The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1898-10-17
OUR BOYs NOT IN 1T.

The Riot a. Camp Han1ton Vas Not Par
iicipafsd Ia ~ ihs oklahoma Regiment
A riot occurred at camp Hamilton
near Lexington, KY, Oct g. In which
Two soldiers were Rilled and several
other wounded, and n was reported
that the Oklahoma boys took part in
IT, The Lexington Leader iuvestiga-
ted the affair and printed the follow
ing account which relieves the terri.
torial volunteers from any responsible
ity.
The following is the Lexington
Leaders article.
The members of the First Territorial
Regiment feel deeply reRretful that
they should be mentioned as being In.
clicated I'm the troubles NJ Camp Ham
iltou on Monday night an the Leader
pladly tcalSes an explanation for their
beusft which wi set them in the
proper light befoJe the people Of Lex
ington and Kentucky.
a Leader reporter yesterday after
noon visited the camp Of the First Ter
ritorial Regiment and met Col. Myron
II. McCord, most atfable gentleman,
who pleasantly related all that oc-
Cured during the exciting times of
Monday night in which his men were
alleged TO have taken an active part.
Col. McCord was Governor of Arizona
Territory at the breaking out of the
Spanish war, and resigned that posi-
tiou TO 20 into the army, fully expect
ing that his regiment would be among
the first OF the volunteers to be sent
to Cuba He said that on Monday
night few OF his men were out of camp
after dark, and that the usual quietude
existed In all the companies at the
| time the riot occurred at the railroad
station, which Is several hundred
yards from where the regiment is To-
Gated at Camp Hamilton.
The relations existing between the
| mem bers of the twelfth New York and
! the territorial regiments is most
pleasant, but that does not imply that
they would join in and violate the mil
/ itary as well as the civil law. The
men comprising the territorial regi-
ment are as general rule intelligent
and picked of the very best material
I
would not engage in anything which
would cast discredit upon their com
manding officers as well as themselves.
Col McCord is a soldier who knows
what to dc and when to do it, and
| commands the respect of all the men
| of the regiment, and they would not
be guilty Of committing breach of
discipline which would cause a word
Of censure to be expressed against
them.
On Monday Capt. Roy V, Hoffman
was officer of the day, and he said to
the reporter that on Monday afternoon
as is the custom after pay day, every
man in each company was searched d
for weapons, not in expectancy of any
trouble, but as safeguard to prevent
any difficulty between the men should
they 60 into the city. In the thor.
ough search made only five weapons
I were found in possession of the men
Of the entire regiment. Capt Hotf
man was in position to know If any
of the men in his command were in
yolved in any diffic lty, and he is
proud 10 say that in all the Gang
things were as quiet as usual. and
cannot imagine how the report was
started that the territorial boys were
Joined with the twelfth New York in
overriding the military authorities.
Capt Robert Lowery wat officer OF
the day, yesterday, and he made the
statement that the men OF the regi
meut were conducting themselves in
their usual good order, and were not
the rioters and roughs which it was
attempted 10 make them out.
The reporter paid a visit 20 the IN CT
in their company streets during the
afternoon and found them all to be
pleasant ana affable. They deeply re
gretted that statements had beer
made which set them in bad light
not only before the good people o
Kentucky but of their home section
and anxiously asked to have the erron
eous re ports corrected, They, all saiC
that the citizens of Lexington anC
Kentucky had shown them true Ken
lucky hospitality ever since their ar
rival here and that It would seem un
grateful in them TO so far forget them
selves as 10 act ungentlemanly among
their hosts. AS TO their taxing, par
In the rioting; the men indignantly
neny this, and say that nearly all the
men of the regiment were in their
quarters at the time of the occurance
anu ulu not ln huy way participate III
disol Ger, They are anxious that al
investigation be held and that tn,
world win know exactly kow they con
ducted themselves during that trouble
some night.
Lieut. Gordon l.. Finley, Of Company
X whose tent is In the center Of the
camp, says that the conduct of the
men during Monday evening was suel
as 10 make every officer feel proud o.
: them and that no disorder Of any sort
occurred among them, The officers
OF the First Territorial Regimen
are eagerly sought after for promo
tion, and a number OF them have beer
selected to serve on the stats Of vari
Gus commanders since their arriva
here, Lieut.. Morris and Lieut. Terrell
have becn made aides on Gen. And
drews' staff, and Lieut., O'Rourke ha
been selec ed 10 join Gen. BrclSin
ridges staff, This spea ks w9ll for th'
esteem In which the Territoriel boy
are held by the high commanding OH
GERS.