The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-06-17
- AIE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE LOCAL" SPORT WORLD :.


ish-American army as private. He
has three campaigns to his credit in
the Philippines. Il was on one of them
that he whipped his officer for insult
ing him, an act which, had It not been
Tor President Roosevelt, would have
put stop to notably brilliant mill
tary career. But Roosevelt, after
learning the inside" of the affair, re-
marked that he IT. RI would have
done the same thing had he been in
CaldweHs place, and he thereupon
forthwith reversed the findings OF sew
eral court martials, the "akehs" of a
score of officers up to and including
Gen. Corbin, who, at that time, was
Adjutant General. 1t was a famous
case IN army circles and It was stat
ed at the time that no President had
ever before interfered with the find.
ings in case Of that kind, let alone
reverse them.
TIE father of Capt. Caldwell was the
late Charles T. Caldwell, OF Parkers-
burg, famed in the annals of the state
as one of its most brilliant orators,
criminal lawyers and wits. His uncle
Is Huntington's richest citizen, James
l.. Caldwell, the banker
Ritter Elected Director.
Like other West Virginia citizens OF
wealth and prominence in political and
business affairs who came to Washing
ton to reside temporarily, liked 1t. and
gradually became Interested in local
affairs, Mr.. William NJ. Ritter, of
WEIGH, w. Va, whose company Is one
of the largest hardwood concerns in
the country, has decided to make, this
city his permanent winter residence.
He came here at the outbreak OF the
war, one of the dollar-a-year.men, first
with the Committee on National De-
tense, then on the War Industries
Board OF which B. NJ. Barutch was the
chairman, and later member of the
Board to stabalize prices appointed by
Secretary Redfield. Mr.. Ritter was
the originator of this plan which, aft
er heartily approving, the administra-
ton put out of business. working
through Director OF Railroads Hines.
The story goes that the administration
finally decided it was too big an au-
thority to place IN the hands of men
who were not politicians, but success
full business men and economists, who
could not be controlled nor influenced
by the politicians of the administra
ton. Mr.. Ritter has but recently been
elected member of the Board OF Di-
rectors of the Riggs National bank,
the biggest banking house in Washing
ton and one of the biggest in the coun-
try. He has also bought the palatial
residence on fashionable Massachu-
sets avenue which he has had under
lease for several years. He has no
thought Of giving up his residence in
West Virginia, however. His bust
ness interests are, for the most part,
centered in that state, and his citizen.
ship interest and attachments are
stronger for West Virginia than they
can be for any other place. 1t was
there he got his start in life from a
very humble beginning and, as he
often says in conversation with
friends, "all l am or have achieved l
eve to the state of West Virginia and
to her people, Mr.. Ritter is very
democratic man and very popular and
highly esteemed by the West Virgin
ians in the Capital.
Promise Better Car Supply.
Representative Goodykoontz and