The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1896-07-22

First Regiment, n. G. H.. did. one or
about May gath, 1896, against the
members of the First Regiment, y. G..
H.. responsible for the care of the field
pieces in the Executive grounds cause
the charge of carelessness in guarding
said field pieces to be communicated
to the Commander-in-Ch Chief, President
Dole, and caused such charge to be
based upon representations known at
the time to Capt. Good to he false and
misleading, of the representations
contained in an anonymous letter
mailed to the Commander-in-C Chief,
President Dole, on or about said cath
day of May, the contents of which let
ter is as follows:
81 herewith return to YOU a sight
of one of the large guns in the shed on
the Executive grounds. / was passing
last Friday night and heard the hail
of the sentries, and thought | would
give you little object lesson and show
you how carelessly guard was kept
over the Government property. went
in over the Likelike street fence and
went to the shed and took out the
sight and went out. | could have
taken in 200 men as easy as went in.
| could have disabled every gun in the
battery. Such gross carelessness
should not be allowed.
"A Friend of the Government"
r. II. Mclean, Colonel Commanding
First Regiment, y. G. II.
Mr.. Robertson excepted to the
charge conduct unbecoming an Off
GER" No such charge was known to
this country's law. The nearest APP
proach to it was ''unbecoming an Off
Ger and a gentleman" Under all rul-
ings of which he had cognizance the
charge must be unbecoming an officer
and gentleman.
Mr.. Kinney argued that in our law
no offense was set out; and under that
general way Of taking it charges
could be brought under either head.
WI hopti tSol di VI III
support of his position. Conduct un-
becoming an officer and a gentleman
was settled and recognized offense.
There was no such offense as "unbe-
coming an officer"
The question was submitted and the
court was cleared for deliberation up
on it.
Upon returning President Fisher all
nounced the decision that the charges
should be referred back by the Judge
Advocate to the converting officer for
correction. The charge should be
conduct unbecoming an officer and a
gentleman.
Mr.. Kinney asked for recess of ten
minutes to communicate with the
Minister of Foreign Affairs. Granted.
In place of ten minutes, however,
the recess lasted until 9:45 p. M,
when a communication was received
from Minister Cooper authorizing
Judge Advocate Kinney to amend the
charge to read conduct unbecoming
an officer and a gentleman"
The prisoner plead not guilty to the
seven specifications and the charge.
Sergt. Stanmore was the first wit
ness called for the prosecution. He
said: Am a sergeant of Company +,
John Good, .Ir., captain. Remember
. announcement of reduction of pay to
the men. Col. Mclean read the an
nouncement. The Colonel made re-
marks to the men at the time, saving
the reduction in pay would effect
chiefly the officers. After this, day
y or two Capt Good, while in the Com
pany Office, before twenty men who
had been picked out for the compet-
itive rife shoot, said he would not put
: i'm the team; the Government did not
seem to appreciate the services of the
soldiers. Defendant spoke several
times on the subject of the reductions.
y He said he had spent n great deal of
time and money building the Company
up. and could afford to give no more
for shooting purposes. This had the
effect of doing away with practice and
a team was not put in.
: Remembered introduction of riot
Continued on Page Five.)