Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-03
POWER OF The new RIFLE
How Absentees Were Treated by
Cincinnati Officers.
INT STING NOTE S


ter of discipline were strengthened. OF late
there has been growing carelessness in the
matter of wearing uniform while doing the
official class practice in the gallery. Here
after officers or enlisted men who are not
properly CARRIED when they report for the
official practice will not be permitted to
shoot. At voluntary practice it matters
very little what clothing is worn, but when
a company is under orders it will have to
report in satisfactory shape, or suffer the
humiliation of seeing those whose clothing
will not pass inspection rejected by the in
spector of rife practice on duty. Cndress
unifCrm-and every man should know 1t
consists of the service cap, blouse, trousers,
leggings and belt; anything less than these
will not be accepted.
A considerable proportion of the time de-
voted to the meeting was given to consider
alton of the proposition to organize rifle
association. Lieut.. G. b. Young presented
drafts of constitution and of bylaws.
With Capt Bell, Lieut.. Young will revise
the documents and present them for adop-
ton at the next meeting of the department
of rife practice. In the meantime inspectors
generally will do their utmost to find out
how many members of the guard would like
to join the association. The expense will be
reduced to a minimum and every effort will
be put forth TO make the affair popular and
successful.
Before adjournment Maj. George H. Har-
ries was authorized and directed to COM
municate with the family of the late Capt.
John s Shepherd of the twenty third New
York regiment and express the sincere sor-
row with which the news of the officers
death was learned by. the guardsmen in
, this city.
Terrible Weapon.
In an experiment with the new and terri
bic rifle with which the European armies
are to be equipped I man was recently shot
accidentally. He was nearly half mile
a Of x-y1In -ixr.a
bullets passed into his body. One OF his
ribs was struck by the bullet and the missile
exploded. When the post-mortem eXamina-
ton was held it was found that the bullet
had split into fourteen pieces, which had
penetrated the mans body in as many diff
ferent directions. II would have been i'm
possible for surgical skill to have accom-
plished any relief If the man had not died
instantly. the different parts of the bull
let could not have been p-obed for from the
exterior of the body. This was the life
which can kill a man at a distance of a
mile and quarter. and a bullet from which
went through the bodies of three men, one
placed behind the other, the shot being fired
from distance of a quarter of a mile.
Just now the European authorities, having
become satisfied as to the murde-ous exc
cution of the new rifle, have fallen into a
consideration of the danger to the ospital
corps 1t is generally understood that the
new German rife will have a range of near
ly two miles. In previous wars the hos
a mile in the rear of the line. and at times
much nearer than this. AS the men were
wounded they were carried back and placed
IN the hands OF the surgeons, where their
sufferings were relieved, and all that hu-
manity could do was done in their behalf
The hospital corps in this instance was out
of range of the enemy. and could work sue
ceSSfully. The question now is where can
the surgeons be placed safely from danger
of the new rifles having a range of two
miles. 1t is impracticable to carry the
wounded mile and half back of the line
and If the forces approach within half a
mile of one another, the whole question
resolves itself into a discussion upon the
terrible results which must attend the next
meeting of hostile forces in Europe armed
with the rifles.
Drastic Measures.
Although the District National Guard is
constantly improving. many faults exist
which have yet to be overcome. One of
these, and prominent one, too, is the man
ner In which certain members of the var
tous commands regard, CT rather disregard
the oath taken upon becoming guardsmen
Entering Gen. Ordway's command is a
voluntary action. No one is forced to take
it, but when the step is once taken, the SOL
der should live up to the oath. If ne fails
to do SO, a way should be found to compel
him.
According to the Cincinnati ENQUIRER here
is the way they do it in Cincinnati:
When Capt. Fred. Herman of battery B.
1rSt artillery. cast his optics down the drill
line at the armory last night he saw that
something was wrong. y number of "chron-
lc abSentees had not responded to the drill
call. As soon as the drill was over a few
blank warrants were secured. Sergt Dun
ham, Lieut.. Roller and First Sergt. Hage-
meyer We're subsequently given charge of a
posse of twelve stalwart soldiers and in
structed to bring in the deserters.
AT RobinsOn's Opera House Private VIII
liam Senior was cOrralled by Sergt. Dun
ham. Senior was taken to the armory and
thrown into a cell. The following other
men were brought in later: George and Ell
mer Maus. Harry Kruse, VIM. Cheeseman
VIM b. Robertson, John Reinhardt and
James Burns. Most of these men were at
tending q ball in the twenty-fifth ward
when they We're arrested. The men will all
be tried at the next field day court. which
will be held in the near future
John Reinhardt and William Senier jr,
were later arrested in Cumminsvlle.
Gen. Ordway's Letter.
The following letter is undoubtedly of in
terest to all who participated in the parade
on Washington's birthday:
Headquarters District of Columbia Militia,
WASHINGTON. D. c., Feb. %, 1894.
Col Vim. G. Moore:
My Dear Colonel-Permit me to congratu-
late you on the parade under your COM
mand today. The thought was a good one,
and the successful manner in which you
carried it out will doubtless result in good
ALBERT ORDWAY,
Brigadier General d. c. Militia.
Rifle Practice.
The schedule for rifle practice in the gall
lery for the coming week is as follows:
Monday-Company A, Third Battalion.
Tuesday-Company A. Fourth Battalion.
Wednesday-COmpanyA A, Sixth Battalion.
Thursday-Company A, Second Battalion.
Friday-Company b, First Separate Bat
talon.
Saturday-Company B, Fifth Battalion.
The gallery will be open every day ex-
cept Sunday from to y. m. for voluntary
practice. Ammunition will be furnished
upon the payment of one cent for each
round.
Acting First Lieut.. w. H Mellach in
spectOr Of rifle practice for the first and
second separate companies, has sent cir
cular letter to the delinquent members of
those commands. directing them to report
at the gallery and shoot off the 200 and 800
yard scores as soon as possible. The lieu
tenant will be at the gallery every Wednes-
day from to O'Clock to certify such
scores.
Company A. second battalion, attired in
full dress National Guard uniform, was
photographed prior to joining the parade on