Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-17
COLONEL CLAY DECIDES
Ruling on Protests Growing Out Of Matches
at 0rdway Range.
Fourth Battalion Sustained, Sergeant
tion of Prizes This Evening.

Col. Cecil Clay, temporarily in command
Of the District of Columbia militia, during
the absence of Gen. Ordway, today an
nounced his decisions affecting two pro-
tests that grew out of the matches open 10
District National Guardsmen at the second
annual meeting of the National Rifle AS
ISOLATION, recently held at the Ordway rifle
range. The protest against the team of the
Engineer Battalion in the battalion team
match. filed by the 4th Battalion, is sus-
tanned. while similar action is taken in re-
gard to the protest filed by Corporal r. p.
Carleton, Company A, Engineer Battalion,
against Sergt. Maj. William E. Colladay,
4th Battalion. in the Washington match.
The matter is one of more than passing
interest to local guardsmen and members
OF the fact that the presentation of prizes
will occur at $50 o'clock this evening in
the rifle gallery at the L street armory.
Reasons for Protest.
In the battalion team MATCH the team
Of the Engineer Battalion finished in the
lead. The team Of the 4th Battalion was
second. Immediately after the firing of the
match on the range the 4th Battalion team
gave notice of the filing of a protest. The
stand was taken by Maj. Campbell that the
Engineer Battalion team should not have
been permitted to compete, for the reason
that it did not comply with the regulations.
In circular issued from National Guard
headquarters, by order of Col. Clay, it was
announced that certain rifle matches would
be held at Ordway. The battalion team
match, it was stated, was to be open to
TALON of the District of Columbia National
Guard. Continuing, the circular stated,
leach company of the battalion must be
represented on the team" The Engineer
L.
panies A, B and C. Company u had no rep
resentative on the team. The 4th Battalion
team held that the Engineer Battalion
should not have been allowed to compete.
for the reason that Company D was not in
cluded in the personnel, and therefore
leach company of the battalion" was not
represented on the team.
Executive Officers Decision.
When called to the attention of the ex-
ecuiive officer of the National Rifle Asso-
citation that official ruled that as Company
D, Engineer Battalion. is a signal company,
and is armed with the pistol. and is not
required to practice with the rife, it could
not, therefore, be compelled to have a rep
resentative on team shooting with the
rifle. Therefore, the executive officer ar
gued, Company D should not be considered
company of the battalion in the sense
that it was a company armed with a rifle.
In locking at the situation in that light, 1t
was reasoned, the team of the Engineer
Battalion was qualified to compete in the
match without a representative from Com
pany ID.
In the Washington match the entry of
Sergeant Major Colladay was received I'M
der protest just before the shooting COM
menced. He made the highest score, with
Corporal Carleton second. Colladay's en-
try had previously been declined ca the
ground that under the stipulations be was
barred from that particular competition.
The match was open to all enlisted men of
the District of Columbia National Guard
who had never won an individual medal or
decoration In any rifle competition on an
outdoor range. Coladay had previously
won a medal at one stage of match held
under the auspices of an organization not
connected with the National Guard. He
claimed that as he did not win the medal
at the remaining stages and as the contest
was not a National Guard affair the prize,
therefore. did not become his private prop
erty. and he should not have been barred
from the Washington match. Colonel Clay
has ruled to the contrary.