The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1906-12-28

''hi J'dl'usy among army OHCefS
over the rapid rise OF Pershing.
As indicative of the esteem in which
Captain Pershing was held at the uni.
: versity of Nebraska, the expert mill.
tary company of cadets, organized for
: the sake of fine military work, was
: named for him and is still known as
1.-THE Pershing Rifles"
Concerning the Pershing stories, a
Washington dispatch has this to say,
which will be of interest to Pershing's
friends
Army circles have been all torn
up the last week or ten days over ru-
mors that Brigadier General Pershing
had committed an indiscretion in the
Philippines which should have mate.
rally interfered with his confirma-
ton AS matter of fact, however,
there seems to be a pretty general
evidence that Jack Pershing, who is
now on his way to assume command
of the division in the Philippines, has
been the victim of scandalmongers al
most unheard Of in the army.
When Pershing left Nebraska for
the Spanish-American war he left be-
hind him in the university an excellent
record for efficiency. He was friend
of everybody. He was particularly a
friend of Senator Burkett, who was
then a member of the lower house of
congress, and later, when Burkett was
elected senator Pershing was in his
minds eye for brigadier generals
star During his campaigning in the
Philippines Pershing became the hero
of the whole army. Senator Burkett,
seeing his friend of old university
days win his spurs, was among the
first to urge on the president Per-
shing's promotion, and what is most
vital, the president promised Senator
Burkett to take care of Pershing when
the opportunity presented. That was
before the election of 1904"
Another Washington correspondent
says: Secretary Taft SCOTS the Per-
shing immortality tale. He says the
paternity charges of a Filipino woman
have already been investigated and
found untrue, Action by Pershing is
awaited with interest.
Charging bluntly that cabal of dis
gruntled army officers is responsible
for circulation of reports about the
relations of his son-in.law, General
John j. Pershing, with Filipino wo-
man while campaigning in Mindanao,
Senator Francis e. Warren today de-
clared his confidence in General Per-
shing and added most effective proof
that Mrs. Pershing has the same conf
dence.
These stories came to the attention
of Mrs. Pershing some time ago. 1t
was through a letter to her husband,
which she had seen, that she learned
that such stories were circulated. She
inquired, satisfied herself and then
wrote to her father, who is chairman
of the senate committee on military
affairs. Senator Warren told of this
letter today.
Dear Papa" wrote Mrs. Pershing,
"if any stories about Jack come to
you, to his discredit, don't believe
them. No matter how circumstantial
they may be, or how we'll they may
seem to be substantiated, they are not
true and you may be sure of it,"
The Manila cables telling a remark
able story of the alleged relations be-
tween General Pershing when he was
campaigning in the Philippines to a
Filipino woman named Joaquina Bon
doy Ignacio, were in truth not news
to Senator Warren.
Senator Warren, incident to show
ing how little he had to do with Per-
shing's remarkable promotion, told a
story of the romance of Captain Per
shing and Miss Warren, now Mrs. Per-
shing:
MY daughter and l had come here
for the opening of the session." said
the senator, two years ago. Pershing
had once lived in Nebraska and had
many friends there. He had made his
record in the Philippines, and in his
message at the opening of that con-
gress the president had commended
his services and spoken of the desir-
ability that such work should meet ad-
equate recognition.
well, on the evening of the very
day that message was read in congress
my daughter and received invitations
to dine with Senator and Miss Willard
of Nebraska. We went and there we
both met, for the first time, Captain
Pershing. My daughter was just out
of school. She and Pershing were
very friendly. The next evening Miss
Warren attended a dance at the post
at Fort Myer and there she and Per-
shing danced together That was the
beginning of the affair.
Senator Burkett of Nebraska was
a classmate of Pershing in the state
university of Nebraska and an init
mate friend. Long before my daugh-
ter or myself knew Pershing Burkett