Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-26

quainted. and informed him Of his intended
campaigning tour in New Jersey.
The commodore asked TO see Roses dis
charge from the naval service, and after
scanning 1t. said:
why, this discharge is no: worth the
paper 1t is written on. You were appointed
in the navy as warrant officer by the Sec
rotary of the Navy, and your Discharge
must be signed by the same official. This
discharge, signed by the captain of your
ship, is worthless, and you can be arrested
at any moment as deserter. and you
know that is a serious charge in time of
war;"
Became Thoroughly Alarmed.
The little English jack tar was thorough
ly alarmed and begged the commodore to
tell him what he had better do in the mat
ter.
for duty
down on the Carolina coast and there will
be no means Of reaching her for over
month"
Then said the commodore, "go to the
nearest recruiting agency and enlist as
seaman and take chances on being re-
stored to your original rank
This Rose did and was soon afterward
sent to gunboat in Farragut's fleet on the
Mississippi. He brought his case to the at
tention Of the captain of the gunboat. but
could receive no redress. He was there
fore, compelled to serve during the remain
der of the war as an ordinary sailor.
In the meantime Congress passed an act
which provided that certain petty officers.
including masters mates. who had served
In the war with honor. could be promoted
through the several grades to commits
stoned officers. This is where Rose, the
claimant, commenced his career as such
He claimed that his discharge while mas
ter's mate having been illegal, he still held
that rank and was entitled to promotion
according to the congressional act.
Rose figured 1t out that had he not ac-
cepted the bogus discharge to 20 to New
Jersey he would then, in 1885, have been
entitled to the rank of lieutenant comman-
der. Acting upon the suggestion Of friends,
Rose procured the full uniform Of that
rank and lost no time in presenting him
self to the Secretary of the Navy. He
saluted that official In the most dignifed
manner by touching his cooked hat and
said:
Reported for Duty.
'Sir. report for duty as lieutenant COM
mander United States navy, and ask to be
assigned to my ship"
The astonished Secretary summoned the
chief clerk and Judge advocate general and
requested them to look into the matter.
promising to let Rose hear from him as
soon as he reached solution of the mat
ter. Days, months and years went by and
no solution was reached.
came in with the change Of administration
and the doughty little Englishman again
donned his cooked hat and uniform and
called on him, just as he had on his prede-
cessor His visit met with the same result.
Nothing daunted. Rose presented himself
in full uniform to each successive Secre-
tary only to be told to watch and pray"
Finally the political tide changed and
democratic administration Clevelands)
was swept into power on the crested waves
of fortune. This change found Rose out
in Arkansas, where he owned farm.
Having become democrat, he felt hopeful
that the same crested waves that swept
his party in might be depended upon to
raise him to fame in the navy.
Being without sufficient funds to pay his
car fare from Arkansas to Washington.
Rose packed his uniform in an old KNAPP
sack and started out to tramp it. After
weary weeks of walking he finally reached
Washington and prepared to present HIM
self to Secretary of the Navy whitney.
The style of his wartime uniform had long
since been discarded by the navy, and was
as ANTIQUE looking, comparatively speak
ing as those worn by the old continentals.
Badly Tarnished by Time.
In addition, the buttons and gold lace
had been badly furnished by time, the fes-
tive little moths had gotten IN several sea-
sons active work on the cloth, and the
cooked hat looked as though it had en-
countered a western cyclone. Attired in
this rig the rustic-looking Rose appeared
battered enough when he entered the pres
ence of Secretary Whitney, saluted and
asked to be assigned to duty.
..Who are you, sir?' demanded the Sec
rotary, looking earnestly, and curiously at
the battered cooked hat, the high-water
pants and the ancient coat.
Il am Lieutenant Commander John G.
Rose, United States navy, and / report for
duty
After a consultation with Judge Advocate
General Remey, who had long since become
familiar with Roses case the Secretary
informed the latter that his only redress
was with Congress, as the department was
powerless to act in the matter, owing to
the absence of any clear record in the
proper Office.
Rose followed Mr.. Whitney's advice, and,
being still citizen Of New Jersey placed
his claim for $7s,000 back pay and full
ator Mcpherson and Representative Nc
Adoo from that state, who introduced the
necessary bill In both houses The claim
since then has been buffeted about from
House to Senate and from committee to
committee. Representative Leh,bach of the
Newark district next took charge of the
claim, and the original amount was large
ly reduced. 1t has since been presented to
each successive Congress
Shortly before his death Mr.. Rose de-
clared that If he died before justice was
done him he would leave the fight he so
persistentfy made as legacy to his chill
dren, to be continued for time imme mortal.
That's a wonderful line said the philos-
opher, He that runs may read Have