The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-05-19
TROUBLE in MILITIA
About Proposed Mill
tary Show.
Capt. Dow Refuses TO Let Companies
Have HILL.
Claims to Have Leased
It to Other Parties.
Difficulties Said to Date Back to
Election of Major.

Owing to the position taken by Captain
dsorgs A. Dow, who as q man her of the
common council and ag ,nt for the COM
mittee on public buildings has charge OF
the leasing Of the Auditorium, 10 will be
Impossible for the officers of the National
Guard companies Of this city to give the
free military exhibition In the Auditor
ium on this evening OF May IS h for
which they have long bean working and
VIII ich the public tas been locking for
ward to with pleasurable antlcipatlons.
This position Of Capt. Dow Ia believed By
the National u uardsmen Of this oity, SO
they say Ito be unreasonable and M usti-
fable and the mast Of them believe he IL
carrying his personal enmity towards one
man to unwarrantable extremes and
making the resi- of the National Guard
officers suffer In consequences.
10 tell the facts just as they are said TO
tie by the Nsticnal Guard officers will re-
quire the relating OF the following story:
which was told PRESS reporter by one
CT them last night:
"Capt. Dow some years ago as the COM
mander of company, otherwise known
candidate for the vacant msiurity OF the
Wrist Regiment. Lieut.. Charles Collias
was also a candidate. LIEUT.. Collins was
an officer Of Capt. l. b. Bakers compaHy
at that time. In this contest Lieut.. Col
Inns was ths successful candidate aHo
war ccm missioned as nc jor and served
as ms ior Of the First Maine V olunteers In
the South during the Spanish war. Sincs
Major Collins election Capt. Dow has
not been on very friendly terms With
him.
A few months ago Major Collins and
other National Guard eff ,ers 10 Portland
deemed 1t for tae best interest Of the
Natloral Guard to organize an Officers
association for study and for the purpose
of united action. 10 formally inaugurate
this association Major Collins gave q
little dinner at tina Portland Athletic
club wnicn was attended by every Ma
tional Guard officer In the city with the
exception Of Captain Dow who has never
Joined the association though he has
Teen urged 10 dofo.
This National Guard Officers associa-
tlcn decided soon eftsr Its formation
awe q public and free exhibition this
spring in order to show tie public what
they have been tfyi ng to accomplish in
military wBy. With this In view the
companies have been working hard and
the plan has awakened more interest In
National Guard matters thsn has been
displayed tere for years. L. was decided
to include in this exhibition the four IN
fantry oompanies, Including the COMPANY
ocm n anded by Capt Dow, and the Sig
nal Corps and Naval Reserves. Oman
dler's MiliterJ band. which has beer
made the regimental band OF the First
Regiment volunteered to give It's services
for this exhibition On May 25th and about
the middle Of April this date was finally
decided upon, Major Collins at oncf
oraered four battalion drills. sending
a r..
ether officers on April gath in which b.
stated III, purpose of calling them whiot
was to school the battalion preparatory
to giving the exhibition on May 2Sth.
"On one OF tine fret OF these battalion
drills Capt. Dow commanded In the
OBJ encs OF Major Collins and on a drill
which succeeded iu was present but die
not assume COMMAND Of his company. He
ordered Lieut.. Kepnard to take CON-
msnd of 1t though LIEUT.. WEIGH the ssn-