Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-01-24
THE COURT AT WORK
Investigation At the First Regiment Lr.
mofy Begins In Dead Earnest.
SCOPE OF THE INQUIRY.
0nly the Conduct Of The PetItioning
O11ctrS Undlf Review.
COLONEL JONES AND HIS COUNSEL.
Quite q Lively Discussion Is TO Their
Legal StaIdins.
LETTERS THAT MAKE THE RECORD.
The Correspondence with the Acting
Brisadief General Submitted.
CAPTAIN ANDERS0NS TESTIMONY.
he Explains Why the On1cial EXamina-
ton Vas Asked For.
WHY THEY DID NOT PROCEED.
CAPTAIN ANDEUSONS TESTIMONY.
He Explains Why the Onlcial EIamina.
ton Vas Asked For.
WHY THEY DID NOT PROCEED.
Three Witnesses Say the Trial Would Have
Proceeded IL the Colonel Had So Or.
dercd-Spnts Bctwccn Lawyers.

dercd-Sprts Bctwccn Lawyers.
To the uninitiated the Armory OF the
First Regiment presented yesterday a pc
cuhar. and yet int rnsoly Interesting
scene.
Throughout the day. frln II o'clock on.
uniformed officers werc passing to and
fro through the great Doors. and one
might well have imagined that war had
been declared, or that something of
most unusual charao -r was about to
happen.
The cause OF all tis commo,ion was
an assemb,age of commissioned officers
back In the band-room on the first floor
OF the Armory who having been con-
stituted by the Governor court OF in
quiry 20 investigate the conduct OF GER
tain line officers who were censured by
Colonel Jones. were engaged in the prose-
cution OF their duty.
The apartment in which the court was
being held presented true military pic
ture. The officers. from colonel down to
orderly. about 80 in number. were all
in uniform. and the cold lace and brass
buttons coniraste1 vivi,y with the more
sombre garb Of the sore or more of
civilians who occupie seats in the room.
The principal work accomplished 10y the
court yesterday was the examination of
Captains George Wayne Anderson and
c. Gray Bossleux. two of the officers who
petitioned the Governor for the investga-
ton.
Captain Anderson proved a most formi-
dable witness for NJ. " redith, of coun-
sci for Colonel Jones, and the sallies and
retorts I'm the cross-examination were both
amusing and serious. Captain Bossieux
was less formidable. nut on several occa-
sions he bristlcd up ke a porcupine and
showed his quilts.
As a whole the inquiry was devoid OF
sensation, but TO ia, s. who have watched
the fight against c 'onel Jones from It's
inception 1t proved Of more than ordinary
interest, and during he entire proceedings
goodly number OF spectators were pres
ent The examinati.n has not PROCEEDED
far enough yet to p nit Of any idea of
the result being formed, ami from present
Indications 1t will be at least two days
more ere the exam nation Of witnesses is
Included This VIII practically conclude
the proceedings Of The body. as the argu-
ments have 10 BE- Submitted In writing.
Details OF the Days Work.
Promptly at the hopr appointed. of II
O'clock the members Of the court assem-
blcd, ami Captain Mushbach. vino by
seniority OF rank f. president OF the body,
raiped them 10 or -. lie occupied a seat
in the centre Il tn" room between the two
windows. ana ca. ta.ns Toml!n and Nell
son were seated on either side OF him.
Colonel Boykln 81. at desk to the right
and 10y the Col1ncls side was Mr.. Ray
monl Brown. n. stcnog:apher. At a
desk across the -Oom from Mr.. Brown
were Colonel Jones and his counsel, Lieu
tenant Gerhardt and Mr. {. V. Mere
dlth. Captain NJ l.,roa occupied a seat
at the table with @r. Brown. In addition
10 these gentlemen there were present in
the room reprcse' ~ ivcs OF each OF the
four local news. tI-..s Co.onel Phillips.
Captain sheppard. ana fw others
Before the court could get down to
actual business th:ge were the prescribed
military proceedings that had TO be gone
through win. C3lcrcI Boz kin called the
roll and all Tr ponl,d present" He
then formally inlroslced Mr.. Brown. the
stenographer. w,e' eIpJn ne swore that
gentleman 70 truly perform his duties.
court present. VAS asked by Ccone
Boykin. Captain Anderson responded that
they were rcyres rntcd by him as counsel,
In Response TO IN query II there were any
other persons pr 3e't who desired counsel
Colonel Jones a )se and introduced Mr.
Meredith ana Leitenan; Gcrhardt as the
gentleman who would Took after his
rights
The order cony, Ming the court was then
"a ~ b q Ia 4 X
for any one NO les.rei to challenge
any member Of a., court 10 come forward
and DO so. TO this there was NJ re-
Spouse. ana AFT waiting q reasonable
length OF time H. sent the orderly out 10
invite the petitioners In.
THE MEM BEKS SWORN IN.
After they had entered and been seated.
Colonel BOykln wore the members of the
court IN. AMI Immediately thereafter Cap
tain MusAbach performed the same SER
VICE FOR him.
request FROM Captain Cyrus Bossieux
- De permitted 70 be present in civilians
dress was read. Ills excuse was sickness,
and Captain Mushbach gave him the de-
srei permission Captain Mushbach asked
/ y there were a'y objections on the part
OF those in,cre .sl 70 the court sitting
with open doors None vas heard. and
thc court was thrown open 20 the public
4 C..cnel Boyklp. 60 soon as the tribunal
wa Iceland l. ; ready for business.
eicsc and stat, iaat the court was or
cered upon reql at, made separately by
q number Of the officers and that the In
Xvestga,ions thus ,geral,y asked for were
The same. lie suggested tha, the cases
be considered c)njontly. Lieutenant Ger
haTdt inieT'os' ~ objections, but de-
Eklred that the witnesses be examined Sc
parateiy. ana Il not allowed to hear each
others testimony.
Captain Aud arsOn asked In what ca
pacity Colonel Jones appeared with coun-
4 sci and asser "a that Lieutenant Ger
hardt and Mr Meredith really had no
legal standing before the court. as Colo
mel Jones was not being tried on any
charge that wh.'v the investigation might
4 affect him. the effect would be only coli
lateral. lie cor,ended that Colonel Jones
| and his counsel could only appear with
any standing a. sccusers.
Mr. Meredith replied 20 this. and con-
tended that his client was the accused.
and. therefore. had legal standing before
the court with his counsel
Colonel Boyi IN gave IL as his opinion
that the peti toner's were on the de-
iensive in the in' sstlgation.
Captain And.I son fIrther insisted that
f!s clients were the accused. inagpueh
p Colonel Jones had both verbally and
IN writing mt 10 charges OF derelictlon
bgainst them
Lieutenant ceshardt set forth that the
sue before the body was 10 ascertain
neither or not Colonel Jones had wrong
ily cenSured Wis officers. who appeared
the order copyening the court as petit
ioneis 10 the Governor. The rules of law
laid down W Winthrop. he said. took
BE stand thai the affirmative side OF
uestion was ihe accuser. and TIE mega
We The defsadant. He. therefore, main
hed that thf petitioners who claim that
oionei Jones acted improperly are the
(ccusers.
captain Anderson replied at some length |