Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-17
Official Announcement of the Aequit-
tai Of Captain Chisholm.
COMMENT OF REVIEWING AUTHORITY
Officer Released From Arrest and
Restored to Duty.
OTHER MILITARY MATTERS

4
duct unbecoming an officer and a gentle
man. was this afternoon officially an
| nounced. AS heretofore stated in The Star.
the court acquitted the accused officer, the
| findings being mot guilty" on each charge
| and each specification. The commanding
| general of the District of Columbia militia,
| who is the reviewing authority. disap-
proves, in unmistakabie language, the find
| ings and acquittal of the court. In view of
the acquittal Captain Chisholm, Is, of
| course, released from arrest and restored
| to duty.
| General Harries' Comment.
The comment of the reviewing authority
is as follows:
THE findings and acquittal are disap-
proved.
| THE testimony presented is conclusive to
the effect that Captain Chisholm was fully
| aware of the date, time and place when
| and where the ceremony was to occur even
| though he might not have received print
| ed copy of general orders No. %. The noti-
hcation by the acting adjutant of the bat
| TALON. the memorandum from the battalion
| inspector of rifle practice and the CONVEX
\ satton between the inspector general of rifle
| practice and the accused all combined to
| supply information as to the event. Cap
| tain Chisholm was, therefore, admittedly
| guilty of neglect of duty.
| THE court does not seem to have under
| stood its authority in the premises; au-
/ thority which empowered it to substitute a
| charge discovered by testimony for any
| other charge which. by reason of technical
| ity or lax statement, may have failed to Sc
| cure precise substantiation.
| "Credence has evidently been given to the
| absurd theory that staff officer may only
| issue orders upon the direct authority of
/ his chief. As matter of custom and fact
| a staff officer may act for his chief at any
| time unless the chief has expressly forbid
1 den him so to do.
This case unuuestionably had its origin
| in an evasion Of military duty. Testimony
| shows that the accused, with a portion of
| his company, had engaged to participate
1 in an exhibition drill. for which no proper
| permission was either asked or granted.
To cover this offense the plea of non-re-
ceipt of orders seemed necessary. Regular
procedure and unequivocal statement would
have averted this trial.
There is only one standard of honor The
| officer of the National Guard is on no
| lower plane of conscientiousness than is
| the officer of the regular establishment;
character takes no note of recompeuse,
whether the compensation be financial or
otherwise.
Captain Chisholm is released from ar
rest and restored to duty"
school for Officers
The opinion at headquarters Is that the
court did not know its power as regards
the substitution of charges. Therefore, it
is very much more than likely that schools
for officers will be established in the near
future. in connection with which the study
| of military law and procedure will be a
feature The trial, it is pointed out. devel-
oped the TACT that a number of otherwise
| excellent and efficient officers lacking
| in knowledge of military law. and also to
the authority of staff officers.
What is characterized as an astonishing
degree of ignorance and weakness on the
part of certain officers of high rank as was
developed by the testimony, Is to result in
several changes Action thereon is to be
taken without further delay now that the
trial and the announcement of the findings
are things of the past.
Although not included in the record. the
vote is understood to have been to ) for
acquittal.
The Service Revolver.
| OF general interest is N decision just
| reached that beginning with the current
| season all officers who desire to do so may
| qualify with the service revolver, either of
| thirty or forty-fve caliber. The classiffca-
ton is to be the same with the rife
| In the gallery the qualification Wal be ten
| shots each at ten. fifteen, twenty and
! twenty-five yards: on the range ten shots
each at thirty. forty. fifty and sixty yards.
| The chief of ordnance will issue at once
| forty -fve-caliber revolvers to officers
An effort is to be made however, to Sc
| cure number of thirty -eight-caliber re-
| volvers.
| Hereafter, it has been decided, 200 rounds
/ of ammunition will be issued free each
month to each company of the guard for
| team practice.
| An Improvement of some Importance at
| the Center Market Armory will be a plat
| form and gallery for spectators to be
| erected in the gymnasium. The need of d
| gallery has long been felt.
| Transfer of the Oneida.
The United States ship Oneida having been
| turned over to the National Guard for the
| of the Naval Nv
| Department, the vessel will be under the
| immediate orders of the commanding Off
! Ger, Naval Battalion.
| The Oneida will not be used as quarters for
| men or officers, with the exception of two
| shipkeepers. who will live on board nor
\ Will there be any stores kept on her other
| than those necessary TO efficiently equip the
! ship.
1 No Interchange OF stores will be made be-
/ tween the Fern and Oneida the eouipments
| OF each ship being kept separate and dis
tinct. She will at all times be kept in readi-
ness for service at short notice.
| , detail consisting of Lieutenant r.
| b. Brummett signal. ordnance and equip
| ment officer: John Hogan George Speik-
man Eugene G. Turnburke. L. F. Burke,
Paul G Bishoff, s. Berkeley, W. Sullivan.
| NJ. McDougal, Hamilton Ficklin and G q
| Lantz has been ordered to report to Lien
| tenant Commander s. G. Hopkins at - m
the 18TH instant; and under his command
/ will proceed to the Portsmouth navay ward
| to assist in bringing the United States shin
| Oneida from that place to this city
| Discharges and a Transfer.
| The following named enlisted men have
| been honorably discharged because of re-
| moval from the District: Private Walter L.
Simpson, Company A, list Battalion; Private
| Jas. c. Barry, Company A, 4th Battalion:
Private Vernon C. Petteys, Company D, 4th
| Battalion; Private James E. Smith. Conn
| pany D, 4th Battalion; Private John E
| Lynch, Company B, 9Th Battalion
| On account of physical disability Pri-
| vate Alexander H. Semmes Company D.
4th Battalion. has been honorably dis,
| charged.
Sergeant Daniel l.. Morgan, Battery A.
| Light Artillery, has been transferred to
| the Naval Battalion
| The following named enlisted men hay-
| Ing been absent without leave for more
| than three months have been dropped from
| the rolls as deserters: Private Alexander Il
Mason. Signal Corps: Private s. H. Mayes.
Signal Corps; Private ]. Murphy, Company
B, I'd Battalion.
The enlisted men Of Company A. 9Th
Battalion, have been ordered to assemble
at their srmory March 10 at o'clock pm
for the purpose of holding an election for
4 captain and first lieutenant. Maj. Anton
Stephan 4th Battalion, will preside.