The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-05-22
CAPTAIN HUMPHREY
VISITS IN WICHITA
Officers Had Hand in Starting
Revolution.
WAS SENT TO PANAMA
Former Wichitan Talks O f
United States Army.

Captain Chauncey Humphrey Of the
United States army, spent a day and
half in the city visiting his parents on
the West Side, going away yesterday af-
ternoon. Captain Humphrey grew up in
Wichita and was appointed to West
Point by Jerry Simpson when that noted
Kansan represented the Seventh district
in congress. Some think that the captain
will be a great man some day and that
he will have place in the history of the
country.
1t was current gossip in Washington
during the past winte that Captain
Humphrey had a big hand in the deter
mination of this government to bring its
policy in favor of the building of the
Isthrnian canal TO a fixed fact a few
months ago. The captain, of course. de-
MES that he had anything to do with it,
but it is significant fact that he ar
rived in washington from a secret mis-
sion in Panama three days before the
revolution was touched off in that coun
try. The event followed his movements
go rapidly that there is reason for the
suspicion that he had a part in the
clever work of the Washington govern
ment.
Color is given to the suspicion, be-
sides, by the circumstance that when
Senator Hoar and the Democratic party
showed their hands in opposition to the
Panama treaty to such an extent that it
became necessary for the president to
send a special message to congress on
the subject. General Young. then at the
head of the army, ordered Captain Hum
phrey to Washington from a distance.
And it is said that the most important
features OF the presidents message to
the senate were based on facts .communi
Gated to him at the White House the pre-
viouS night by Captain Humphrey. Cos
sip ran to the extent even that Captain
Humphreys written statement as TO GER
tain facts were embodied entirely in the
message.
1t is known that Captain Humphrey,
while in Panama Immediately preceding
the revolution, Travelled about as an Eng
lishman, another circumstance in favor
of the suspicion that he was there on an
important mission.
Like all army officers, Captain Hum
phrey is provokingly reticent when you
want to get anything out of him in re-
iation to national policy or army STRAIT
egy but otherwise he is a most interest
ing talker.
Another report current among officials
at Washington during the winter was
that while travelling in Central America
as an Englishman Captain Humphrey
fell in with German army officer who
was travelling as commercial drummer,
and that from him he learned that ne
procured for the German government
complete interior sketches of the defenses
of this government in Porto Rico, includ-
ing the number and caliber of the guns.
The story went farther that Captain
Humphrey reported this to the war de-
partment. where it caused furore and
resulted in important changes and i'm
provements in the defenses of that island.
Captain Humphrey is the kind of man
who would be expected to do heroic
things. He is a man of dash and daring,
and his appearance and training mt him
for any par he may be assigned TO play
in the secret service of the government.
He has. besides. youth and ambition and
believes thoroughly in what appears to
be the fixed policy of the American gov
ernment to take chips in the interna-
tional game and to play its hand to
limit Like all Americans who desire
glory for their country, he holds Roose-
welt TO be the perfect type of up-to-date
under whose standard am
bition can afford to dare and to do
things.
Captain Humphrey is now in charge of
the United States army exhibit at the
st. Louis fair. which is in itself, big
thing. His duty is to superintend the in
structive features of the exhibit. such as
to show how the army can locate an
enemy by searchlights, how wireless tel
things. He is in charge of the great 20
inch e1,ni-the largest ever made-and II is
interesting TO hear him tell how 1t Is OPP
Grated. 1t carries a shell twenty-six
wichita 10 Newton. for in
stance-and by a system of geometrical
angles can lay il down upon any desired
spot under favorable conditions. The
bore of this gun is so large that man
Of average size can walk through it on
his hands and knees.
Speaking about the material for the
army the captain says none is better
than that which comes from the country.
He thinks that the farmer boy has the