The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-07-31
NEGROES WERE NAUGHTY,
HENCEA NATIONAL GUARD COMPANY
is SUSPENDED.

Its Officers Are Dismissed from the Ser
vice by the Adiutant GeperaI--A Court of
Inquiry Ordercd--Why and Wherefore.
CoLUMEIA, S. c., July 24.-The
State IS having trouble with some of
the colored militia Just row. Yester-
day two officers were dismissed from
the service of the State and whole
company was suspended" pending a
court Of inquiry, just as was done in
the case of the white companies,
which declined to obey Gov. Till
mans orders during the Darlington
| trouble
The Anjutant General acted upon
the following letter which he received
q few days ago:
Charleston, S. c., July II, 1895.
To j. Gary Watts, Adjutant and In
spector General Of South Carolina.
Sir: [ have the honor to herewith
forward you the statements of certain
officers and non-commissioned officers
as to the unsoldierlike conduct of the
officers and members of the Cover
nor's Rife Guard, which constitute a
part of the First Regiment of Nation
al Guards, commanded by one Z. w.
Deas, while at a picnic at Mount
Pleasant, in the county of Berkeley,
S. c., on June 18th, 1895, and their
conduct subsequent thereto.
I have been completely ignored by
said company in every order issued
them since, aud said command is now
in open conspiracy against me as
their superior officer, and, in my
opinion, they are aided and abetted
by others whom shall call to your
attention later on. You will see that
I have tried to discharge my duty in
trying to maintain discipline by ap-
pointing court of inquiry, and this
you viii see from the statement from
Capt. J. A. Williams presiden(D that
a majority of said court absented
themselves, whether from cowardice
or otherwise / am unable to say,
hence I am forced to this course. I
would say that, if there is not some
thing done, it would be utterly impos-
sible for me to maintain proper dis
cipline. I would therefore recon-
mend that the said Capt. E. W. Deas
be removed from Office, as also his
first lieutenant, E. D. Jones, and l
would respectfully recommend the
appointment of E. J. Washington as
captain of said company and J. R.
Lawrence as first lieutenant.
I will state that I was present at
Mount Pleasant on the 18th day of
June, and the conduct of the company
was such that I was compelled to in
terfere as colonel, but my orders were
not obeyed. Lieut.. Jones called the
men to arms and started them off IN
double quick time. I commanded
them to halt. Lieut.. Jones refused to
halt and rushed his men off in a dis.
organized state upon crowd of citi-
zens that had already been put under
arrest by the marshal and his specials,
and was on the way to the guard
excitement was so great that the sher-
if was compelled to come and make
an arrest by complaints, and | aided
him. | have been censured by the
officers Of said company to their men
for so doing. This is not the first
time that they have been turbulent
and the chief of police of the city of
Charleston is aware Of the fact. And,
therefore, for the good Of the service,
these officers should be removed so
that the others be made to know that
the civil officers shall be respected.
Respectfully yours,
w. H ROBERTSON,
Col. Com. First Regt., \. g., S. G.
Adjutant General Watts action is
embraced in the following two orders
issued Yesterday:
Special order No. 26.
Capt. E. w. Deas and First Lieut..
+. D. Jones, Of the Governors Rifle
Guards, First Regiment, National
Guard, are hereby discharged from the
militia of South Carolina for conduct
unbecomirga an officer and soldier.
By order of the commander-ir-chlef,
JOHN GARY WATTS,
A. & l. Gen.
Official.
w. w. Bruce, Asst. a. & 1. Gen.
Special Order No. 81.
Pursuant to a communication re-
eeived from Col. W. H. Robertson,
commanding First Regiment, n. G.,
S. c.. the Governors Rifle Guard,
Lieut.. David Grant, commanding, are
hereby suspended until further orders.
Col. W. H. Robertson is hereby or
dered to investigate the conduct of the
above named company on July 18th,
1895, and their conduct subsequent
thereto, and report the same to these
headquarters at his earliest conyen-
ience.
By order of the commander-in- chief.
J. GARY WATTS,
a. & I. Gen.
Official.