The National tribune., 1902-04-03
CHAT OF THE CORRIDORS.

Ambassador to Italy, as successor to Mr..
Won Meyer, who will be candidate for
Congress to succeed Representative
Moody, appointed Secretary of the Navy.
| Bellamy Storer, now Minister to Spain,
| is here, and would like to be transferred
/ to Italy or Berlin. 1t is said he will have
to return to Madrid. 1t will be that or
nothing at all. Senator Foraker, who
has much influence at the White House.
will not permit Mr.. Storer to be given
any higher position than that he now
holds. 1t was with the greatest difficulty
| that Senator Foraker was persuaded to
waive his objections to Mir Storer and
allow him to become at first, Minister to
Belgium, and subsequently to Spain. The
utmost efforts were made to induce Mr..
Foraker to permit Mr.. Storer to be made
| First Assistant Secretary of State, but
he would not yield. He afterward COM
promised on Mr.. Storer being sent abroad.
The cnmity between Foraker and Storer
is implacable and of long standing.
The champion one-armed billiard player
of Washington is Comrade Philip W.
Coleman. a clerk in the Pension Bureau.
1t is nearly 40 years since he lost his
arm. For over 30 years he has been play
ing billiards for exercise and recreation.
He rarely misses playing one or two
EdIIleS tdCH "teh-udy dlltIuDOH
after leaving his desk. His opponents
are generally Department men and old
soldiers, who have two good arms, and he
beats most of them. At cushion caroms
he is almost sure to vanquish them.
Phil Coleman, rs be is generally
known, was born in FarmersvilIe, On
tario. Sept. "a, 1S41, but grew up at CO.
runna, Mich. Aug. %, 1861. he enlisted
in Co. |, Sth Mich, which was assigned
to duty on the Southeastern coast. His
first engagement was at Port Royal, 5.
c., Nov. Z, 1861. Jan. /, 1862, he had
a New Years entertainment in the battle
Of Coosa River, s. G. He participated
IN the bOmbardment of Fort Pulaski, Ga,
April 10, 1862. On June 16, of the same
year, at James's Island, s. c., he was hit
four times, receiving gunshot wound of
the right thigh, grnshOt wound of the
head, fractuFiBg the skull, and grape-ShOt
wounds of the left sille and left arm. tie
fell at sunrise. When carried back to
the field hospital his arm was dangling,
held together by ragged pieces of muscle
AT O'Clock he was removed to the regi-
mental hospital, where he was told by
Surgeon Wilson there was no use doing
anything for him, as he had no chance to
live, absolutely no chance. His answer
was: Never mind what chance | have.
You take off my arm and fix me up, and
II tneFc Is any Cnince 1 ii see ABOUT IL.
The arm was taken off, the other wounds
dressed, and he was sent to the hospital
to die. -Four months later he was out Of
the hospital.
The Department of Maine, G. A. R.,
has secured quarters at the VendOme, on
Pennsylvania avenue.
The Department of Rhode Island, G.
A. r., has secured quarters at the Nor
mandiP on 18th street
Some of the newspapers say that Am
bassadOr Clayton will not be reappOinted
to Mexico, on account of the scandals in
regard to his political machine in Arkan
sas but that Henry Clay Evans will take
his place.
Besides the final selection of May 30 as
Cuban independence day, two other i'm
portant conclusions were reached. The
first was that Gen. Wood should, imme-
diately upon his return to Cuba, issue
call conyening the first Cuban Congress
in session on May 10, in order that the
body might employ the 10 days following
that date in supplying any legislation nee
essary to the assumption of fun powers
in the island.
The other conclusion was that there
should be no halfway evacuation of the
bUe preSeHI uISpOSlliOu Is 10 move
the entire United States contingent, civil
and military, away from the island, not
leaving a COrpOrafs guard of United
States soldiers in any of the camps. This,
however, does not apply to the coast de-
fences at several points in the island.
These will be garrisoned by United States
troops under command of Col. VIM. l..
Haskin. If this program is not executed
it will be for the sole reason that the Gu
bans themselves, through their authorized
officials, request that the departure of the
United States troops be delayed for time.
But it is believed that, by fully employing
the 10 days preceding independence day,
the Cuban Congress can provide the neces-
sary force of police and Cuban troops to
insure the peace of the island.
A resolution providing for the appoint
ment of a new Board of Managers for the
National Homes for disabled volunteers
has been fayorably reported to the House
by the House Committee on Military At
fairs. The proposed Board will be made
up as follows: Henry Il. Palmer, of Ne
braska; George w. Steele, of Indiana;
Walter p. Brownlow, of Tennessee and
Il. J. Henderson, of Illinois.
Comrade Palmer succeeds Gen. William
J. Sewel, deceased, and Representative
Brownlow succeeds Gen. William III.
Franklin, whose term has expired. The
others succeed themselves.
At a Cabinet meeting March p, May
20 was fixed as the date for formally
turning the Island of Cuba over to its
own Government. This date should be
memorable one in Cuban history, for it
will not only mark the acquisition Of full
independence, but will be the Cuban in
auguration day, it having been determined
that President Palma shall be inaugurated
on the same day that American control of
the island ceases.
The Secretary of War has directed the
preparation of a general order for the
withdrawal of all United States troops in
Cuba excepting about 800 artillery troops
in Havana, on or before May %, which
is the day set for the Inauguration of the
new Republican Government. There are
now about 1000 soldiers in Cuba, includ-
ing the Sd Battery OF Field Artillery, the
18th, 18TH 10Th, Goth, 21st, 22d, 23d and
oath Companies of Coast Artillery;
Troops A, Il, G, ID, 1. X, l. and M, I'd
and 9TH Cav; Troops f, e, G and H, Sth
Cav, and headquarters, and Troops A,
B, G, d, 1, X, L and NJ, 10th Cav.
All of these troops, except 800 men of
the Coast Artillery, are to be brought to
the United States as rapidly as transpor-
tatiOn facilities will permit, between now
and May 20. The retention of these ar
tillerymen is for the purpose of caring
for the three batteries of coast artillery. |