The evening times., 1899-09-04
MILITIA FOR an UMPIRE
How Baseball Joke Figuers in the
Virginia Campaign.
Grimes Battery Ordered Out by Gov
ernOr Tyler to Help Along the
EIks' ExhibitfOn-Miiitary Dignity
Deeply WOunded-The Order With
drawn-The Light Infantry Blues.

RICHMOND, Va, Sept. 3.-While the po-
litical opponents of United States Senator
Thomas S. Martin are using as arguments
against his reelection the manner in which
he entered the free silver ranks Governor
Tyler's opponents are working his attitude
toward the State militia as sweet morsel
on the other side. The Governors appoint
ment of negro officers in the negro regi-
ments left out in the cold number OF
young white officers who were itching to
do something heroic. They didn't like to
volunteer their services with a flourish,
and then, as one of them put it. ''be turned
down for coons 10 parade up and take COM
mand with a six-by-ten grin" The result
is that many of the militia got on the
opposite side Of the Governors canvass, and
are now pouring sharp volleys into his po-
litical lines.
This opposition on the part of the mill
tary was strengthened recently by an in
cident which has been for some reason
left out of public print, though 1t is being
pretty we'll circulated verbally throughout
the State. 1t was some time during last
spring that an influential lodge Of Elks in
Portsmouth decided to have baseball
game between the fat and lean members,
OF the O6uGulClS duQ pdCnSlOISy luc pCn-
eft of the lodges treasury. Great prepara-
tions were made for the event. BY way OF
drumming up the crowd a parade was ar
ranged through the principal streets, and
the umpire was dressed up in boomers and
mask and driven through town in donkey
cart. 1t was soon seen that there were
many inhabitants of Portsmouth who were
out of jobs and naturally took great pleas
ure in following the procession.
lro, oarai N n
troduce a novel feature, and so the COM
f, mittee of arrangements wrote to Governor
| Tyler requesting him to have Grimes Bat
| terry ordered out in full field service equip
| ment to protect their umpire from violence
| by reason of any decisions he might rem
| der during the game. This is the most
distinguished battery of the First Battalion
| Virginia Volunteers, commanded by Major
William E. Simons. 1t has enjoyed wide
reputation for service rendered the State
| for more than a quarter of a century. al
| ways firing SaluteS on the anniversaries
| of Washington's and Lees birthdays. and
| taking prominent part in unveiling Con-
| federate monuments. Now. Governor Ty-
Ter is not upto-date in outdoor sports.
| He was reared in Pulaski county, where
there are many fine head OF cattle, but no
baseball players, bridge Jumpers, and
| things like that. The Governor, unlike the
mayor and other public officers here does
not root according to the most approved
methods imported from New York. 1t has
| been said that he does not understand the
exact distinction between sacrifice hit
! and a foul Certain 1t Is that he is not
| informed on the most delicate points in
| the game, as well as the latest vernacular
heard around the players bench.
So the Governor decided at once to have
the Elks' umpire protected in case of
violence. He issued an official order. which
he stamped with the great seal of the
| Commonwealth, directing Commander
Warren to report to the Elks' committee
with his battery, Including the four field
| guns. Commander Warren is every inch
! a soldier, and has often shifted the odor
of gunpowder. He believes in military
form and etiquette as firmly as he does In
the Christian religion. and when he re-
| ceiyed the order to lead out his battery,
| he promptly appealed to Major Simons, the
head .Qi the battalion, to know II ne should
allow the organization to be the central