Evening journal., 1892-12-17
A NAVAL RESERVE ROW.
Two Philadelphia Battalions
Dispute the Right to a Title.
SERIOUS RESULTS ARE PROBABLE


by the Organization Of Two Rival Com
panies Complications May Arise which
WIN Prove Detrimental to the AssOci-
atoms Progress sheriff ConnelI and
Commander Wright on the Subject.
PHILADELPHIA, Dec H. Complica-
tions which may result seriously will
probably arise in the ranks of the Naval
Reserve Association, owing to the fact
that two district organizations have been
formed, each Of which claims to be
Company B of the Naval Reserve Bat
TALON. Last Sunday a number of repre-
sentatives of the local naval veteran
societies met at Naval Post Hall and
effected permanent organization.
Forty names were enrolled, and twenty
more will be added from the ranks of the
Sons of Veterans.
On the other hand, Company b has
been organized by Commander Robert
X. Wright, Jr, and has been drilling
with Company A for the past three weeks.
About forty names have been enrolled
toward the formation of Company c..
These companies have been organized
under the direction Of the Naval Reserve
Association, a regularly chartered body,
while the company formed by the naval
veterans is entirely independent of this
body, and has denounced its intention of
applying for admission TO the National
Guard without consulting Mr.. Wright
or the directors of the Naval Reserve
Association.
Ii has been stated that Sheriff COnnell,
who was instrumental in having the act
passed legalizing the Naval reserve, had
been thrown overheard by what is
termed "the kid glove crowd" The
veterans claimed that Mr.. Connell was
in sympathy with their move and was a
member of their company.
Connell and Wright Talk. W
Both Mr. Wright and Sheriff Connell
denied yesterday that such a state OF
affairs existed. 81 have not been thrown
overheard, said the sheriff. Tam still q
member of the Naval Reserve As.
sociation, and my relations with
the gentlemen composing that body
have been and are of the most
cordial nature. They are on the right
track and the company which was formed
on Sunday, of which, by the way, / am
not a member and know nothing about,
can hope to accomplish nothing without
our cooperation. In fact, they don't
quite realize what they are doing. For
the most part they are men who have
long been out of service and are not
posted on the present tactics. We want
young men like Mr. Wright and'othel
| graduates of the Naval academy to take
hold Of this movement and not lot OF
old mossbacks."
Mr.. Write is inclined to the belief
that when the rival Company b. realizes
what it has undertaken the matter will
| be allowed TO drop.
81 have been considerably annoyed, 81
continued Mr.. Wright, "by the state.
ment that only college graduates viii be
admitted. This is not so. No man
would be rejected because he might not
be a college graduate, but our idea is to
draw from that class so far as possible.
A movement is now under way to have
an act of Assembly passed providing for
the organization of two battalions, in.
stead of one, as in the act of 1889. This
will give a full battalion of four com
panies to Philadelphia. and ano liner t
the western part of the state Will
headquarters at Erie and Pittsburg