The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-08-16
DRUNKENNESS
AND BRUTALITY
LIEUT.. CONRAD. SECOND IN
COMMAND OF COMPANY NJ.
PREFERS THE CHARGES.
MAJOR BUB3 TALKS OF THE TROUBLE
Lieut. Conrad Tells Representative Of the Con-
stiiutlon in Brunswick of Charges
Against Capt. Cooper.
atlanta ConStitutlon.l

tAtlautu COnStllutlOn.)
The North Carolina volunteers who
left Fort Mcpherson last Sunday 20.
Join their regiment on St. Sinons island
are again deep III trouble, this time rs
the result OF serious charges that have
been preferred against one Of their Off
GERS, Captain Cooper, Of Company u.
The charges against Captain Cooper
are for the violation Of section 81 Of the
articles Of war. in conducting himself III
Il manner unbccoming al officer, ana
were preferred against him by Lleuten-
ant Conrad, second officer Of Company
N.
While Companies L and NJ Of the Sec
ond North Carolina volunteers We're III
garrison 1T Fort Mcpherson tchy We're
entrusted With the power Of police ana
placed in charge of the -uardhouse of the
post. Soon after they arrived two mon
escaped ut night from the prison while
the North Carolina boys were on guard.
and it WAS generally understood that the.
| commander Of the volunteer troops was
ccnsurcd for the neglect Of his mon.
Captain Cobb. Of Company i. stated
however, that his men were not FURNISH
cd with cartridges on the occasion q
tiit tStbl} ~ iIl'l li"i I'll A'FI''ii'A'i' =
rested on other shoulders than his own.
Tn withdrawal Of the North Carolina
troops from the garrison followed not
long after the incident. and while the
officers at the post stated that the vol
untccrS were only ordered away to JON
their crgiment at ST. Simon island. II
| was believed by many that the two COM
panics left Fort Mcpherson under a
cloud. and that their Withdrawal WAS
demanded.
The charges which were sprung
against Captain Cooper rs soon as the
| companies Joined their regiment, are he
outcome Of an affair which happened
at Fort Mcpherson, on the first night
of The arrival Of the men 1T the post.
| The oTcnsc of unbccoming conduct on
the part of Captain Cooper IS alleged
to have been committed ut the residence
of Major Buhb. who ut that time WAS
not in command of the post.
lie is fully acquainted with the nature
of the offensc, if it is such, and is one
Of the most important witnesses in the
case. He viii say nothing prcmaturcly.
however, on the subject. and states that
he is compelled to reserve his testimony
for the ears Of the court alone, when
ii ~convcncs. lie said:
4 have received from Colonel Bur
Nv H.. ''iilitittii'lIIS ii' " CIV N'h'i
Carolina regiment. what | presume is 4
copy of the charges against Captain
Cooper. but. Of course. can say moth
inc about them. ! think, however, he
matter has been exaggerated. and til"
charges may stop with the preliminary
Investigation now hcin" conducted.
Captain Cooper is charged aIsoi with
offenscs committed months before his
company came to this garrison. and Of
which | have known I'll along.
Cooper wrote to me 4 day or two
ago. requesting me to hold my evidence
in the matter. md | am complying with
his request. lie firmly believes That
Lieutenant Conrad is making the
charges in order to diSplacc him aS ON
mandcr of the company. but what thcre
is in that idea | cannot say.
"Iherc is an intention on tho part Of
some Of the North Carolina officers to
make me clean up their dead wood, but
] don't propose to have anything to 10
with it
Major Bulb limited that if he had boon
in command of the garrison at the time
the offcnse alleged was committed. 10
would have taken some action then with
out dclav.
Col. Burgvyn. Of the Second North
Carolina volunteers. IS now conducting
an examination Of the charges against
Captain Cooper 1T the camp on st.
Simon's island. and has written to Major
Bulb asking him to forward his state
mo- Major Bubb Will. however. hold
J his evidence in compliance With the e
quest Of Captain Cooper. but if The
charges are finally brought before 4
courtmartial he viii have To go to ST.
Simons to make his deposition.
What the outcome Of the Investigation
IN No. ~ L r.. - !
OF the North Carolina troops in the city
are anxious to learn the nature Of the
charges against Captain Cooper.
WHAT LIUT. CONRAD SAYS.
Brunswick. Ca, August 11.-(SpcciaI.l
COMPANY NJ. Of the Second North Car
Dina. is badly torn up hy the charges
preferred by Lieutenant Conrad against
Captain Cooper and countcr-chargcs filed
by Captain Cooper against Lieutenant
Conrad. Each Of the officers have their
sides in the campaign. Behind It al
there is said to be much politics Of the
North Carolina kind. | today sought
both officers for an interview and secured
statements. Lieutenant Conrad. whose
father was solicitor general under preSi-
don't Cleveland. is 4 young Nirginian and
practiced law at Winchester prior to his
going to the army. He says IL substance:
The charges | have preferred against
Captain Cooper are the results of thu
diSgraceful conduct at Fort MCPHERSON,
where he conducted himself iii a basely
hrunkcn manner. diSgraced his uniform
and caused the North Carolina boys to
hang their heads in shame. which feeling
was further intensified by our being or
dered away from the fort III disgrace.
Previous to that time. while we We're
at Raleigh, he got drunk and the night