The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-12-10

to the present Congress placing the National Guard under direct control or the War Department. If the bill is satis- factory and IS found to include such provision Congressman Underwood will be asked to use his influence to have 1t adopted.
 The meeting at the Hillman was secret and was not intended to interest the public. but when five well known officers stepped out of the elevator with troubled wrinkles on their brows an investigation developed the round robin" story.
 The officers who left the, meeting and who are said to have votep against the proposition to address the Governor were Major Thomas Huey, Major W. J. Parkes, Captain McDaniel Leutenants Craig and Edmundson of Bessemer.
 ''Before the split Major Parks. the ranking officer, presided over the delib- erations of the board. It is understood that Lieutenant Lucien Brown succeeded him and it is said Lieutenant Brown also sent out the word that led to the gath ering.
 Among those who were present were Captain Hughes B. Kennedy, Captain L. C. Ledbetter. Captain Walter Gardiner, quarter master; Lieutenant John Yeat- man and Lieutenant Gregory.
 Men conversant with military matters say the meeting was called to assist Colonel Higdon in prosecuting his charges against Lieutenant Colonel Kyle and was in the nature of protest against the action of the Governor in changing the personnel of the court-martial, by which changes it Is intimated that a majority of Kyle's friends will compose the court.
 Tt is also said the postnonement of the hearing from December 10 until January will work to the detriment of Colonel Higdon, but just in what way can not be ascertained.
 Those who left the meeting arc said to have expressed the opinion that the Gov ernor would have the rtght and authority to order every one of the officers who signed the request for information under arrest and if the. coiufnander-in-chief sees fit whole array of courtmartials may follow"
 One of the officers who was in Mont gomery yesterday spoke with aome bitter ness concerning the foregoing newspaper story.
 "When we entered into the meeting" !" he said we agreed that no publication should be given to the proceedings. The friends of Colonel Kyle who left the meeting apparently gave the newspapers information concerning its proceedings. !"
 What was the meeting called for?''
 Tt was called for general discussion of military matters. Every officer in the Birmingham district was present and several of them, it is we'll known. are unfriendly to Colonel HigdoM The dis cussion of the courtmartial was purely incidental. A round robin was not sug- gested at all. We did notfprotest against the action of the Goverftor. No officer would protest against any action of the commander-in-chief, but it was suggested that e committee come to Montgomery and give the Governor certain informa- ton that we had reason to believe would be received in the proper spirit. It has transpired that our conclusions were cor rect.''
 Was Colonel Higdon present at the meeting?"
 No, he knew nothing of the meeting When he learned that we were coming to Montgomery to see the Governor he advised against it."
 A local military officer said yesterday that he hoped the bill placing the Nation al Guard under the control of the War Department would be adopted by Con, gress. He said this would entirely re- move the Guard from the baneflil in- iuences of State politics which had for so many years cut figure in It's arrange ment.