The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-16
"REMINISCENCES IF
 GENERAL WHEELER
Major Francis of Decatur Talks
 of His Dead Friend
MEMENTOESOF CUBAN WAR
A Number of Prized Objects Given by General Wheeler Are Possessed by Major Fracis Who Values
 Them Very Highly.

Decatur, November 15. 5.-(Special.)-O the second floor of a Bank street business block in Decatur is situated the law offices of Maj. w. R. Francis, who for many years was a close personal and political friend of the late noted and much beloved Gen. Joseph Wheeler, the hero of three wars. In fact, Major Francis success fully managed a number of General Wheeler's congressional campaigns and during those days Major Francis was General Wheelers confidential friend and adviser.
 Major Francis takes much pride in dis cussing with his friends General Wheel CTS brilliant war and political record, covering as it does a period of almost an ordinary lifetime. The other day your correspondent dropped into Major Francis office and found the major in one of his best reminiscent moods and after while the subject of conversation turned to General Wheeler and his record in the late war with Spain. 'I have something l want to show you," said Major Francis to your correspondent and then he took from private drawer of his desk several mementoes of the Spanish-American war which were collected on the battle fields of Cuba by General Wheeler and sent by him to Major Francis, while General Wheeler was in Cuba in the active ser vice of the United States government. These Cuban war relics include the fol- lowing: A coral stone picked up by Gen eral Wheeler on the beach near Santiago, bo ba taA forces first landed on Cuban soil; piece of palm leaf from San Juan hill, which was picked up by General Wheeler just after the close of the noted battle fought there; a metal rivit from the Spanish battleship Viscaya, which was taken from the wreck by General Wheeler; two leaves from the ceibo tree under which the articles of equalization were signed between the Spanish and United States governments, In ais letter to Major Francis at that time General Wheeler says that this ceibo tree is about 50 feet in circumference.
 These mementoes of the Cuban war are highly prized by Major Francis because they were collected by his friend, General Wheeler, while the Spanish-American war was in progress Major Francis also has a number of letters written by General Wheeler from Cuba at the time of the Spanish-Amercan war and these letters give a full history of each one of these Cuban war relics as they were sent to Major Francis.
 Some of these letters also refer to the effort that was being made in the Con gress of the United States at that time to unseat General Wheeler in Congress-. It will be remembered that this fight against General Wheeler's seat in Con gress was at the instigation of Congress- man Bailey of Texas, who championed the fight against General Wheeler, on the grounds that General Wheeler was at that time commissioned officer in the United States army and that this, according to Congressman Bailey, was sufficient grounds for unseating General Wheeler in Congress. These letters would make interesting newspaper reading, but Major Francis would not consent to have them printed. He added, however, that he might do so some day.
 General Wheeler's home for many years was on his plantation of 10000 acres at Wheeler station, small village on the Southern Railway IS miles west of De- catur.
 Decatur is the geographical center of the Eighth congressional district which district General Wheeler represented in Congress for so many years It was in Decatur where Major Francis resided and where he for many years watched care fully over General Wheeler's political interests.
 Major Francis is a lawyer by profession, although during his younger days he edited a newspaper for a while. He is himself an ex-Confederate soldier and as a result of the Civil war he has carried a crippled leg during all these years since the close of the war between the states