The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-03-19
CAPT. R, P HOBSON
 AFTER BANKHEAD He Also Severely Criticises Lu-
 cien Julien Walker, MRF MR. WALKERS REJ0lN0ER Hobson Recites Particulars In connee- ton With His Resignation From the United States Navy-some
 Very caustic Remarks.
MR. WALKERS REJOlNOER

Capt. Richmond Pearson Hobsen re- cites some of the particulars In eohhee- lion with his resignation from the navy and eriticizes Congressman Bankheao anu nr. Bankhead's private secretary A1uoieni Julien Walker. His letter to The Age Herald and his open letter to the Mehl- gomery Advertiser follow;
 Greensboro Ala, March 15, 1905. Tn the Editor of The Age-Herald;
 Enclosed is copy of an open letter to tha Monteomerv Advertiser, upon the matter of my retirement from the navy The papers of Alabama and of the coun- try at large have widely circulated h. accurate accounts of this matter, due in large measure to the efforts of MT. T.ucien Julien Walker, private secretary of MT. J. II. Bankhead, representative from the Sixth Alabama congressional district.
 The facts have been perverted with view to absolving MT. Bankhead from re- sponsibility for the defeat of the bill for my retirement Though not wishing to involve The Age-Hefald in any way i'll controversial correspondence, am sure you will, in fairness, willingly comply with the request 1 hereby make, for pub lcation of the enclosed letter. Yours very truly. R. P. ROBSON.
 Greensboro, Ala, March 15, 1903. To the Editor of the Montgomery Ad- vertiser:
 In the Advertiser of February IS under the title '"rhe Hobson Case" appears letter from MT. Lucen Julien Walker, which your headlines state absolves MT Bankhead. The letter states, re- ferring to the matter of my retirement, s.fIe was not retired in the ordinary way because two different medical boards of the navy found that he was not physi- eally qualified for retirement, that his eyes were quite good enough for the deli7 cate and difficult work of naval con- structor. He was not retired by act of congress for the reason, in part of the findings of the medical board, but mainly for the reason that a special act in his behalf would establish a precedent eX- tTemely dangerous to the well being of the navy. in that any other young officer could, with just gaod excuse, ask to he retired while the navy is already sravely under-officered"
 This statement of the case Is at variance with the recorded facts, yet it has been spread broadcast over the state of Ala bama and the country at large. It is now time that the facts should be known, and arn sure that you will in fairness give this open letter the same prominence in publication that you have repeatedly given the misstatementS.
 One medical board only has examined my eyes. and this board found them in- jured as l represented. The board con- sisted of Surgeons r. J. B. Cordeiro, Oli- yer D. Norton and George Pickerell. It met at Covite Manila, on June 1. 1900. made an opthalmic exauaination, and re- ported Unanimously that my malady was ''retinitis," it's probable future duration indefinite" and it's origin service in the
 
 invalided to the hospital a Yokahoma, Japan. and thence ordered to the United States. The occulist Dr. Stafford, who was consulted in connection with the medical board, confirmed it's finding. and said there was grave danger of blind ness.
 The sole basis as far as I can see, for the unwarranted statements of Mr. Walk CT. is the action of the retiring board oe- fore which l appeared in January, 1902. The two surgeons on this board of five members did not make opthalmic ex- animation for the reason that 1 told the board upon appearing before it that my vision was good and l could do duty for the time, the danger lying in the future should l take up the trying work of the construction corps. The board informed me, in effect, that they had no power or jurisdiction over matters of the future, and that they could act only after I had gone back to work and become incapaci- lated for duty. With retinal trouble such lncapacity would be equivalent to blind ness.
 My only chance of recovery lay in avoiding such work as that of the con Btruction corps. applied therefore, to the only source of relief for this peculiar case, congress. MT. Walker makes my application out in the light of a request for congressional favor over the dlsap- proval of the regular naval authorities. As a matter of fact, all the various au- thorities approved and favorably endorsed the applicaton--the chief constructor, the secretary of the navy and the comman- der-in-chief, the President, who trans mitted the request to congress in spe- rial message of indorsement Senator Gallinger introduced the required bill in the senate and MT. Moody of oregon in- troduced it in the house of representa- tveS I applied to Senator Morgan to help me and take charge of the bill in the senate. He consented. and gave II cordial support, and it was favorably re- ported upon by the senate naval commt- tee and placed upon the senate calendar for passage. I applied to Mir Bankhead for the same service in the house of rep resentatives. He refused, opposed the measure, and it was defeated in commit tee by his democratic colleagues.
 This last avenue of relief being thus closed, and my eyesight and future use- fitness being at stake, I was forced to resign Such are the facts as officially recorded, which can be found set forth at length in the Congressional Record of January 8, page 613.
 copy of my resignation summing up tfe case is herewith enclosed, the fun text of which l would request you to publish. either separately or as a part ot this communication.
 Thus l find myself entirely severed from the navy after about eighteen years service, in which fierce conditions were encountered in Cuba, China and the Philippines that caused permanent injury to my eyes which are giving me almost continual trouble. preventing me except at risk of ultimate blindness, from per- forming the work of my profession. either in the navy or civil life. In this unhappy plight I am cut off from the just relief which I had a right to expect from my country and am cut off, through the ac- ton of my own representative, whose