Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-03-14
THE NATIONAL GUARD
Armory Gossip Confined to q Forth
coming Court-Martial.
RULES COVERING TEE BURKART MEDAL
Regarding the interstate
Competitive Drill Situation.
COMPANY MATCH SCORES

| SOM Z. "A ny MAI III OCORES
! Armory gossip during the past week has
| been confined almost exclusively to the dis
| cussion Of the Forthcoming court-martial
| OF Lieut.. George E. Tralles of company A,
third battalion. Something having excited
the ire of Lieut. Tralles he, SO 1t is stated,
accused Lieut.. Gibson, the third battalion
inspector of rifle practice, of dishonesty in
| keeping the scores. To this accusation
than which no charge could easily be more
| serious-Iieut. Gibson has responded with
| charges and specifications, that will, in the
| near future receive the careful attention of
general court-martal. Discussion of the
| possibilities and probabilities is, of course,
very vague; for most of those who do the
bulk of the chattering are entirely without
| knowledge as to the case in any Of its
phases. Several members Of the company
OF which Lieut.. Tralles is now an officer
seem to be making a personal matter Of ii,
ana IN one instance there was exhibited
toward Lieut.. Gibson INSTRUMENTATION,
winch, 1t Is understood, Capt. Shilling will
| undoubtedly attend to; anyhow, it will be
attended to. say some of the officers who
| nave heard of the incident. Gratuitous and
vulgar lmpertinence, emanating from a
private and addressed to an officer in one
OF the company rooms Of the armory, will
not De permitted, it is stated, under any
CClrcumstances, no matter what may result
rem the promptest possible application of
deserved punishment.
General expression of opinion is to the
erect that the court-martial and some OF
us accomplishments will have a wholesome
e ennaa,. upon more than one battalion, but
especially upon battalion which has been
IN decidedly ragged condition since its
last reorganization
The Apology WINS Not Forthcoming.
several efforts have been made to bring
about harmonious and unofficial settle
nient OF the difficulty between the two
principal parties to the court-martial, but
as no proper apology was Forthcoming,
Lieut. Gibson reluctantly withdrew his re-
quest for court Of inquiry, and has SUBJ
stituted therefor the charges which are
Gibson has had no choice. When the in
srector general of rifle practice returned to
DUTY. after being on sick report for five
months 1t was reported to him that Lieut..
Iralles had accused Lieut.. Gibson of dis
honesty. Major Harries thereupon notified
Lieut.. Gibson that he must put forth every
eHort to purge himself of that charge, and
II he failed to do so. Major Harries said he
would prefer charges against Lieut.. Glib
son, and, In the court-martial which would
follow, would put Lieut. Tralles on the
stand as witnesso This action on the part
OF the inspector general Of rifle practice is
said by that officer to be due to his de-
termination tp permit no one to be an
officer OF the department Of rife practice
whose reputation Tor honesty and efficiency
can possibly he called into question With
both horns OF, the dilemma in his immediate
vicinity, Lieut.. Gibson soon made up his
n,lEd that he, would rather be on the wit
ness stand than in the dock.
What Gibson Says TraIles Said.
Charge 1 Isl conduct to the prejudice of
good order and military discipline, in that
Lieutenant Tralles said to Lieutenant Glib
son while they were in the neighborhood
OF the armory on the evening of February
l: There is one thing certain, YOU are
dishonest In keeping the records. Of riae
practlce, and i you do anything right you
90 1t In q sneakyffed manner" or words
TO that effect. The second charge is con-
duct unbecoming an officer and a gentle
| man. in that Lieutenant Tralles made the
statement quoted, knowing at the time
tnat his accusation was false.
Inc charges have been signed and started
on their step-ladder course to HEADQUARTERS
me SIGNATURES as witnesses are those of
Lieut.. Gibson and of Lieut.. Cook, the latter
being present when the alleged verbal
assault was made on Lieutenant Gibson.
The Interstate Drill Situation.
Quite little concern among the organ
izations directly interested followed the an
nouncement in The Star Saturday last
! that the commanding general would prob
ably decline to grant permission to COM
panies of the District of Columbia Ma
tional Guard to leave the District mere
AFTER Tor the purpose Of participating in
interstate drills. In consequence at the
meeting OF company A, third battalion,
| called for the purpose of taking action in
regard to attending the Savannah inter-
state drill in May, it was decided to post
pone the matter until it could be deter
mined officially whether or not the COM
pany would be allowed to send a team to
the Georgia competition.
A special meeting, called for the express
purpose OF considering the Savannah drill
| proposition, was scheduled for company A,
second battalion, but Captain Edwards los;
| no time in revoking the call when he learn
ed of the probability of prohibitory order
from headquarters. Meetings of other
companies have been postponed for the
same reason.
Statements to the effect that company
A Of the third fully intends to participate
in the Savannah drill at all odds, even
though 1T might be necessary to withdraw
from the National Guard in order to carry
out that purpose, have been floating around
rather promiscuously during the week.
It has been reported, too, that the
memphis prize winners will make an at
tempt to go to Savannah as National
Guard organization in spite of orders to
the contrary, and also that they are think
ing seriously Of attending as individuals
the Sealy Rifles Of Galveston, Texas. in
going to the Memphis drill and by the
Neeley Zouaves of Memphis in reaching
the ST. Louis competition. These alleged
intentions, it Is said, have reached the
| ears of the commanding general, and it is
natural to presume that the chances for
| favorable action on the company's appli-
cation for the necessary permission have
| not been increased to any appreciate ex-
| tent by the reports.
Capt. shilling's Statement.
Capt Shilling, in conversation with a
| Star reporter, yesterday expressed regret
and indignation that such rumors should
have become CURRENT All talk of the ma
| trre described. he says, has been unofficial
and unauthorized and probably emanated
| if at all, from irresponsible and agitated
| members of the company.
"Wfen entered the National Guard
explained Capt. Shilling, IT had not the
| faintest idea-of ever attending an inter
| state drill. After, "a lapse of several years,
l <1I