Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-04-04
Col. StsWsrt BaR|shed TO Abandoned
Fort IN Arizona.
COMMANDER, BUT HAS no COMMAND
colonel's Wife is Now In Washington
Trying to Interest congressman In
.he case-7coloneI ie said to be a
Trouble Maker.

" -N~A.h-'0 hOAN, ApIll o.--hepculcu
anu determined efforts on the part of
Mrs. Stewart, wife OF Col. William +.
stewart, OF the Coast Artillery Corps,
to have the President and war de-
partment officials resclnd their action
In sending Colonel Stewart to the in
solated and ungarrlsoned field post
ut Fort Grant, ARIZONA, to which place
he was ordered because he would not
tender his resignation. have proved
unavailing. The Official announce
ment is made at the war department
that Colonel Stewart was sent to the
wilds of Arizona because there was
no place In the coast artillery forts
for him: that tho action was taken
ly the President upon the unanimous
recommendation OF the war depart
ment authorities, and that in Arizona
Colonel Stewart Will remain for two
years, unless he sees ut In the mean
time voluntarily to resign.
Mrs. Stewart. who Is n Maryland
woman, has come from Fort Barancas.
Florida, where Colonel Stewart was
previously on duty, to intercede in her
husbands behalf Several times she
has personally visited the Capitol in
Efforts to interest Senators and Rep
resentatives in her husband. and. with
the aid of brother of the Colonel
who Is In California. Senator Flint. OF
that state. became interested. AfteI
investigating the case. however. he
withdrew his support.
Had Senator Whyte's Sympathy.
Mrs. Stuart had begun to interest
Senator William Pinkney Whyte. of
Maryland, In the case. and she had
hopes that he would personally lay
her story before the President His
fatal Illness came on. however. before
he had time to present the case.
Tho publication OF a sympathy
arousing article on Colonel Stewart In
San Francisco paper this week, in
which was incorporated what was
given as the official correspondence in
the case between Colonel Stewart,
the President and officials of the war
department. led to the determination
on the part of the authorities here to
learn how the correspondence became
public. Il was stated that the Pres
ldent had written no letter concern
ing the case. his action being mere
approval OF the recommendations of
the war department TO detail Colonel
Stewart TO Fort Grant for duty II It
Ia found that the correspondence
gained publicity through Colonel
Stewart. cour,martial proceedings may
he. instituted against him. Colonel
Stewards brothefsis connected with n
San Francisco newspaper. The arti-
Gle pictures the colonel IA victim
OF spitework on the part of his enc
mics In the army. who have shipped
him away to end his military career
as hermit ut an abandoned post far
from civilization.
Say He Is d Trouble Maker.
While every effort had been made
to keep from the public the fact that
Colonel Stewart had been sent ito
the wilds"' for punishment. war de-
partment officials fully explained the
case today.
Before Stewart became colonel II
was possible for him to be kept under
strict dlsciplnarian After being
promoted to colonel. in 1903. he re-
lieved General Duvall. now assistant
chief OF staff. in command OF the ar
tillery district of Portland. at Fort
/, Williams. General Duvall had brought
the command up To idea conditions.
according to the departmental reports
IN the war department. but in short
while. II Is stated. discipline had be-
come so irregular that 1t was neces-
sary to transfer Colone, Stewart. He
was given command at Fort Baran-
cas-. Florida. Complaints reached the
department that he was tyrannical
with junior officers. enlisted men and
civilians under him When an inspec-
, Tor was sent to Barancas no one could
| be found who would come forward
before court martial to substantiate
tho charges, a court martial accord
Ingly would have proved useless. so
last October Colonel Stewart was
transferred to command Fort Grant.
1 For while the suggestion OF de-