Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-07
THE MrLEs-roRsYrHE TROUBLE.
What 10 Said nc the War Department
About II.

.-"'
Gen. Schoield said this morning that the
court Of inquiry established by Gen. Miles at
Pine Ridge for the investigation Of Col. For
sythe's action at Wounded Knee creek hiss been
dissolved, but that he had received no official
confirmation OF the press dispatoh that Gen.
M;,es had res,or.a o., I,-.r.ha a. NJ. 90
1910 eea MINES no Aooeo' uas iuii oisSre
'ion IN tne matter.
The publication this morning Of q rather
sensational story about n row in the cabinet
meeting Yesterday ovor ,hs I,a;.r ,no.,;o,,
o'sf .ne .noi.a does'io''
oauseaa niue excitement In ofnciai circles I'M
vi II was learned that the matter was strongly
denied by the officers interested and present.
One of the alleged principals in the word
duel, which was said to have taken place at the
meeting, Secretary Proctor said this morning
that the story was untrue in every particular.
In TACT the matter of the change Of system
In the care OF the Indians was not preached.
THE WAR DEPARTMENT IN CONTROL
Secretary Proctor said: AT the outset OF the
troubles the entire management OF the disaf-
fected Indians and the military control Of the
reservations was put in the hands Of the War De-
partment by the PRESIDENT With the fun APP
kaer arv d;scnss;n, ~ oo,.,orarer a. s,,s.
iect between the Interior and Wa nenartn,ents
and the mater mas not oilnded e. a yests-Jax.s
cahipaf roaaf,pD
fhh fohSifhh CAST.
opinions In army circles as to the Forsythe
| case, under the light of the facts let loose BY
the Secretary of War Yesterday contained in
the te,.o,onb;c a,,,,, A.. MAJ
ter are cans;derehiv nnrs ~ v"r;ance thai
tba,y wa-a haso..a a. .-,,tt, ssa;.n'. snIs
eitSomot 800 e.. ~ ~ .. ,;sS u.
Cni Eo-sr.Ie :; ~ s soI;. va" - L. W;lN
ecconnt r,thsr ,ho,, 20 ne an,hor;,;.s horn
is plain. saw these oficers' from the CORE
spondence, that the first sugges-
ton came from Gen. Miles, who prgc-
.roait assed I1r perm1sslo1 10 inves uga'e. ne
find ont If tbere had baer anx nnso5;s-iw can.
duct AT the wounded Knee craeL iott crd in
the event ~ 6nd;nc that thare b,d hosn 20 r.
lieye The resnons;hie oS,;cer from his comrand
..This. retorted Gen Miles in eject thew saw
in his neYt disnatch ..yas a1activ Sho,
thouoht Won ,roila say ~ a. a-..,;o,s os
the Pres;dent 7 bo ant;c;r.ted .nd ,eIon
have anno;ntad = 49,. 81 n; - 5a,;ar.i
Col Fprsvths ton b;s VI nmqufy anu ue"e's1
GEN. scHofIELD's REPLY.
The reply from Gen. schofield, according to
a nv officers. conveva a ,ebnts from the
r,,s;dant He sovs. ..It ,,., not N. ;n,.,,;o,,
To der a court ON the fe,d Of h.t,le nor
should you have relieved ANYBODY until bis
offense was proven"
Now the question arises IN military circles:
Dld not zen. Miles exceed ms authority IN the
case py renewing an orlcer before ne received
me permission ne mad reguestedE He hrst asks
n ne can 10 tnlng ana then, when PERMISSION
1 s granted. says una. ne mas already done 1t.
Inc responsioiiisy IN the case, IN the opinion
OF many ohcers, Is very efectuaiiy shifted to
the snouiaeTs OF Gen. Miles,, and there are r9-
mors at the War Department that the friends
OF oot forsytne Intend 10 make II warm Tor
'ne niaJor general aIter tne trouble ID over.
SOME AMY OFFICERS VIEWS
A STAR reporter searched for opinions this
morning and found several that were yery in
teresting. One officer said: 'viewing all of the
conditions of the case would say, as a military
man, that there has been a grave mistake made.
II yon put the question to me alphabetically
would say that were L In command OF
Dody OF troops IN q campaign and
mere were an error OF Judgment mace
py coionei. snouid never dream OF releying
MN OF ms command on the neld either with or
Tinont an lnyes!lgauon; ana mucn less womb
seaaa al atSm on
rom the enemy where there was nghtins near
AT hano. II SHOWS, IN my esumauoh, con-
spicuous lack oI praih'
GENERAL MISREPRESENTATION.
Another officer said: 0There seems to have
hean a oeneral MISUNDERSTANDING hetweer The
.u.,a-;.;a. -. Ia a." =. pe. g. s
autnofiues mere ana tnose at zine hldee, and
between them they made very serious break.
Looking at the case from military point of
view l would say that Gen. Miles fOresaw q
great deal of public criticism and he thought
tn ~ nau ro tTu"G Trth M ss ses
the Investigation to the President who.
surrounded as he is by hosts of political in
fiuences. sliced this opportunity to draw atten-
tlon 10 tne Kinne Oh tne women ana cnildren
VOW comes .ne question: VI Prlhcipie-I 20 hot
tnlhk lnat IL Is rieht 70 relieve man OF ms
eommana peiore ne mas chance 70 snow that
ne was risht IN Ills acuoh.
STORY TO THE POINT.
third oflcer had story to tell apropos OF
the question OF responsibility in the case which
seemed to represent the status Of things pretty
well: He said: This affair reminds me of the
experience OF two small boys who went hunting
with their father gun, which they loaded with
bnckshot, The elder, about eight years old
carried the gun anu the other, q httie tot, went
along behind:
They went out into the bushes behind the
barn and pretty soon they saw something black
moving ahead OF them. shoot 1t, shoot 1t,
cried the little Fellow, and his brother biazed
saying, We've killed q bear, we've killed a
theit fathers mule he gazed at it for a few
minutes in silence and then said with a great