The morning journal-courier., 1908-10-10
Army Retiring Board Finds the Officer Seriously Afflicted With Valvular Disease
 of the Heart.
WILL. BE RETIRED TO-DAY
Says He Has Ridden Twenty to Thirty Miles Day-GeHeral Grant Said Efficiency Was Marred by
 Irascibility.

Washington, oct. 9The army re- tirns board which has been nvestI- gating the health of Col. William F. Stewart, the so-called Fort Grant exile concluded it's work to-day, and while the result of It's deliberations was not officially made public, it is understood that the board found Col. Stewart so seriously afflicted with yalvular disease of the heart as to lncapacitate him from active service in the army. The finding which has been agreed on will bc reported to the secretary of war probably to- morrow and it is considered likely that Col, Stcwart's retirement by the president will follow. If not retired. Col Stewart would have more than four years of active service and since he is one of the oldest officers of the artillery corps, his friends contend he would stand good chance of reach- ing tht grade of hrigadier general ho- fore leaving the active service. If retired he will receive three fourths of his regular pay, or about 500 DOT month
 Before tho board took the subject up in executive session to-day it heard a somewhat detailed statement by Cnr Stewart relative to his record in the army and listened to brief arguments by Col StcWarts counsel and Record CT Rowland who spoke for the ser- vice. Col. Stewart was not permit ted tu go outside his medical record, and when his attorney made an effort to elicit from him the circumstances under which he had been transferred from Fort Rarrancas, Fla, to Fort Grant Arlz, Captain Howland intcr- posed positive objection which was sustalneN by the board,
 In his statement Col stewart said that he was in the habit of taking horseback rides of from 20 to 9) miles day for many years until his re- moNal to Fort Grant a year ago He \ found at Fort Grant only one horse, and inasmuch as that animal was 2 cripple nc was deprived of this oppor tunlty for exercise While at Fort Grant however he substituted walking for riding and generally covered iron eight to fourteen miles day He nev. CT felt any i'll effects from clthe" walk ing or riding and up to a month agt he had received no warning from anl physician against these forms of exer cisc notwithstanding for B years h' had been under tho observation q army surgeons He said that he haC known ever since 1874 that his hear was affected, but he paid no atten ton to that fact Col Stewart saiC that he had been In the service for al most forty years, and that there wer' only four officers having a longer rec ord
 "Do you wish to De retired asket
 Mr Latimcr, the colones counsel
 "No, responded Col Stewart, witl
 emphasis
 "Why do you wish to continue fin th
 service?' asked the lawyer
 Because I have spent my lfo in th
 army and am fond Of the service
 was born at a military post. grew Il
 on the frontier and when I grew II
 entered the army l see no reason wh I should hc prevented from repainin an officer until the arrival of the tim for my retirement as fixed hy the law. The arguments of counsel were hrie' Mir Latimer, for Col Stewart, content ing himself with a retrospect of hi clients service, which, he said Ina been the subject of much favorabl comment, the only criticism being D General Grant, who said that Go Stewart was an ahle and efficient off cer, but that his efficiency was marre by irascbiity