The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-01-22
REDUCED TO THE RANKS.
The Brazilian Recruiting
Officer Punished.
MAJOR HARC0URT'S REPORT.
Corporal Richards Has Always Been
an Exemplary Officer, and Thought
Iessness Alone Has Brought Him q
Reprimand.

The report of Major Harcourt, the officer
detailed by Brig. Gen. Hiram Kendall to
investigate the statement that members
OF the militia of this state were enlisting
for service in Brazil, was received by Gov
ernor Brown this morning.
The report contains statements of rep
resentatives of The Journal and Telegram,
who gave Corporal Richards work the
free advertising he desired, and also final
ly brought it to the attention OF the mill
tary authorities. Major Harcourt also ex-
amined Corporal Richards and men of Co.
H., II. 4. M.
Corporal Richards states that, moved by
curiosity, he wrote to Major Rhodes of
whose enlistment schemes he had read in
anxious to obtain Rhode Island men as
sharpshooters and Corporal Rich
ards agreed to furnish desirable men.
When he secured about twenty names he
sent them to Major Rhodes with de-
scriptive list. He was instructed to en-
them nor swear them in, that ceremony
being reserved for future hour and when
on the high seas.
He was positive that he had not melted
members to take service under the flag OF
Brazil, for the approaches were made by
sSse no bv wishing hing to ctSd as ns be
tain that any of the men on his list were
members of the militia. Men had told
him that they lwere, but he feared that
some might have misrepresented the facts
for the purpose of being taken.
The corporal visited Company q, Second
Regiment, at its armory in Pawtucket, but
after looking over the men he came to
the conclusion that only one man would
be acceptable to Brazil, and as that one was
the captain of the company to whom the
position OF private in Peixoto's army
would be no object nothing was said to
him.
The testimony draws out the fact that
Corporal Richards got the newspapers in
terested in his work by direction of Major
Rhodes who had sent on instructions how
to work the papers and create public
interest in the enterprise without having
to pay for advertising II. The corporal Is
complished the purpose, as the publicity
thus gratuitously obtained brought volun
teers by the dozen, saving the recruiting
agent the trouble OF looking for them.
The Testimony.
"Did you exhibit warrant appointing
YOU fourth duty sergeant in the lnde
pendent Sharpshooters Company" asked
Major Harcourt, "and did you repeat
form OF oath subscribed to by yourself and
to be subscribed to by all who joined your
band?"
81 did, but that oath part was a little
fancy of mine"
"Did you state TINT you had signed it?"
81 may have done SO, but do not wish
to be understood that ! actually signed
such n paper. Making statements to re-
porters and making statements here are
very different. In telling the story TO the
papers ! was following the instructions OF
the major, but did not do all he wanted
me to do with the newspapers"
"IIave you received commission a
Lieutenant Of the independent Sharp
shooters?"
81 have not, but have been promised
commission In the Boston Company"
"IIave you taken any oath OF allegiance
to the republic OF Brazilf"
81 have not"
At the request OF Captain Maynard,
Corporal Richards was asked II nc would
take any such oath OF allegiance 20 Brazil
while owing allegiance to tho United
States and tho state Of Rhoad Island, as
member OF the militia, to which he
answered, III don't think would"
Captain Maynard then requested that
the corporal be asked why he had not APP
piled for his discharge the reply being:
"I did not know that anything would
como ot this brazilian business, and IL IL
failed did not wish TO lose my member
ship i'm my company"
Capt Maynard states that Corp Rich
ards IS most exemplary non n-commis-
stoned officer, and that In all the three
years OF his service the corporal has not
missed single drill; that nc was promoted
| for his good qualities aud excellent con-
| duct ~ member of the tgopps He Is o