Evening star., 1898-06-23
DRAWING THE LINE
War Department to Prescribe Certain
Forms of Torture.
THE saw HORSE At CAMP ALGER
Officers Instructed to Report Num-
Der Of Men Equipped.
COMMANDS AWAIT ORDERS
Special Correspc ndence of The Evening Star

Special Correspc ndence of The Evening Star.
CAMP ALGFR. Va, June %, 1898.
Secretary Alser today ordered an invessi-
CATION of the nethods of punishment now
in use in the I'd Army Corps This action
is the direct result of an announcement
made in yesterdays newspapers of the es-
tablishment of saw horse in the camp
| of the 159th Indiana. The Secretary Of
War caused a telegraph message to lie
sent to Gen. Graham soon as the wires
were open for dispatches this morning.
In substance it directed the corps COM
mander to determine whether any such
instrument of torture was in use in Camp
Alger, and If SO to report that fact i'm
mediately to the department.. A circular
was prepared and addressed generally to
the colonels commanding regiments now
stationed at Falls Church. 1t inquired
whether the saw horse" any other
method of punishment not permissible in
time of peace was being practiced in their
respective quarters. This was given to a
mounted messenger and presented to each
regimental commander in turn. They will
report directly to Gen. Graham this after
noon.
Col. j. T. Barnett Of the 159th Indiana
caused to be erected in the camp of mis-
regiment saw horse, made of young sap
lings, and standing twelve feet high Yes
terday Private E. F. Cooper of Company
A was, by the coloneTs orders, placed
astride the crosspiece and held there four
hours. The taunts of his comrades and
the exposure to the hot sun, together with
the pain produced by sitting on four-inch
rail all morning, proved too much for
Cooper. and when taken down he staggered
and fell to the ground. His friends car
r1ed him to his tent. Cooper was to have
been further punished by a second siege Of
four hours, but his physical condition this
morning made that unwise. The offense
charged against him is having been absent
without leave for three Gays.
Inquiry as to Equipments.
A general circular was sent to divisi IN
commanders this morning directing them
to report to corps headquarters at once the
number Of men in their commands who
are now fully equipped. They were also
each directed to prepare complete state
ment in detail of the number of rifles, uni
forms and other articles needed to COM
plete the equipment of their respective di-
visions. The several quartermasters and
ordnance officers of the ID Brigade, 1st
Division, were summoned by the corps
officers having charge of the various Ge-
partments to report the same facts verb
ally. This is taken as an indication that
the I'd Brigade Is to receive its supply first.
The 9th Massachusetts and the two bat
talions left of the 34th Michigan were to-
day thoroughly and carefully inspected.
They now await instruction to proceed to
Hampton Roads.
Under Serious Charge.
The I'd and Sd Battaiions of the 9th Penn
sylvania are accused of lpoting post Of
flee and country storepwkile marching from
the Potomac. Their officers, following on:
the instructions of Col. Schall, compelled
the men to return to the ztorekeeper every
thing taken away. A, tax of 81 was levied
on each company to pay such damages as
might have been occasicned by the visit Of
the soldiers. - -.