New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-08
.Eur MILITIA AND MODS.
WING OFF THE OHIO GUARDSMEN
AT URBANA CRITICISED.

l.xrsAL FITZGERALD AND OTHER OFFICERS
NV EFFECT THE SOLDIERS WERE THERE
-, ORGY ORDERS. PROTECT THE NEGRO
AND DIsrERsE THE CROWD.
vort National Guardsmen like the rest of
L.. country. are amazed not only at the outrage
tS,ss, law and order committed by the citizens or
80 Ohio last week but also az the failure or
r.. militia prescn; at the time TO do Its duty
r. ~r,yre repor,er called on General Fitzgerald
| a n,nr,anss he National Guard in the city OF
r." yo,k and asked him his opinion OF the De-
- OF the Ohio National Guard at troana inc
"a replied that ne did not care TO express any
T.,on on the subject: but, being pressed ne sa'u
f., from the accounts published In the Newspapers
T. or,v information he had, he thought there cou!u
f., no We opinions to the duty OF the sher'" anu
rs The National Guard The Sheriff was oouno "
.oyee the law and preserve order and 1t was me
-, o. The National Guard 20 obey his INSTRUCTORS
- nroteci him and his prisoner and TO dsperse the
,,b AZ any cost. Whether or not the proper houce
AMI warning given TO the mob he did ho' KNOW
hcf ne presumed they were. for the mob was actu-
env attacking he Jail and in contact with the COL
a,ers when the firing began. The General continued
,., he aid not understand that the National Guard
Was organized uniformed. armed, equipped ana
sdrlei a, the expense Of the state 10 retre !" 'he
face ot a mob or 10 lay down It's arms wheh lis
s,rie~ls were breaking the law and creating riot;
u
wbo according 10 the accounts. behaved with the
l,.-,o.. ra,laatry should not have been withdrawn
a. long as a single man stood ZIP in defiance OF the
law AMI while he deprecated the loss OF life and be-
,'e,.5 ~ making every effort TO induce crowd to
disnerss without violence, yet once 1t was deter
mined 20 use force that force should be continued
10 the bitter end ana uhuI every 'esIse VI iNsS'
ance was destroyed.
THE THEORY BAD.
MI
cartridges and Of firing over heads is bad In the
first case the moment the mob IL violent enough TO
be fred upon at all. discovered that the cartridges
were without balls. II would become infuriated ana
require greater punishment before being overcome
and IN the second case the overhead shots might 90
great harm 10 innocent people at distance. In his
OPINION there were no innocent people IN the troN'
rank of a mob after the Sheriff had ordered 1t TO
Gspersc.
Colonel Ieman Dowd. formerly commanding the
18TH Regiment, had decided views upon the duty
of the National Guard in 1t is called on In
emergency 1t seems TO me-" said he, that the
Ohio militia's great mistake was that 1t ceased
firing too soon. The prisoner should have been
protected at any cost no matter what his offence
Guns are given TO the mihtiamen 10 use. ana when
the proper time comes they should not hesitate 10
put them TO the uses for which they were manu-
featured. 1t seems TO me that such q time had
come the other day in Urbapa
NOT THE WORST FEATURE OF 1T.
1T was of course a terrible affair whatever
way you look at It, But the lynching Of the negro
was not the worst feature OF H. One result Of the
failure OF the troops to save the negro and uphold
the law is likely 10 be the lowering Of the dignity
and power OF the National Guard of Ohio When
ever again Ohio Guardsmen forced TO face
moh they will have more trouble to subdue II than
they would have had not their fellows failed In
their duty at Urbana.
Il do not think that New-York National Guards
men are likely 70 have occasion to use their guns
against mob. for the very reason thar II Is well
known that they will use Them when they ought
Lieutenant Colonel William V King. who has
been member Of the 22d Regiment since 1862 said
PSp From h knGw Is msas 10 nays reaa in
tain Leonard was surely justified in firing upon the
firing, The Mitchell. believe his name
~aS-had been tried, convicted and sentenced by
duty Of the troops to protest. h N The ~ cas,d 5hs
Of the State in order that the law might be up
DUTY AGAINST SENTIMENT.
"As understand 1t. the persons in the mob had
been fairly warned so that their fate If shot
they drew on their own heads. 1t Is urged that
the troops may be excused for shrinking from
shooting down their own neighbors and friends
That brings 1t down 10 a question OF duty versus
sentiment ana duty which should have prevailed
:, &c lerai James McLeer. commanding the Second
rls@Ie Ss'G; such Thing could NOT occur here.
Guard ought not 70 hesitate at the shedding of the
blood OF citizens II il is necessary 10 nut down n
not Soldiers should hold themselves 10 tho strict
perform Ince OF heir duty. If citizens are disposed
20 NoIafe me IaW they must take the consequences
Ihey have no right 10 take the law into their own
haads. The soldiers duty Is to obey orders"
TO OBEY THE ORDERS.
Captain Ernestus Guck, Of the brigade staff
said: Il; is the duty of soldier 70 obey orders In
this case as understand il. the officers had need
every means 20 quiet the mob hut without avail
and Il in such a state of excitement thu, ~
m do
hcer had nothing left but 10 order his men 10 Are
which naturally they justified In doiiOO,ii e,
the circumstances, even If their brothers la S IN
in the mob The only province of the military IL 10
this. and II would certainly lose all infuenco as
were not allowed 10 fire Nehce II II
1T isn't an Isolated case Of this kind that is i'm