Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-04-08
NO CHOICE WAS MADE
STUART HORSE GUARD DIVIDED on
THE ELECTION OF A CAPTAIN.
BITTERNESS DISPLAYED LAST NIGHT.
Feeling Ran So High That Captain
Lanier Dismissed the TrOOp-Oniy
raj Sends n Message.

The deadlock between the Euker an
Spott factions Of the Stuart Horse Guar
continues without any sign of comprc
mise.
Rather the situation becomes NOR
strained. and the undertone Of bitterness
that has been manifest since the reslg
nation Of Captain Euker was accepted
developed a very serious phase last night
when the troop met under the recen
election order issued by the Adjutant
General.
So much feeling was displayed. in fact
that Captain Laner, who presided owe
the meeting. dissolved it. The opposition
to the reelection Of Captain Euker wa
very pronounced, and though there were
rumors Of a compromise, the two partie:
were so hopelessly divided that severa
men were heard to remark that they
would not serve i'm the same ranks again
with their opponents.
The troop was called to order at S:3(
o'clock by Captain Lanier. There were
present Sergeants l.. s. Richardson, r.
l.. Euker, G.. l.. Powers, w. c. Meyer
and c. d. Wingfeld; Corporals August
Dietz c. r. Haase. NJ. l.. Houchins, and
Fritz Will; Musician Kemper Coleman;
Troopers f. +. Baptist, w. H. Berry. Fl.
o. Butler, Fl. L. Cooke, j. Fl. Floyd,
George o. Gordon, d. S. Hardy. c. c.
Liggon, Lewis Miller ]. w. Percival, IL.
c. Rupert. James w. Voss, and p. IL.
| w. Whitehurst.
| TWO BALLOTS WITHOUT RESULT.
Captain Lanier said he was authorized
| to say for the General Commanding that
] he expected an election. He was not at
| all interested in the choice, nor did he
wish to suggest any course to the men,
but if the election was not made, an
other meeting would not be called but
the matter would be reported to the Gov
ernor
Nominations We're called for, and the
name of Captain Euker was presented by
Sergeant Meyer and Trooper Berry.
Trooper Percival nominated Lieutenant
Spott, and Corporal Dietz seconded the
nomination. Two ballots We're taken, the
first resulting in 1t votes being cast for
Euker and 8 for SpOtt. A brief conference
followed and the next ballot increased
Captain Euker's majority by l vote, the
result standing Euker, u; Spott. 8.
Sixteen votes were necessary for an
election, and Euker's gain was distinct
surprise to his opponents.
THE TROOPERS EXCITED.
1t was at this stage that the proceed
ings grew so heated. There was a per-
feet babel of argument in the interval
which followed the announcement. of the
result, and one non-commissioned officer
h.. h. ,ft,hf
be court-martialled, hung, or shot, but he
would never serve under Captain Euker
again.
Then the troopers arranged themselves
before the rostrum and made motions
without any regard to parliamentary
procedure.
Sergeant Meyer moved that a squad |
should be detailed 10 go out and bring |
the eight absent troopers to the meeting. !
Trooper Baptist moved to reopen the /
nominations with a view to introducing |
a compromise candidate in the perssn of |
Captain Lanier himself.
Sergeant Meyer said he had a horse /
and buggy in waiting and knew where /
he could reach two of the absentees.
Trooper Percival objected violently TO
this course, on the ground that if all the
absent members could not be brought in
one or two partisans.
Corporal Dietz moved that the matter
should be put into the hands of the Gov
ernor with the request that he appoint
a commanding officer to the troop.
Sergeant Meyer moved that the meeting
take a recess for half an hour.
OPEN DEBATE NOT ALLOWED.
A request for an open debate of the
points at issue was denied by Captain
Lanier, who questioned the propriety Of
allowing a discussion of the merits or de-
merits Of the candidates, one of them be-
ng an officer of the troop. The chair
man also ruled that the matter could not
be referred to the Governor in the man.
Ter suggested, since the order had been
ssued for an election, and If a decision
vas not reached the Governor would take !
he matter up in his own good time. A
notion to adjourn was lost by vote OF
20 g.
CLEVER MOVE OUTFLANKED.
\ request for a recess Of twenty min
ties was granted, anu this was followed
" heated discussions. Several OF Captain
1uker's friends ran from the Armory TO
nd other members Of the troop, and Cap
ain Lanier sent the bugler TO sound the
ecall. No attention was paid to this by
he flying messengers, however, and Cap
ain Lanier raped the meeting 10 order.
nd said he was convinced that no good
Gould come of prolonging the meetlng>
S so much bad blood was being exhibit !
d, and he there dismissed the troops,
dJourning the meeting sine die.
MAY BE DISBANDED.
A prominent military man said last
oh hn h1I