Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-07
A Frank Endorsement,

"A FRANK 1nOOfSement.
The communication was returned to mi
atia headquarters, and again sent back
through the military channel, with an In
dorsement from the adjutant general
which. among other things. intimated rather
clearly that disobedience Of orders is a Sc
rious military offense but not nearly SO rep
rehensible on the part Of the responsible
party as untruthfulness. When the paper
reached Capt. Chisholm he appended a
statement reiterating the language of his
former Endorsement, and volunteering the
information that he had not seen a copy of
the order till he procured one of another
officer for the files Of his company.
Inc paper was next sent direct from
I'd Battalion for a statement as to his
knowledge Of tho affair. The reply of the
acting ad1utant was that at least twenty
four hours prior to the time set for the as
sembly he verbally notified Capt. Chisholm
OF the existence Of the order.
On the paper again reaching headquarters
1t was referred to Col May, commanding
the LIST Regiment, for his Information. The
ferred the foregoing charges and specifica-
tions
1t is stated that the evening of the as
sembly Company B. or portion thereof,
an exhibition drill, in connection with a
certain entertainment and old SO without
first having obtained the necessary permits
sion from militia headquarters.
Conviction under the first charge 1t is
stated. must necessarily be followed by dis
mlssal from the service of the officer direct
~ involved. large number of witnesses
have been summoned to testify in support
of the charges. 1t is understood that Capt
Chisholm has retained counsel, and that he
also has a very large number Of witnesses
tc testify in support of his contentious.
Captain Hodges, the judge advocate of the
NJ &c 1ar
of the ablest and most highly esteemed Off
GERS of the guard. He commanded a com
pany OF the LIST District Regiment.
Only One Similar Case.
The only court-martial of commissioned
officer Of the District of Columbia National
Guard that has occurred heretofore was
that OF First Lieut.. Sidney A. Sumby sur
geon Of the Sth Battalion. 1t was held in
pursuance of special orders issued May Z,
1880. Col Cecil Clay WAS president of the
general court-martial which tried the Of
Tending officer, and Capt. Edward P. Hall,
then adjutant OF the ID Regiment was
judge advocate. 1t was alleged that Lieut.
Sumby. being on duty with his command,
then acting as escort to the 7th Battalion.
was found to be intoxicated, the 2Sth of
September. 1889; also that Lieut.. Sumby,
being on duty with his command, did, in
the presence Of officers and enlisted men of
the Sth Battalion, use foul and obscene
language, this while on a railroad train
from Washington, DC. to New York city,
April %. 1883. The offending officer was
found guilty. and the court sentenced him
to be dismissed from the service.
The proceedings findings and sentence
were approved by the proper reviewing au-
thority, and the record forwarded for the
action of President Harrison, who approved
it. The sentence took effect July IS, 1890,
from which date Lieut.. Sumby ceased to
be an officer of the District of Columbia
National Guard.
In the event of acquittal, general orders
will be issued publicly exonerating Capt.
Chisholm.