Evening star., 1908-12-21
Maj. J. w. Wham Stricken
With Mortal Illness on Street.
SERVED UNDER U. S. GRANT
Retired as Army Paymaster After
Trouble With Superiors.
WANTED HIS RECORD CLEARED
Had Been Coming to Washington
for Fourteen Years to Urge Legis-
1ation to Rehabilitate Him.

Mai. Joseph W. wham. retired pay
master Of the army. fell stricken with
mortal illness on the street at 18th street
and Columbia road at o'clock this
morning, and died a few minutes later.
Death was due to a cerebral hemor-
rhage. Passing pedestrians who saw
Maj. Wham fall hurried to his assist
ance. DR.. Edgar Watkins OF 14th and
Harvard streets was summoned, to find
Maj. Wham in a dying condition.
Police of the tenth precinct station
conveyed the body to the station. 1t
was later removed to the morgue. Coro-
ner hewitt viewed the remains. and he
gave a certificate Of death from natural
causes.
The army officers at Washington bar
racks were notified. The body will be
taken there this afternoon to await ad-
vices from Mrs. Wham, the widow, who
is at the family home in Salem, Ill
Had Sought to Clear Record.
Maj. Wham, we'll known to the Illinois
delegation in Congress. was retired from
the Pay Corps Of the army number OF
years ago with the rank of major. Al
the time MAJ Wham wanted to leave the
army with rank Of colonel. This was
denied because of trouble he had had with
his superiors.
Since that time. for about fourteen
years, he has been coming annually tc
the Capital city to urge legislation which
would clear his record and advance him
to the desired rank.
! Senator Cullom of Illinois was his friend
| When Maj Whams body was taken tt
| the station house today card OF adms
| sion to the Senate galleries was found il
h1> hot y1at1
| was in this way that he was identified
! The police Immediately called up Sen
| ator Cullom's office at the Capitol. 4
| messenger was sent to the morgue ant
| identified the remains as those of Mai
Wham.
Since Maj. Wham has been coming to
| Washington he has made his home witt
| Mr.. and Mrs. Louis G. Ferrell of the
Columbia apartment house, at 14th ano
Girard streets northwest. The Ferrel
| family formerly resided in Illinois ano
were friends OF the Whams.
This morning, shortly before 2 o'clock
Maj. Wham left the apartment house
for short walk. Several friends saw
turned into Columbia road toward 18th
street.
He had just passed the Calvary Meth
odist Church. when several pedestrian:
saw him stagger and fall.
Maj Wham had wife in Salem, Ill.
l
seminary In st. Louis. Mo. Both have
been notified Of the death
The remains will be kept at the Wash
ington barracks until word is received
from them.
Served in Grants Regiment.
| Maj. Wham had a long and checkeret
| career. He enlisted i'm the volunteer arm,
| as a private in the 21st Illinois Infantry
| commanded by Col. L. S. Grant, in June
| 1861, and served creditably throughout th
civil war. He rose to the grade of frs
| lieutenant in the Illinois regiment in June
| 1885. and was honorably mustered out II
| the succeeding December.
Two years later he was appointed sec
ond lieutenant in the 35th Regular In
| fantry, and was honorably discharged II
| January, 1871. At the instance of Sen
ator Logan he was reappointed to th
army in March, 1877 as major IN tn
| pay department, and served in that de
| partment in New York, Arizona and Ore
quest. he was transferred to the retired
| list after more than thirty years service
Trouble With Superiors.
Mai. Wham had several disputes will
| his superior officers and was charged witt
| technical violation OF the regulations ant
sentenced to a period of suspension. Thes
charges did not, however, affect his f1nan
| cial integrity.
During the second administration o
| President Cleveland the unexecuted por
| ton Of Maj Wham'S sentence was re
| mitted and he was tranferred to the re
| tired list. He claimed that his conviction
| was unjust and made several appeals t
| Congress to restore the privileges of ram
| he had lost through suspension.
| The case was under consideration 70
| several years. but without changing th
officers statues. He made his home a
| Salem, Ill.