New-York tribune., 1901-05-18
COLONEL TORE OFF STRIPES
COMMANDER OF THE TWELFTH IN
FLICTS DISCIPLINE WITH HTS
OWN HAND

Despite all efforts at secrecy. it became known
yesterday in National Guard circles that storm
broke loose over the 10Th Regiment at Creed
moor last Tuesday and that in conseq quence Colo
mel Dyer the commanding officer personally and
summariiy tore off the chevrons of two non
commissioned officers. As the details Of the oc-
currence became more generally known il was
said by several high in command that Colonel
Dyer might himself be reprimanded in orders for
what is said TO he an extraordinary piece of
discipline AS another result of the episode. the
two officers and two privatss who are also impi-
Gated, were dropped from the regiments roll last
Thursday night.
member Of the company who was present at
the rife practice at Creedmoor on Tuesday told
of the incident last night follows:
After the practice four members of Company
I began playing horse tricks on one another.
One more Of them had been drinking and
their actions soon became boisterous. Tney We're
rolling around in the grass when the colonel.
perceiving what was going on. called them before
him. Two were non-commissioned officers, one
a sergeant, and the other a corporal The colo
mel, before all the rest of the regiment, then
stripped the officers of their chevrons. Generally
this is done through his orders by the captain
of the company in which the men belong. In
this case Captain Rabarg. who commands Com
pany l. was absent.
although the colonnls action is extraordi-
nary l have not heard any complaint among
the rest of the men about It; but. on the other
hand. he is thought to have done the right
thing in the circumstances
Colonel Dyer was seen yesterday at his of
fee No. 36 Wall-st. by a Tribune reporter
When asked if he had exceeded his powers in
stripping off the chevrons of his subordinates
with his own hands he said:
LAS colonel of the regiment | had right to
act as I did. I defy the ability Of any to
call me to account. Appeal? There is ap-
peal in such a case. According to the code. the
colonel of a regiment has the right to discharge
non commissioned officers without any consulta-
ton with the captain These officers are elected
to ne sure, by the vote of the members of their
companies, but with the warrant of their colo
mel.
The chief reason for my taking this action
was it's immediate effect on the rest. BY delay
of two or more days and the Intervention or the
captain the effect would have been lost.
Yes L understand that in other regiments
such a piece of discipline would have been exc
cuted by a captain, but that is because or the
politics that permeateS many other regiments
In such case the degradation of an officer may
hit this one or that one and is a thing for
thought and deliberation. There is no politics in
the 18th The colonel is free to act for himself
AS consequence, l can say that the character
of the 18th is of high standard At our en-
campment last summer, at Peekskill, there were
few drunk in the regiment. as compared with
some others.
Il do not regret what have done in the cir
cumstances. At any rate, l cannot be called TO
account for il. some seem TO think IheSe
men were finally honorably discharged last
night The sergeant was discharged as ser
geant the corporal corporal and the two
privates as priVates.
Il will not mention the names of these men.
because if no publicity is given them IL win
be possible should they so desire. TO reinstate
them again"