Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-17
THE GENERAL couaT-MARTrAL.
IL Tried Two Enlisted Men and
CIenred I'm Ifs IDockcf

and agreeing upon Judgment
All or the members, except Captains
Bossieux and Mills were present, and two
cases were tried. Musician r. F.. Dyer;
a member OF the Regimental Drum Corps,
and Private II. X. Wilburn, of A Com
pany, OF the First Regiment, were the
prisoners. Dyer's defence was that he
had often gone 10 the Armory to prac-
| tice, but found that he would no; be
| allowed 10. His testimony will doubtless
( cause the court to recommend an investi-
cation, or the disbandment Of the drum
corps. There were apparently several
errors In the charges against the drum
mer boy.
AZ soon as the court was called to order
| Captain Woon took up the case of Must
| clan Dyer. The following charges and
| specifications. preferred by Captain
c. A. Crawford, OF Company d, to whose
| command the accused had been assigned
were read:
Charge /. Failure to repair to COM
/ pany rendezvous, in violation Of the sd
| Article OF War
"Specification-In that Richard F. Dyer
Drum Corps, First Regiment Infantry,
| Virginia Volunteers, not being prevented
by sickness or other necessity, did fail
10 repair TO the Armory OF the First Regi-
ment on January I'd. nth. and 26th. Feb
ruary 18th, March 9Th and 26th April I'd.
9Th, 10th, and 3D. May 2lst and 30th, June
4th, llth, 18th, and 18th. July I'd, 9Th, 10th,
I'D, and goth, August 9Th, 18th. 10th, and
| 9th. September Sd. 10Th 18th, and 9th.
| September 2lst. which was annual inspec-
lion, October list and g. 1897. the same
being appointed by his commander as the
rendezvous for his practice
Charge e. Conduct to the prejudice OF
| good order and military discipline, in
violation of the cd Article of War.
"Specification--In that Richard r. Dyer
did. in absenting himself from practice
| and parades. set bad example, thereby
| injuring the corps by lowering Its per-
centage."
THE CORPS IN BAD SHAPE.
To the whole Musician Dyer pleaded not
| guilty, and the case was proceeded with.
Sergeant X. f. Eddens of the Drum
| Corps. was sworn as q witness. and took
the stand.
In reference to the first specification,
! Sergeant Eddens went over the roll
| book. and gave the dates when Dyer
| had been absent.
The witness said that the accused had
been a good soldier up to the time he
commenced to absent himself. Dyer had
never made any statement to him of
his absence.
Sergeant Eddens was the only witness
for the State. Musician Dyer then took
the stand in his own behalf, He stated
| that there were several errors in the
| charges. Friday night was understood
as the practice night for the corps. and
| he contended that some of the dates he
Is charged with being absent from duty
| fell on Saturday and Sunday. and on
March the 5th, one of the specified dates,
/ he was present.
On the night of the annual inspection,
| September 21st. the accused said that
| he was out Of the city.
/ Dyer then went OH to say that he had
! not notified any one that he would be
| absent He had often come TO the
| Armory. but could not practice because
/ the noise would disturb baaZars in pro-
| grcss in the drill hau.
Accused said he had attended quite
number of meetings Of the corps this
| year; how many he could not say.
Mr. John p. Franklin. who had roomed
with the accused from August, 1886 to
| March, 1897. testified He said that he
knew that the prisoner had often come
! 10 the Armory and found that he could
not practice. Sergeant Eddens was re-
called and asked why the corps had sus-
pended practice during certain months,
and replied that they were ordered to do
night, but sometimes there was meet
ng ordered by the colonel for regimentai
! work Sergeant Eddens said that the
| .oi-book was signed by Quartermaster-
| Sergeant LESS. who had been ordered
| By the colonel to take charge of the
| corps. The witness said there was very
| little discipline in the corps The court
| sent for Sergeant LESS, but he could
| not be found.
L., oil m a
stand and asked by the court what he
| intended TO do in the future. and Dyer
| promptly replied that he would be only
| too glad to practice If things went right.
| He said the corps had been in bad
shape for eighteen months.
"Once I came down to practice. and
only three Of us were present" said the
witness. II marked on the blackboard,
Lost, sergesn Mt; 500 reward for his
return There are too many trying to
run the corps 1t is in bad shape. L am
perfectly willing to attend practice II
the corps will only do So"
This ended the case and the court
was cleared. Whatever the decision Is
IL was certainly carefully considered, for
an hour passed before the court opened
again.
HE HAD MARRIED A WIFE AND
COULD NOT COME.
When court was opened the case of
Private H. r. Wilburn, of Company A,
First Virginia Regiment, Infantry. Vir-
ginia Volunteers, was called. The fol-
lowing is the charge and specification
preferred by Captain c. Gray BossieuX,
the commander of the company:
Charge Neglect of duty and conduct
preiudcal TO good order and military
discipline, in violation of the cd Article
of War.
Specification. In this. that Private II.
r. Wilburn Company A. First Regiment
Infantry, Virginia Volunteers, did absent
himself from the drills and paroles OF
his company on the following dates: July
Isl. 9Th. 18TH 18th. 2Sd. 3Oth. September
Cd nth 10th. oath, October 30, sth, 18th,
1897"
The accused plead guilty to the charge
ana snecifcation He offered as an ex-
ouse the fact that his wife had been sick,
and he had not for that reason been able
n attend drills The witness said that
he had notified Sergeant MetZger. OF the
connany. that his wife was sick, ano mat
he would not be able to come TO the
insnection II she continued sick.
He lived on Buchanan street, and in
The house with him his father and mother
resided. His father was city employee
and worked at night. Witness did not
think he would be doing his duty II ne
left ais wife.
The accused was asked what he would
do IN the future, and promptly answered
that ne wished to leave the service. The
ease thus ended, and the court was clear