The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-05-23
TROUBLE AT ARMY POSTS,
Larger Number ot Men arrested for In,
temperance Since Abolition OF
the Canteen.

NEW YORK, May g9,-The Times
says:
General Brooke has sent an order to
all commandants OF posts in the de.
partment OF the East to send To him on
September l a complete report OF the
results which have ensued ON the aho-
l litlon Of the army canteen, Officers
say that these reports will show beyond
cavail that intemeprlnce has largely
increased under the new regime. and II
is predicted that the next congress
will give serious consideration 10 the
I real situation as il has developed.
Seven prlva;es, absent without leave
from Fort Ethan Allen. VI, have Just
been locked up in the military prison
at Governors island, They disappeared
from their pos; Immediately after pay
day OF this month and their troubles
are attributed by the officers TO the
abolition of the canteens.
A reporter interviewed a number OF
officers at Governors island and every
one of shem was asying II told YOU
So when the case of Fort sheridan.
Fort Smelling and Fort Ethan Allen were
called to mind. The officers there re-
gard II but matter Of short time
when the public sentiment OF the ma
tion will demand the re-es,ablishment
NJ the caataen.
Captain Adams who was acting Ad-
jutant-General at Govern pr's island In
General Sheyidan'S absence said that
since pay day there had been unusual
trouble in nearly every post in the de-
partment ani he understood in other
departments also He understood that
the number Of men arrested had been
larger than usual and there have been
noticeable number arrested for in
toxication. He was not prepared TO say
just what the percentage OF increase
was Trouble is reported at Fort Ham,
il,on, Fort Schuler. Fort Wadsworth.
Fort Hancock and Willett's Point.
Pay day at Fort Totten. wmett's
Point Long Island sound. came last
Wednesday and the 4sO soldiers sta
toned there drew about $50 per man
Since that time there have been wild
and hilarious times in the saloons OF
Whitestone. the nearest village 10 the
reservation ami In the half dozen road
houses that are situated at intervals
along the road that leads from the
fort to the village.
The records at the fort show that for
the first twenty days Of this month
there have been seven court martials
on drunk and disorderly charges and
twelve for absence without leave. The
tWenty-One absentees and the twelve |
now in the guard house will add CON
siderably to those figures. There have
been since he last pay day as many |
as ten men absent without leave at one |
time from one company OF less than
100 men.
Commenting on this Major ]. w.
Black, the commandlnt OF the fort |
stated that the number was unprece-
ientel in his rec)lle stion. Major Black. |
Adju;ant Howell and every officer and !
soldier interviewed at the fort gave
without hesitation the opinion that the
,hange was for the worse in the gem
raj discipline and was due entirely to
he abolition Of the canteen and the
urning over Of the soldier OF his
monthly pay in his pocket to the ten
Ter merces of the outside saloon keep
rs who thrive In the vicinity Of mil
tary posts.
The force now at Fort Totem consists
If four companies Of the Second batal-
on Of engineers, the neucleus Of three
of the new Third battalion
II engineers that is being recruited and
he Eighty second compay Of the coast
lrtillery With few exceptions all these
men are veteran soldiers Of the highest
branches Of the service. and in char
icter are we'll up in the average Of the
American soldier.