Omaha daily bee., 1907-03-19
ARMY GOSSIP IN WASHINGTON.

ARMY GOSSIP IN WASHINGTON.
Current Events Cleaned from the
Army and Navy Register.
The uuartermaster general Of the army
has under consideration the design OF a
water wagon and should the type Of We
hicle which It is proposed to build prove
satisfactory the wagon will be adopted for
use IN the military service IL Is compare
lively light in construction with the idea
Of being taken wherever the military body
may be serving and at the same time II Is
sufficiently strong 20 stand the more or
less rough usage which such a vehicle is
bound to encounter. The wagon will have
a capacity Of rs gallons, or enough to fur
nish drinking water for nearly a regiment
OF men.
The War department has information Of
a descent made upon four pawn shops in
Atlanta, Ga, this week by a detachment
Of troops from Fort Mcpherson, under
Major Frank b. Mccoy, Seventeenth in
fantry. 1t appears that four newly en-
listed men pawned their respective over
coats which incidents led to the visit OF
the detachment and the seizure OF the gar
ments. This was based upon law and the
action was taken after consultation with
Major l.. e, GOoder, judge advocate Of the
Department Of the Gulf. An action of
this kind is endorsed by the War de-
ment as calculated to discourage the prac-
tice on the part of soldiers of realizing on
the army clothing which has been issued
to them. In all such seizures, however,
care must be taken that no mistake is
made in taking possession of the property,
It is the purpose Of the military authorities
to have the owners of the pawn shops
prosecuted by the local representatives of
the Department OF Justice. Conviction for
receiving goods Of this sort may result In
fine Of from $1,000 to 5000 or imprisonr
ment from one to five years
The War department Is constantly in re-
ceipt of inquiries respecting the old pistols
which are picked up from time to time
and which are believed TO belong to the
assassin of President Lincoln. In most
cases there is a similarity in the weapons,
which usually bear on the handle the as
sassln's name. Some Of these pistols are
acquired by their possessors at auction
sales of relics and It is roughly estimated
that enough of these grewsome pistols have
been circulated about the country to easily
supply a regiment This week another one
Of the inquiries from the owner OF a sup
posed pistol of the class applied to the War
department for verihcation Of his claim,
and possibly with the idea that he could
find a market in Washington for the
treasure" The correspondent, who lives
in Richmond, Va, was Informed that the
pistol used by the man who killed Presl-
dent Lincoln is a part of the records OF
- tie ,fq1 &, ha
War department, where the pistol IL kept
with other relics Of that sad event and
where they are likely to be kept free from
public gaze for many years TO come. once
while Brlgadier General Lieber was Judge
advocate general, an effort was made to
have the National museum take charge OF
these particular relics, but the protest from
the public was 30 great that the plan was
abandoned and since then nothing has beer
done or attempted.
As a result Of the recommendations OF the
board of general officers which was in ses.
sion In Washington some weeks ago the
secretary Of war has indicated the selection
Of officers to be detailed to the general
stan corps to fill existing vacancies, as wei
as vacancies anticipated in the near future
The list of officers detailed for this service
is as follows: Lieutenant Colonel Albert
Todd of the artillery corps, now on duty
at ST. Paul, Mimi, in place OF Lieutenant
Colonel A. s. Cummins of the artillery
corps; Major n. c.. ]. Bailey OF the ar
tillery CORPS now on duty at Seattle
Wash, in place OF Major G. w. Goethalf
of the corps of engineers; Major R. L
Hirst of the Twenty-ninth infantry, nov
on duty at Fort Douglas, Utah. in place
Of Major NJ. F. Waltz of the Sixteenth in,
fantry; Major w. p. Burnham Of the TWEEN
| tleth infantry, now on duty at the preside
of Monterey. Cal, in place Of Major w
A. Mann, Nineteenth infantry; Major s. d
/ Sturgis of the artillery corps, now on duty
| at Fort D. A. Russell, Wyo., In place Of
Major d. D. Gaillard OF the corps OF en-
| gineers; Major c. Dew. Wilcox Of the ar
tillery corps, now on duty at Washington
d. c., in place of Major E, NJ. Weaver Of
| the artillery corps; Captain p. c. Harris
Ninth infantry, now on duty at Manila
| p. l., In place Of Captain ]. X. Thompson
Fifteenth infantry; Captain J. P. Tracy
artillery corps, now on duty at Fort Mon
roe, Va, in place of Captain Dew. Wilcox
artillery corps; Captain s. c. Vestal, ar
tillery corps, now on duty at Fort Mon
roe, Va, in place of Captain c. T
Mencher. artillery corps; Captain Fox Con
Riley, Kan, in place OF Captain p C
March. artillery corps; Captain s. A
Cheney, corps of engineers, now on duty
at Washington, d, c., in place OF Brigade
| General ], j. Pershing.