The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-13
Captain and Doctor
Spar Over Coffee.
WHOLE REGIMENT LOOKS ON
GENERAL MILLER PROHIBITS
ALL ROWDY ASSEMBLAGES.
Burroughs Optional for the Men
Being Mustered out-Sequel Of
the Attack on the Thomas
Family.

| AS the result of q personal encounter
| early yesterday morning between two OF
| the officers of the Fifty-f1rst Iowa Regf.
ment, both are now under arrest, and
one of them Is nursing a fractured shout
| der. The affair occurred just outside OF
| the mess tent of the field and staff Off
| GERS during breakfast, and the partici-
pants were Captain ]. T. Davidson. the
regimental adjutant, and Surgeon First
Lieutenant Donald Macrae. The affair
was one of those unfortunate kind that
are the result Of a quick temper and the
excitement of the moment. Neither officer
engaged in the difficulty when seen would
discuss 1t, but from other sources the
facts were learned. Captain Davidson
and Lieutenant Macrae are members OF
the field and staff mess, and the former
officer is at present the caterer Of it
1t appears that until quite recently Lieu
tenant Frank M. Compton, battalion ad-
jutant of the Second battalion, was the
caterer. Some of the members of the
mess thought that it was costing them
rather high, SO Lieutenant Compton re-
signed in favor of Captain Davidson, In
order to see If he could reduce the ex-
penses.
Yesterday morning at breakfast Lieu
tenant Compton found fault with the cof-
fee, and Captain Davidson replied that
1t was the same kind that had been fur
nished by Lieutenant Compton when he
was caterer. Here 1t was that Lieutenant
Macrae, In an innocent way. ventured the
remark that 1t did not taste the same.
Captain Davidson lost his temper, and
holly demanded of the lieutenant If he
Macrae replied warmly that he did not.
but insisted that the coffee was off-color
just the same, and having taken his po-
sition he refused to retreat. One word
led to another, and the affair came to a
head when Captain Davidson fired cup
of the coffee at the lieutenant He missed
his mark, and concluding that he could
do more effective work at close range he
invited the lieutenant outside the tent.
The young surgeon quickly accepted his
invitation to transfer the scene of hos
tilities. When the officers reached the
outside they lost no time in getting down
to work, with the whole regiment look
ing on. They clinched and the lieutenant
fell on top Of the captain. AT this juno
ed both officers to desist and go to their
quarters under arrest. They promptly
obeyed. Colonel Lopez reported the af-
fair to General Miller. who commended
Later in the day Captain Davidson made
most ample and full apologies to Lieu
tenant Macrae for losing his temper, and
as far as any personal feeling is con-
cerned the two officers are again friends.
The injury to Captain Davidson'S Shout
der will incapacitate him for duty for
some days. In view of the. facts that the
officers have shaken hands, Colonel Lo-
per stated that he would probably re-
lease them from arrest to-day, and that
no further steps would be taken In the
matter, as the incident would be consid-
cred closed.
1t is possible that First Lieutenant Cave
Johnson, Company II, First Tennessee
Regiment, may have to appear before a
conduct prejudicial to good order and
military discipline. The affair is being
kept very quiet by the officers of the
1t may be smoothed over without any
formal proceedings. 1t appears that dur
ing the absence of Captain O'Brien, COM
Johnson, for some trifling offense, placed
some of the men under arrest. 1t is
claimed that the offense did not warrant
the arrest, and when Captain o Brien re-
to have nettled the lieutenant, and sew
eral days after he refused TO take the
company out and drill 1t when ordered by
his captain. Charges said to have
been preferred by Captain O'Brien against
Lieutenant johnson, and these Colonel
Smith is now investigating, with the view
amicably adjusted.
Captain Whitthorn, Company B, First
Tennessee Regiment, makes a very plain
statement regarding the alleged attack
upon the negro II. A. Bailey said to have
been made a few nights ago in Union
Square by Privates J: B. Spencer and
y.
now making an investigation, and he de-
shall certainly. be punished; From what
named, with another soldier, were in the
square when they met Bailey and had
some words with him., They then left the
negro. AT the time the two soldiers are
said to have been almost helplessly drunk
From what can be learned 1t appears that
Bailey returned and renewed the trouble
with the soldiers, bringing with him a
W lore
and they were put to flight. Neither
Spencer nor Russ is Tennesseean If
the captain ascertains that the men were
at fault, in provoking the negro he will
prefer charges against them, but 1t seems
that Bailey is to blame for returning and
renewing the trouble.
report of the board of officers, appointed
to assess the damage done the property Of
the Thomas family, to General Miller. The
Colonel Smith refused to pay. His refusal
is based more or less upon a technical
ground. From the report Of the board it
see regiment alone are responsible, and as
1t is an established fact that some of the
soldiers of the Iowa and Kansas regi-
the property, Colonel Smith Is unwilling to
pay the entire damage and thus make II
appear that his regiment was entirely to
blame He had long conference with
General Miller upon the subject, with the
result that the latter will appoint board
of inquiry to ascertain just who Is re-
sponsible, and that If more than one regi-
ment was concerned just what proportion
of the damage each shall pay.
General Miller has issued the following
order: THE assembling of enlisted men
in crowds or large parties beyond the
limits of their respective camps Is pro-
hibited. This order applies particularly
to the streets in the vicinity of the Pre-
sidio as we'll as to the Preside proper
The patrol guard will break up and dis.
perse all such crowds and will arrest and
confine in the guardhouse at the Preside
all soldiers who fail to comply with the
orders of the commanding officer Of the
guard to so dispense and return to their
In regard to the question of furloueb-
ing the men of the Seventh and Sixth
regiments, now being mustered out. If
has been decided by the War Department
that the men can be mustered out here
without the thirty days furlough; but If
they accept this they get no pay for the
thirty days of furlough and no TRANSPORT
tation to their homes. 1t is needless To
say that none Of the soldiers will avail
themselves Of this generous offer made bv
the Government.
The Judge advocate of the independent
division in his report to the War Depart
ment has some interesting figures regard-
ing the trials Of the men by court-martial
A total of ISL cases have been tried here
since the troops came, and of this num-
Der only eighteen were acquitted. SIX Of
this number acquitted were regulars. One