The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-05-22
gain MEDALS BY BRIBES
Serious Charge Against New York
State MiIitiamen.
Several PriNates Said TO Have Left
Their Regiments In Disgrace-A
Complete Investigation of the
Matches TO BE Instituted at Once.
Fraud Prncticcd on the Rifle Range

NEW YORK. May 22--When the officers
OF the First Brigade, National Guard. Of
New York. meet in their headquarters,
Eighth Avenue and Fifty-ninth Street. this
evening. according TO the story that is told.
they will have for consideration a disa-
greeable scandal. 1t is said TO result from
the visit of the Twelfth Regiment TO The
State rife range, al CreedmOor. L. J., last
Saturday.
Several privates are reported to have
left the regiment in disgrace. and several
commissioned officers we're reduced TO
the ranks Immediately after the return
from Creedmoor. The incidents will, it is
said be considered by the brigade officers
who will also informally discuss the charge
that fraud on the rife range has been Of
common occurrence, and that more than
one MEMBER of the National Guard OF New
York wears a marksman's medal obtained
by bribery rather than by any skill in
handling a gun.
Saturday was far from being pleasant
day on the range. Rain fell almost con-
tinuously and a cold wind blew in from
the ocean The men had hard work keep
ing warm, and some OF them resorted to
Stimulants to keep up the circulation OF
the blood Unfortunately this was in sew
eral cases carried to such excess that
scenes of disorder resulted 10 which it was
impossible for the regimental officers 10
blind their eyes
One private, according 10 the story, re-
Gently recruited. had heard that the med
ais are not all for the best marksmen, and
coveting one he decided TO falsify his
score card so as TO qualify To his own
misfortune the young man eungled at the
work and was discovered. 2
Col. n. B. Thurston, who is in charge Of
the rifle range, discovered the forgery.
When the recruit handed in his score card
Colonel Thurston saw that his total was
sufficient to qualify him for a medal. The
shots or the 100-yard and 20e-yard ranges
were correctly scored but at 900 yards the
score had been written in with an indelible
pencil, not like that used officially.
AT what target did you shoot the 800
yard scorer" asked Colonel Thurston.
Target 20" was the answer.
Target 20 was not at 800 yards" inter
| posed the colonel.
That's So" corrected the recruit, Il
remember now that it was Target NJ
The scorer at Target when called
promptly declared the card a forgery.
You have lied about this score" said
/ Colonel Thurston.
No reply.
Il say you have lied" repeated Colonel
| Thurston.
Yes, l lied" came the sullen response
"You are liar and a thief, for you tried
/ to steal medal that did not belong to
/ you"
That's right, admitted the culprit.
! drumhead eourt-martial was held Sat
1 urday night and the culprit was discharg-
ed in disgrace as were those privates who
/ had been drunk and disOrderly. Court
/ martial also resulted in the reduction to
/ the ranks Of the non-eommissioned officers
! who mishebaved.
! Following the court the charge was free
/ ly passed around that fraud on the range
! has been common. The scorers, it is said
/ receive only 81 a day as pay. and no high
/ code o. morality exists among them Oft
] en- sixty or seventy are employed at one