The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-12
CHARGES AGAINST A CAPTAIN.
CAPT. COOPER AND LIEUT.. CONRAD
THE PRINCIPAL ACTORS.

-""Sh trouble caused In the Sec
ond North CaroIinn-Statemen of
Can't Cooper and Lieut.. Conrad.
Two sides of the Alleged Disgrace
full Conduct Mt Fort Mcpherson.
Capt Cooper Claims "a Clique Is at
Work to Have Him Removed.
Camp John b. Gordon. St Simon's Is
land. Ga, Aug. u.-Company NJ, of the
Second North Carohnas is badly torn Ep
by the charges preferred by Lieut. Con
RAD against Capt. Cooper his superior Of
hcer' and the counter charges filed by
Capt Cooper against Lieut.. Conrad.
Each of the officers have their side in
the camp and behind it all there is said
to be much politics of the North Carolina
kind The Morning News correspondent
to-day sought both officers for an inter-
view and secured statements giving their
respective sides. Lieut. Conrad says in
substance: The charges ! have preferred
against Capt. Cooper are the result of his
dlsgraeeful conduct al Fort Mcpherson.
where he conducted himself in a beastly
drunken 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 in disgrace
Previous 20 that time while we were at
Raleigh. he got drunk, and the nigh.
before We Were mustered in, drew a pistol
on a negro During our encampmenl there
ne was caught cheating at cards and this
came near resulting in everyone in the
leglment turning against him He was
arrested twice, and once, while under ar
rest. called his non-Commisstoned officer
up and delivered to them a drunken har-
ranSue which disguised them all Since
Delng IN camp he has insulted me three
or tour times, and twice publicly when
was IN such position as made me pow
erless to resent AT Fort Mcpherson he
was drunk and broke into the canteen of
the priyates. These acts caused the men
generally 10 turn against him. and he has
since lost no opportunity to show his con-
tempt for them by acts unbecoming a gen
tleman and an officer
Inc hnal blow came al Fort Mcpherson
When we went there Capt Cooper was
CHARTERED in Maj. Bulbs residence He
went there drunk three times Twice the
adJutant put him to bed. The third time
ne would have nothing to do with him
but after Capt Cooper was admitted he
heard noise in the bath room and on
investigation found Capt Cooper in a con-
dltlon not lit for any man to Ike in After
TINS Maj. Bubb would not house him and
he was forced to take a tent He ala NOT
even then seem to feel the humiliation of
ms position, but even had the nerve to
demand my tent for himself When we
We're compelled to leave Fort Mcpherson
and were literally kicked out of camp
Maj. Bubb told me 1t was on account Of
Capt. Cooper.
"Our men left Atlanta feeling disgraced
and did not feel like they were soldiers
The disgrace brought on us nv
capt Cooper IS beyond my power TO
properly describe and 1 preferred charges
against him 10 clear the company of such
a man. He caused our pay rolls to be re-
turned ten times and otherwise caused us
trouble.
There are other things which might be
sad, but what ] have told you gives an
idea of the man. 1 understand he has now
preferred charges against me- but the dis
grace which VIII follow his conviction will
not hurt him as much as | feel the simple
tact of having charges on file against NV
sell and preferred by such person. Lieuts.
Curry and Han of Company f. Joined me
m the charges as the efforts which were
made to have First Lieutenant Johnston
make them failed He did not seem to want
TO take the initiative, but we had to act
and save the company's honor"
capt. Cooper expresses his Willingness
10 be interviewed, and states that he was
just on the point of writing me about the
charges. He said, in substance:
Some says since Lieut.. Conrad prefer
red charges against me, alleging Disgrace
ful conduct. which. he alleges to have oc-
CURED at Fort Mcpherson some three
weeks ago This supposed occurrence took
place In Mai Bulbs house. where / was
quaTtered. Maj. Bubb has never made anv
mention to me of such, nor did he sanction
the preferment of these charges. NV per-
~ "a NnFfth Hr.E u
pleasant. The charges were preferred by
Lieut.. Conrad the day of our arrival at
this station. three weeks after the occur-
renee he alleges. At the time I raised NV
company, Lieut.. Conrad. a struggling
young lawyer, with the assistance of his
wife's relatives, was trying to raise a
company at Waynesvlle, eighty-eigat
miles from my home. He made a signal
failure and had to disband. Not finding
a suitable man in my own company. ard
being then devoid of military experience,
took him into my com
pany. He has, since the third
week he was mustered into service been
occupying himself principally in fostering
his personal ambitions. While stationed
a. Fort Mcpherson he tented with the
sergeants and otherwise conducted him
self in a manner that no officer should. In
making he present attack he has been act
uated only by the basest Of personal mo-
Johnson that he intended to be captain Of
the company, and that he was determined
to Gust me by any means In his power.
II knew nothing OF his having preferred
charges until three days later. when l
saw the article in the Savannah Morning
News, and you can imagine my surprise
at their nature. / am reliably Informed
that after preferring charges, the
clique Of which he is the
head, struggled a petition among the men,
addressed to the Governor Of North Caro-
lina, asking Conrads' appointment as cap
tain ana that Of Sergt. Lands as second
lieutenant. The petition was TO be forward.
ed 10 the Governor Immediately in case l
resigned or was removed. II also seems that
they have been in communication with
some one in the adjutant generals office at
Raleigh. For this reason they had the pc
ttion all ready to act as soon as the ex-
pecJed change took place.
First Sergt. Lands was the sergeant ma
jor of the regiment, on the pay Of private
when l had him transferred 10 my com
pany and put him in his present office The