned WATSON. While the
president could not %reinstate him to
his former place in the service Was
son was told that if he again wished
a commission he must make for him
self a subsequent war record. This
WATSON has ever since been %endeavor-
ing to do.
He drifted around the world and
was at Japan the time the wal broke
out between that country and China.
He at once cast his lot with the small
err country and as his ability as q civil
engineer was at once recognized by
Japan generals, he was made chief of
staff to one of them, with the rank
of colonel. He served with distinc-
ton during the short war and drifted
back to the United States just before
the Spanish-American wal broke out.
lie at once enlisted as a private, and
was assigned to service with a regi-
ment that was SEN to the Philippines,
under command of Colonel SCHUYLER.
Colonel SCHUYLER was also a graduate
of West Point, having left that insti-
tuition the year before WATSON enter
ed. WATSON served three years in
the Philippines and was discharged in
this country.
He is now Sc years of age: has the
required war record, and will present
his case to President Roosevelt next