New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-15
WAR AMONG GUARDSMEN.
AN ELECTION IN THE 22D REGIMENT LEADS
TO A LEGAL CONTROVERSY.
THE STATE CONSTITUTION AND THE MILITARY
CODE IN CONFLICT on THE PRIVILEGES

OF STAFF OFFICERS
The tornado which has been making havoc aoouo
the countrr Is threatening the 22d Regiment ~ ~
sN w. and storm is brewing in the fonrteehth'S''
armory. on last Friday evening an eieo'o" wa
held by the 22d Regiment to III t'o N"''"' 'o"' ,
mission OF lleutenant-colonel. llrlI 'o'','i ,,
officers Of tbe regiment present ana Oolohei
ynhn r Carr rndcr orders from his brigader, pre-
sided When the written votes were pelns pia'eu III
tha prn t,vo officers were challenged. Tbey were
staff officers and the one who objected heu com.
mission of the line. The colonel IN charge looAci
over the military CODE and in accordance WIN It's
provisions rejected the votes OF inc s'ah o'H'o'S'
The election then proceeded.
Tho two chief candidates for the vacant Office were
S,optaip George Z. b. Hart, commanding Company
and senior captain of the regiment, and Captain
Iobn p. Leo third senior captain commanding Com
many l. the color company. Captain Hart Is II
tbotonrh soldier and in spite OF the Acknowledged
wealth of the regiment and its social pre- emlnence in
favor of the adoption Of the regulation state UNIFORM
which is modelled after that OF Uncle SANS troops
Captain Leo. on the other hand, wants the members
of the regiment to attire themselves in swailowail'
with gold lace and spansles That seems to have been
the issue between the two candidates and the result
of the vote was as follows Captain John p Leo II :
Captain George f. i. Hart. l.: Major William v
King, l.
As soon as the election thus decided, the Hart
faction headed by the two rejected staif officers,
organized a campaign of attack on Captain Leos posi-
ton Every infantry regiment in this state has three
sets of commissioned officers field stan and line
The colonel. lieutenant colonel and major constitute
the field; the adjutant Quartcrmaster, inspector Of
rife practice commissary. surgeon and assistant make
up the staff. and the line consists of the captains ana
neutenantS of the companies. one Of the stan officers
who offered TO vote al the election was surgeon MAJOR
W. w. Il. Pryor a son Of General Roger \. Pryor. ana
he is the leading agatOr who appears i'm the protest
The document in which this protest Is formulated
forwarded TO Brigade HEADQUARTERS YESTERDAY ana
will reach the Office of the Commaudcrin chief cVen'u
ally. COuChcd in the technical mil tary terms, the
counts of the complaint are simply l. The star
officers of the regiment not asked 10 appear at
the election; . The stan officers were not asked 10
vote at the election: 3. Those staff officers who at
tempted to vote. moi allowed to do 50.
The controversy which has thus arser originates
from difference of opinion among military men as
sttution Of the state of New-York Article ri.
section .. Field officers Of regiments ana separate
battaOns shall be chosen or appointed by the written
votes OF the commissioner officers Of the respective
regiment or separate battalion IEat Gems To- st'u3
1t, and includes the stan officers among tho~e thurl
to vote, and naSmuch as no amendment t. this ar, r.
that the stan should have been allowed - VOC. Oh
the other hand the Military Code OF re stat OF NSH
Field onicer, Of regiments and baualon
shall be chosen hy the field and company Officers
leaves stan officers ont. aud is the rule on which
Colonel Camp based his decision. ,
The regiment is divided into two strong factions
the dress suit ard state uniform parties. and there
Is considerable bitterness. If the stan officers are
allowed 10 vote 10y decision OF Governor lilll. new
election must bc ordered. and the followers Of Captain
Hart claim that in that their candidate would
he chosen. The Leo party'S strongest argument,
are. that inasmuch s;an Officers are NOT elected
thev should not have vote IN election. ana
that if staff officers. who are appointed by 10"
colonel with scope for number Of ~upInumea;ie~'
be allowed to vote. the colonel himself. who j. a
field officer might keep himself IN Office by JudiG"ua
appointments The regiment ban occurs t. moro"
night and the present nnpca antne-s unfortunately
mars the promise OF harmony and of the usual good
fellowship.