The record-union., 1891-07-15
SHIRKING DRILLS.
A Failing Possessed by Some Ma
tional Guardsmen.
Several of Them Court-Martialed and
Punished for Their Negligence
Encampment Notes.

The court-martial recently held for the
trial of delinquents in the First Artillery
Regiment, and at which Major Presley
Is. johnson presided, has wound up its
affairs. From the report submitted to
Colonel J. w. Guthrie it is learned that
charges had been preferred against Pri-
Yates w. T. Silva, III. C. Mealand and c..
A. Teeters of Company 4, by Captain
Seymour, for being absent from three con-
s3cutive drills.
The trial resulted in Silva being found
guilty, and his sentence was fine Of five
dollars, and a reprimand by his Captain
in the presence of the entire company.
The court found Mealand not guilty
but was rather inconsistent, from the fact
that it recommended that he be repri-
manded by the Colonel of the regiment,
in orders, for being grossly ignorant of
company laws, and not having the well
fare of his company at heart-a punish
ment actually greater than that inflicted
on Silva, who was found guilty, except
that Mealand was not required to pay five
dollars.
Private Teeters was found guilty and
fined twenty dollars, and in addition was
dlshonorably discharged from the service.
There is saving clause for him, how
ever. The court suSpendS the discharge
portion of the sentence, and recommends
that the culprit be given three months
trial, and if his average attendance at
drills comes up to sixty per cent, he is to
be reinstated in the company. The
twenty-dollar fine stands, however.
Captain I. B. Hall of Company G. pre-
ferred charges against two of his men,
priyates VIII X. Clark and Cornelius
OKeefe, for absence from three consecu-
ril lnff 4 L.
fined $40 each, in addition to being repri-
manded by their Captain in the presence
Of the company, in full uniform and
under arms.
The findings and sentence against all
were approved by Colonel Guthrie, and
some of the fines have already been paid
The chief trouble with the men belong
ing to the National Guard, both here
aboutS and elsewhere, seems to be their
absenting themselves from drills. The
State law is very explicit, and states
that If a man absents himself from three
consecutive drills he must be dishonora-
bly, discharged. This is a disgraceful
stigma to attach to any self-respecting
young man. The law should be fully
stated to each recruit before he is sworn
IN, so that he cannot plead ignorance, as
some do.
If a man enlists for three years he
should make up his mind to attend to his
1ullE
for that term, and if he does not like the
service he need not re-enlist. An hours
drill once a week is a benefit to any
young man. The discipline is good. if
the company is well Differed, and the
exercise is certainly better than standing
about the street corners of evenings.
Colonel Lehe's (Stockton) regiment
goes into camp at Santa Cruz next Satur-
day, as does also Colonel Henshaw's
Chico battalion.
From private letters received from a
former Adjutant Of the First Artillery
Captain Thomas T. Wiseman. now resi-
dent OF Jersey City-it is learned that he
woods to equal our home regiment,
and consequently does good deal of the
usual California Dragging for his old
comrades.