The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-10-05
THAT uILITARY TROUBLE.
Tho Times Reporter I'lls tho Facts and
yindicntes Himself.

An article published in yesterdays
| Times. which stated that Company y,
of the Blues battalion, would not take
mart i'm the competitive drill which VIII
take Mace on next Tuesday at the Tx
pOsitiOn Grounds, brought lOrth letter
10 Cantain George AinSlie, the command
ant of the company, signed by the mem
hers of the company which was subse-
ouently published I'm an afternoon paper.
The letter among other things, con-
tanned the following:
"'The article in question was entirely
and absolutely Unauthorized by the com
pany or any individual member thereof,
and its publication was as complete
surprise TO us as 10 yourself 1t meets
with and well merits. our heartiest con-
demnation, and we hereby characterize
il as a gross misrepresentation Of facts
calculated to put ourselves In a false
position before you and the eyes Of the
When / wrote the article alluded TO
for The Times | had no desire 10 do IN
justice to either Captain Ainslie or his
company, and | only alluded 10 matters
known TO me for days, and which | had
been told 10 be facts by members OF
Company 3: as well as by others IN The
Blues battalion
Since then have hesitated a long time
whether | should take any notice of the
letter TO Captain Ainslie or not. and as
much as | regret to again refer to the
subject ! feel that I'm view of the most
severe attack contained in that letter. |
am compelled TO explain the situation as
IL had been stated 10 me-
Ever since the two companies, A and
b, of the Blues Battalion began 10 prac-
tice Tor the competitive drill | have
given them as much attention as my
time would allow. | have watched their
progress with great interest, and being
acquainted with nearly every member. |
naturally Kept posted as 10 nearly every
thlng that tranSpred.
ON Monday evening In both pOrOp4pias
were drilling In the streets around the
City Hall. Captain Ainsie's company had
a number Of absenteeS out of the thirty
TWO hles required for the competitive
drlH, and for some reason the men did
not drill as well as on former occasions.
Before the usual time for the exercises
expired Captain Ainslie suddenly took his
men back 10 their temporary quarters in
the old City Hall, where the company
was dismissed.
/ learued afterwards from some of the
men that Captain Ainslie had stated that
the company would not take part in the
competitive drill. and would not assemble
again until Friday, october 9Th. for the
annual inspection, and thereafter only
once a week on Wednesdays, the regu-
lar drill night. When this statement was
made to me the men around me appeared
to be very much put out over the turn
things had taken
Subsequently met Major Sol. Cutchins,
the commandant of the battalion, TO
WHOM spOht OI lNt SubJtNl.
told me, in substance, that he
felt convinced that Captain Ainslie was
provoked over the absence of some of his
men, but that he had no business 10 treat
those who had come i'm the manner he
did, and that he had told him so. This
was one OF the statements i made, with
out mentioning any name, In yesterdays
Times AT the same time | promised
Major Cutchins not TO mention the oc-
cutrence the next morning. which / did
not do
on Tuesday / questioned members OF
/ ompany -, as / Happened TO meet them.
II there had been any change In the
situation and they replied In the mega
tive, one of them saying that the men
had almost gone down on their knees beg
cling Captain Ainslie to change his de- |
cision. but without success. On Tuesday