The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-07-18
THE MUTINY OF COMPANY @.
Statements OF Col. Mccarthy, Who Dis
armed the Mflitismen.

! statement OF Col. Mccarthy, Who Dis
armed the Mlitismen.
walla waTA Statesman
A Stdtesman reporter today interviewed
| Lieut.. Col. Mccarthy, of this city. regard
ing the actions OF Company G. OF Spokane.
in refusing 10 ride with non-union men
from Tacoma 70 Pasco and Spokane, which
has been the subject of considerable news
paper controversy. and which Is liable to
result in a court-martial of Brig. Gen.
Curry. Briefly, Mr.. Mccarthy said:
/ sThe command in two sections left the
depot At Woodland about 8 or 10 p. m
, July g. / was in the first section. About
half way between Woodland and Tacoma
the engine pulling our section stopped;
canse no water in the boiler. | examined
the engine and boiler, and found that VIC
were unable 90 proceed. Fearing some
| snch accident would happen to the second
section coming up behind us, | deter
mined TO send q party on foot to Edison,
| the nearest point, where an engine
could be procured. with instructions
! to bring Ii back to where We were
| all on an ~ grade / went through the
cars where the men of the Second regi-
ment were sleeping, and after telling them
( the facts asked for volunteers for the duty.
| intended to take three or four from each
| car. The men responded promptly. IN
| fact. all wanted TO volunteer Looking
\ round for an officer who was acquainted
| with the ground, someone suggested
/ Lieut. Clarke, of Company G. First regi-
| ment. whose company was attached TO my
| section. Lieut.. Clarke PROMPTLY volun-
| teered, and in less time than IL takes to
tell had his squad en- route. Mean
! while | travelled back about a mile to
| Murray and located a stream and was
arranging TO have the tank filed by buck
cts. when the rear section came up, at
tached itself TO otr train and pushed US
/ slowly into Edison. We overlook the
/ volunteers, who had made wonderful
| progress. In this rear section the men
! were principally First regiment men. Ar
| irving at Edison the second section with
/ its own engine took the lead. hating but
/ q short time.
During the halt o committee OF Com
/ pany q, Second regiment, made a call on
| Gen. Curry and protested against being
1 carried forward by train manned by nom
1 union men, etc. The interview was cut
/ short by their section starting. and they
went along to Tacoma. Our section re-
4 manned some time at Edison. the damaged
! engine being put in shape. Gen. Curry
seemed worked up over the incident, and
/ / was simply astounded at their audacity
1 and advised board of officers TO inquire
/ into il and that action be had TO check any
/ such proceedings. When We arrived at
/ Tacoma Gen. Curry went up town or dis
appeared for several hours and l was busy
| with the command. / was informed that
/ members of & company were fraternizing
with the American Railway Union and
conducting themselves unsoldierly. Pass
4 ing nes7 their car saw the company in
line. officers standing near the TANKS, and
l several called out TO me. l paid no atten-
/ ton TO the first call. bnt had to pass that
way again. when they again demanded that
come forward. | did so, and found what
appeared to DO the full strength of the
| company in two ranks. Lieutenants on
| the left Hank and Capt. Number, acting as
| spokesman. told me that they wouldn't
| ride on this train or any train manned by
| non-union men or scaDs, etc. Nearly all
| OF the men in the company had some
| thing to sag TO the same effect | asked
them IL they would shoot II ordered to do
/ SO. The answer vas no, from all Sides
1 then, speaking very quietly to them.
| asked them 10 reconsider the matter and
act like good soldiers, etc. said | was very
| sorry 10 see them act as they did. They
| refused To reconsider, and | said: Now.
| boys. | don't want TO be in doubt about
| this; all of you no are OF the same opinion
and who refuse TO 20 out with US on this
train and obey orders hold up your hands.
/ or words to that effect. As far as | could
see all held up their hands. said: so il
/ is unanimous.
They appeared determined. so ordered
/ forward Companies u and +. Second regi-
/ ment, and placed the mutlneers under
/ guard, and detail of Company 4, Second
/ regiment, took possession of their arms. |
/ kept them under guard until the excite
| ment caused by the affair abated, and the
/ tralnmen who contemplated attacking
/ them were appeased by their prompt dis
1 arming. i stationed guard over the car
| and arms with instructions to watch the
| movements Of the muuneers, and | re-
/ ported 10 Gen. Curry. The A. +. Us APP
/ liar. f.A -. -
! sponded. aud large body Of cavalrymen
i came down and iraternized with the
/ mutineers and eheered them, and there
/ was a regular love feast for few minutes
I None OF the balance OF the command
| showed any sympathy. In fact, general
( feeling Of contempt Was shown for them.
Il searched around the depot for Gen.
| Curry and could not find him, but found
/ one OF bis personal stat. 10 whom | related
{ the circumstances, requesting him 30 in
sorm bis chief. Shortly afterward a mem
Der OF the stat said the genera! requested
+ that they be released from arrest. but 10
/ keep the arms until he had = chance TO
/ lecture the boys. So / relieved the guard.
When Gen. Curry came on the ground |
/ reported nay action. lie had the company
! marched lnto Car, had a private talk
( with them. and just before starting or
dered me 10 return the ara s. which did
I without comment. The men OF Il com
pany we're for several hours violent in
their liberalization 10 stay behind, but
1 the fear Of being stranded so far away
/ from home caused them TO make a feint OF
! repentance. Lieut. Brooks, whilst he did
I nothing to restrain the men (he seemed
/ ToRerless 10 do So, when | interviewed
4 him said be would obey orders Lieut.
/ Brown said he Was WIth the boys, and
would 10 as they wished. The company
as body, with the one exception, took
I part ~ the hrst demonstration. In nv
opinion 70 vas matlny Of the company
and not Of q squad, and the COMPANY
should be dlsbanded and otherwise pun
I Ishe4 AT least Il should be dlshanded. {"
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