The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-09-17
WHAT OFFICERS THINK.
NEW PHASES IN THE BAWEs CASE.
Governor Mckinney Has q Right to Act
- He Thinks Best"-oficers are
~ Dumb ss CLANS.

sively the future policy OF other Objects
who are now in command.
The story of the resignation, as pup
iished exclusively in Tuesdays hines
can be summed up as follows; when the
cavalry regiment of volunteers was
formed In this State, but few years
ago. Colonel Halves enlisted as pr
yate. Long training as brave anu INV
liant courier in the Confederate aI"lts
soon demonstrated to the cOmlnahdaht Vi
the volunteers that Colonel Hawes, as a
soldier was of no ordinary cast. anu INC
nr;rats uas soon made adJutant. IheI
major. being elected unanimously am
Inv the same fatterng vote T ,:'.''',,,l
Uawes received the positions OF heu'en
ant-colonel and colonel. .-.,,,,. mot
Long before the General Asseplpiy nv
nj its last session 1t was piainiy %PPS
-, IN military officers that change III
~. Tn' ,a,.s governing the militia of the
State was necessary. Conferences were
Mold a hill drawn up, and before Il meet,
10 Of committees from the Senate anu
Uouse the measure was advocated 1oL
oneI HAYES. Colonel II. {. Jones, Coi-
onei IL Lane Stern and perhaps other
oaicers were present Colonel Stern, III
The course OF his remarks, stated thaI
certain officers had been guilty oI Il
breach of discipline by attempting W
have the bill passed without hrSt CONSULT
ing their superior officers.
PROVISIONS OF THE BILL.
The bill provided that the term OF 'le
Ad;,,tont- General should be the same as
the Governor of the State, but unlike lhe
Governor. the Adjutant-Generai sho'lu pe
eligible for reelection. Inc measure
passed and is now law. c-,,
Shortly after the meeung w IoiVno o
Halves petitioned Governor /; w. Mc
Kinney to appoint court OF inquiry,
which would inquire into the charge made
Inv Colonel Stern that Colonel Halves had
been auiIty of a breach of discipline.
etters were exchanged between the com
mander-iD-chief and the Colonel, but the
court asked for was never app )lhteu.
letter of n recent date from Colonel
Halves requested Governor Mckinney 10
appoint some other officer than COlOnel
Stern to inspect the Cavalry regiment
The request was denied, after when
Colonel Halves asked again In reference
10 the court Of inquiry spoken OF ana re-
ouested several months ago. To that let
Ter which bore the date of August l9th,
no reply or acknowledgment has ever been
made. Colonel Halves resignation foi-
lowed on September 10th, and was ac,
cepted on the 18th, Lieutenant-Colonel
William +. Wickham being directed 10
take command of the cavalry forces OF
the State.
AGAINST COLONEL sTEBN.
Colonel Henry G. Jones' of the First
regiment. soon after Colonel Halves
asked for a court of inquiry forwarded
10 The Governor charges and specifications
against Colonel Stern, and asked that Il
court-martial be immediately ordered.
The papers were sent to the Executive
through Brgadier-General Charles ).
Anderson, who approved them, and their
receipt was acknowledged by the COY
ernOr. No action, however, has ever
been taken, although the charges are OF
far more Importance than the court OF
inquiry asked for by Colonel HAYES. lie
only requested that the Executive APP
point a court of inquiry to find out
whether or not he had been guilty of
breach Of military discipline. Colonel
Jones made charges against Colonel
Stern and specified them.
Governor Mckinney in all likelihood
was not disposed to treat at any time the
matter as being serious, or one that
would in the least impair the volunteer
service Of the State.
A wel-knOwn officer said yesterday
nor Mckinney was of the opinion that
no serious results would occur from de-
layed action i'll the matter. lie was dis
posed to believe that silence on his part
would best work out the difficulty, and 1
think i am right when | say that he was
of the opinion that time would heal all
of the differences. In my humble Judg-
ment Colonel Hawes and Colonel Stern
had right to their opinions and no
court-martial or court of inquiry is need
ed. Suppose for an instance two officers
In the regular army would become lnVol-
we'd in n quarrel and a superior officer
should appear on the scene If he did his
duty he would put both of the men I'M
der arrest and send them to their quar-
ters. But would he court-martial them
No. sir. he would simply let their anger
cool and end the matter by ordering them
TO their duties. OF course, do not
know what the Governors opinion is III
the case. and would not venture to say
that he acted right or wrong. but 40
not hesitate to say that l think the dl1-
ferences between the Colonies could nave
been patched mp without application TO
Governor Mckinney.
IL am well aware of the fact that it is
contrary TO military law for one officer
20 reprimand another. and Colonel Stern
was perhaps guilty of such conduct when
he spoke az he did, hut strict military
law could hardly be expected TO prevail
at a meeting of the kind at which the oc-
currence happened. l have only one fact
to add and that is / am sorry that Colo
mel Halves has left the service. lie was
q faithful officer. and to him is due the
main credit for building up the cavalry
service of the State
THE GOVERNORS POWER.
An ex-oficer. speaking to me yesterday,
said: 1t is within the power of the Gov
ernor 10 obtain all information and If be
will use the means at his command to oh
tain all the necessary facts as to the
wants of the service and the present
method of administering to the same, he
will gain such knowledge as will enable
him 10 make the volunteer service OF
this State the superior of any IN this
country. The material is here, the Of
fcers are anxious 10 do all they can, the
men are willing to learn. but they are
and have been very much hampeNd III
their work, and unless something is done
there are grave doubts in the minds OF
many officers as 10 whether the volun-
teer force of this State will be worth
much to it within the very near future.
To return TO the Halves case, it can be
said that the papers were sent to Colo
mel Meade Haskins, Judge Advocate-Gen
eral of the State. There they remain to-
day, and no one can do anything In the
premises except the Governor Colonel
Haskins is only responsible to him, and
If he chooses not to give his opinion, there
theEpatter ends.
When / called on Colonel Jones in ref
erence to the eourt-martial charges that
had been filed by him, he declined TO