Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-09-01
low AN Is
PROMINENT
LIEUTENANT COLONEL JOHN A.
HULL WILL TAKE PART IN
ARMY. MANEUvERs
IS ! ~ 1lyns !lIsI, MAN
Son Of Representative j. A. T. Hull
= viii Act As Judge Advocate on
General corbln's staff During the
Mock Campaign at Manassas.
(BY H. ]. MAHIN.)
Washington Bureau Of Courier.

Washington Bureau Of Courier.
Washington, D. .c.,. Aug. 81.
Lieutenant Colonel. John A. Hull,
son of Representative Hull, of Des
Moines, who Is at present in the Office
OF the judge advocate general of the
war department, has been assigned for
duty as judge advocate on the staff of
of Major-General Corbin during the
army maneuvers at Manassas.
The position is one of the most re-
sponsible connected with the big war
game. 1t Is estimated that more than
$l,5OO,OOO will be- spent in the ma.
neuvers. Much of this. of course, will
be IN actual expenses but a large por
tion will have to be paid out in dam.
ages to farmers and others whose land
or property is destroyed or damaged
by the troops. All Of these awards
must be passed upon and decided by
colonel Hull.
Evolves Original Plan.
Colonel Hull has left for the field of
action but before he left told the Cou-
rier correspondent of some of his
plans. He has arranged an ingenious
scheme for the settlement of claims
for damages that may be done to the
fences, crops and live stock by the
troops during field operations 1t in
wolves the organization of a corps of
guards and observers who will follow
the contending armies of P'ues and
Browns during the maneuvers and
make personal investigation on the
spot where any damage may have
been done. The observers are expect
ed to make note of the damages as
soon as they occur and Immediately
make a dicker with the owner of the
ground or property for what he con.
siders appropriate ecompense.
Court of Last Resort.
The Justice of the awards, most of
which will probably be contested. is
to be settled by court composed of
three members. an officer of the army
militia officer to be selected by the
governor of Virginia. and a citizen of
Manassas. Colonel Hull had already
been selected by General Corbin as
the army officer.
The court will hold Its sessions at
Manassas after the maneuvers and
will apportion the cost of the total
damages between the government and
each state whose militia was engaged
There will be an allowance for all
damages sustained under the maneu.
yer operations, but nothing for depre
dations Of troops. Damages in the
latter case will be charged to indiyid.
ual perpetrators.
Army officers say that with 10000
regular and militia troops roaming
over the woods and fields of Prince
William county thousands Of suits fol
damages are sure to be filed against
the government. If previous experi
ence is any criterion some of these
claims will be real and a great many
OF them imaginary. Not a few will
be unique too. for 1t has been found
that the average farmer. be he from
the north. south. or west is very
quick to take action against the gov
eminent for injury actual or fancied
and doesn't always want to wait tc
make sure that his claim Is backed by
common sense
Claims Made by kansans.
At the close of the maneuvers at
Fort Riley last year Kansas farmer
| sent In a claim to the war depart
ment for $3.50 for "lost time" The
farmers communication contained nc
further details but upon request he
informed the war department that
while plowing In his field one day he
had seen regiment of soldiers pass
by and become so interested that he
had left his plow and followed them
He argued that If the soldiers had
not passed he would not have left his
plow and consequently would not have
lost the time. The Judge advocate
general did not waste any time in ar