The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-08-16

~ bfit w H1At AAtuNktAtA A4 univ = Af&~Ata 4
ON a negro.
During our cncampment there hr was
caught cheating ut cards and this came
near resulting in every one in the re-i
mcnt turning against him. lie was ar
rested twice. and once while under ar
rest he called his nou-commiS>iuucd OIL
GERS up and delivered To thcui 4 speech
in drunken language that Disguised all
Of rs. Since being iii camp lie ha> in
suited me three or four times, and tv-
publicly. At Fort Mcpherson he was
drunk and broke into the cautccn IL the
privatcS.
These acts caused tho mon generally
To turn against him and ~ has since then
treated them uukinIly and diScourteous-
~. conveying Ivy his manner i contempt
for those under him. Tbs final blow came
iii Fort MCPHERSON. When We went
there Captain Cooper WAS uuartcrct iii
Major Bulbs residence. He went there
drunk three times. Twice the aaiutaut
pGt him 70 bed. The third t.m, he re-
fused 10 handle him.. ana later. uhcn H.
heard 4 noise in the bathroom. he i~nvc~ti-.
gated ana found him in q di~-rlccrul
condition. After this Major Huhh would
not house him and he had Ia take ! font.
lie then had the nerve 10 demand I'M,
tent. yet did not seem t. feel humiliation
Of his position.
"Nhr We were compelled - leave
Fort Mcpherson AMI were literally kick
ed out of camp. Major Bubh told me III
WAS on account of Captain Cooper. oar
men lcft Atlanta feeling di~1raccl ami
did not feel like they were soldiers. Tho.
disgrace brought on Us Ny Captain.
Cooper is beyond my power IL properly
describe and | preferred charges against
him t" clear the compaur of such II
I,n1y l. a,,r4.I 4,. ,-...-F
turned ten times and otherwise caused
us trouble.
There are other things that mi.nt be
said, but what | have told you gives IN
idea Of the man. | understand he has
now preferred charges against me, but
the disgrace which Will follow his con-
~viction Will not hurt me rs much rs
feel the simple fact Of having charges on
Tile against myself and preferred In such
4 person. licutcnantS Curry and Han.
Of Company +. have ioincc mo in the
charges against Captain Cooper and they
will be proven
CAPTAIN COOPER INTERVIEWED
Captain Cooper expressed Ills willing
ness to be interviewed. and stated that
he WAS Just preparing to write me on the
subject. lie says in substance:
Some days since Lieutenant Conrad
preferred charges against me, alleging Il
dIS@r"ccful occurrence ut Fort McIhpr-
son some weeks ago. This supposed oc-
%curr"Ecc took place in Major Ifuhb'S
house. where | was qaartcrcd. Major
Iuhh has never made amy mention to mo
Of such. nor did he sanction the prefer
mcnt Of these charges. My personal re-
lations with Major Bubb were very
pleasant. The charges were preferred
hy Lieutenant Conrad the day OF our
arrival 1t this station. three weeks after
the occurrence. he alleges. At the time
| raised my company. Lieutenant Con
rad, :; struggling young lawyer. With
the assistance Of his Wifc's relatives.
was utryin= to raise Il company ut Way
n~csviIlc, y. c., ei@hty-cight miles from
my home. He made q signal failure,
and had to diSband. Not finding Il Suita-
bic man IN my oWn company. and being
then devoid Of military experiences. |
took him into my company. He has
since the third week after we were mus
tered into the service. occupied himself
principally III fostering his personal am
bitions. While stationed at Fort Nc
Iherson he tented with >crgcants anG
otherwise conducted himself in :; man
ner which no officer should.
IN making the present attack he has
been ]actuated only 10y the bascst Of per.
sonal motives. Some two weeks ago he
told Lieutenant Johnston that he intend
ed TO he captain of the company, and
that he was determined to Dust mo 10y
any means in his power. | knew moth
inc of his having preferred charges unit
three days later. | saw your article, and
YOU can imagine my surprise 1T their ma
ture. | am informed reliably that aftcl
l.rnf er.iI no fllr.raG thn# tJiIlrn nf which
Il" is the head smuggIcd Il petition
amongst the men addressed to the GOV
crnor Of North Carolina, asking Conrad>
appointment as captain. and that Of Ser
@cint I4lndiS as second lioutCnant. Tho
:. petition WAS to re forwarded to III" GOV
: ernor Immediately. in case | resigned 81
WAS removed. 1t also seems they have
been in communication with some one i'll
the adiutant generals office at Raleigh
For his reason they had the petition III
ready to act as soon as the expected
change took place.
First Sergeant Lands was the scr
gcant major of the regiment. with tn,
pay of 4 private. when | had him trans
fcrrcd TO my company and made him ser
@cant. The other sergeant connected
t With this diSr"Spcctful. dis@raceful Attain
had also attempted to raise = company
but failing, came to Raleigh as Il recruit
| took him and made him Il sergeant.
1t is simply an example Of mans
beast nature asserting itself. Conrad
has a prrri"nt itch to be addressed lay
the title Of captain. However. instead.
he Will be called upon to plead t. charges
:, preferred under articles Of war SO. Il.
% and 81. CThcsc refer to drunkenness
INSTRUMENTATION, diSrcspoct to his su-
pCriorS. pfc.D 1t was his tcntine with
~cr@eants that brought our removal from
Fort Mcpherson and the criticisms
passed upon orr discipline III the papers
He has not for some time treated mC
with the respect due me ~ his com
manding officer, but naturally. | hcSi
tatcd long before involving my company
in Il disgraccful c~ourtmlrtial. Tho
crowd that Lieutenant Conrad heads has
! been Schcmin@ for some time. but thcy