The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-06-30
FIND WATTS GUILTY.
VERDICT OF The MILITARY COURT
O! INQUIRY.

m&CG General watts and that E1snDuTns
be Dismissed .ro;-. he Service and Dun
ming be Eepr!m anded.
After session of six days and the
examination OF ffty-four witnesses the
court Of inquiry charged with investi-
gation of the College campus trouble
reported its findings to Governor FL
ler5e on Thursday. In its finding the
court SAYS
| To His Excellency, w. Il. Ellerbe,
Governor and Commander-in. Chief.
! Sir: La obedience to your special
order dated June 7th, 1897, court Of
inquiry appointed by you to examine
into conduct of all officers and men
i connected with the disturbance which
occurred on the grounds in charge OF
the South Carolina college at Colum-
! bia, Friday, May 1897" the said court
convened at the State House at Colum-
bia at u a., on the day named. -
! thorough investigation Of the affair
and It's causes" was instituted fer three
| days, during which 40 witnesses were
i.examined The testimony of these
witnesses was taken down by COM
petent stenographer and covered,
wnea transcribed, 1S4 pages. This
testimony is herewith forwarded for
! the Information of your excellency,
together with tie exhibits accompany
ing the same. On June 18th the court
| took a recess until Tuesday, June 22d,
at II N. RAconvening on Wednes-
day, June 23i. On these two days a
Witnesses were examined; their testi.
mony, covering IS pages, is also for
wardec herewith, together with an
itemized statement Of expenses of the
court After a most thorough investiga-
ton Of the disturbance which occurred
!upon the grounds in charge OF the
>! South Carolina college at Columbia,
Friday, May 26th, 1897, and its causes
we beg leave to report the following
| ffindings Of facts together with our
opinions and recommendations there.
on: The review, inspection and drill
having been completed, the purposes
from which the troops had assembled
were accom- plished.
In the battalion dress parade which
Was about to b3 held the adjutant and
inspector general did not have any
inherent right and could not take any
official part as no position or participa-
ton ia this ceremony is prescribed for
!. such an officer, and he could be pres
ent only by courtesy or by invitation
OF the colonel commanding, and was
therefore, without authority to COM
mand the troops.
In taking and retaining position
amidst crowd of turbulent students
at or near third base, thereby encroach-
ing upon the lawful territory OF the
baseball players and uselessly inter
fering with their game, when ample
fand suitable grounds were available
near by, General Watts showed ssri-
Gus lack of judgement and disregard
for the rights Of others His ordering
| tie battalion forward for the purpose
OF clea ing the field was an assump.
! ton Of authority that was unwise, an
! necessary and unWarranted.
5i0ce from the circumstance of the
case trial by court martial could re-
isult in nothing more than recon.
aen6ation to your excellency that the
matter be brought to the attention Of
+! the general assembly; and, since we
are not restricted to recommending
court martial, but may say what other
"action is called for by the interests
of tne service, or is otherwise desirable
to be taken," we respectfully recon-
! mend that your excellency lay the
; whole mate. before the general as
sembly for such action (at its next SSas-
sion) under Article XV of the Consti-
tuition OF 1895, as that body may deem
proper.
We further recommend that the
governor and commander in chief
; publish general order reprimanding
General j. Gary Watts for serious
| lack OF judgement and disregard OF
the rights OF others On the occasion OF
1.-THE disturbance 90 the athletic grounds
iof the South Carolina college at Co
lumbia on May 2Sth, 4. D. 1897.
! Ofcourse, il is to be regretted that
| Col. Jones failed to mention the fact
to General Watts that the written per-
mission given for the use OF these
grounds was for the 26th Of May, and
mot the 25th, and the further fact that
; IN said written permission the military
were requested 10 con6ne themselves
IS much as possible to the eastern por-
ton Of the grounds.
I Furthermore the colonel of the regi-
| ment, or its adjusant, in accordance
! with section 668 of the infantry drill
ioz,,f,4,o,, TTri4oS S%o4oc orpov 11n0ar
!! the head Of General Rules OF Re-
i! views" sh ,Uld have designated speclh.
ic&lIy by 3 flag some place on the
! grounds as ''the post line, which said
post could then have answered as a
i convenient point from which the ad,
/ iutant general could have witnessed
line dress parade.
!; We further recommend that Private
/ Fishhurne Of the Richland Volunteer
| Rifle company be discharged from
the military service of The State, and
N suppor. OF said recommendation
NE would call the attention OF the
eoverpor aud co nmander-in-chlef to
TIE testimony OF said Fish burne, to.
ge:her with. that OF Capt. Frost, the
commandirg officer of said company,
! whea re called to the stand.
; We further recommend that the
captain Of the Richland Volunteer
Rife company be directed to publish
/! an order reprinanding Private Dun
ring Of said company for leaving the
rapk; without permission.
We nave the honor to be very re-
spectEElIy, youc obeG:eat servants,
Jcs. s Stoppelbein,
8Tig&der General 1st Brigade and
President Of the Court.
J. G. Wardlaw,
! Colonel 3rd Regiment Iafantry.
Henry 7. Thompson,
captain Co. "a Fourth Regiment.
I, Ras-arn Dffrred.