The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-05-23
TOO MUCH DRUNKENNESS
EFFECT OF THE ABOLITION OF CAN
TEENS AT ARMY POSTS.
ROadhOuses and Groggeries in Vicin-
ity of Eastern Forts Doing
Land-Omce business.

NEW YORK, May 22-The Times says
General Brooke has sent out an order to
ali commandants of posts in the Depart
ment of the East to send to him on Sept /
a complete report of the results which
have ensued upon the abolition of the army
canteen. Officers say that these reports
will show beyond cavil that intemperance
has largely increased under the new re-
gime and it is predicted that the next
Congress will give serious consideration to
the real situation as it has developed
Seven privates absent without leave from
Fort Ethan Allen, Vermont, have just been
locked up In the military prison at Gov
ernors island, which is the headquarters
of the department. They disappeared from
their post Immediately after pay day of
this month. and their troubles are attrib-
uted by officers to the abolition of canteens.
"A reporter interviewed a number of the
officers at Governors island, any every one
OF them was saying L told you So when
the cases of Fort Sheridan, Fort Smelling
md Fort Ethan Allen were called to mind
The officers there regard it but as a matter
of a short time when the public sentiment
of the Nation will demand the re-estab-
lishment of the canteen. Captain Adams,
who was acting adjutant general at Gov
ernor's island in General Sheridan's alb
sence, said that since pay day there had
been unusual trouble in nearly every post
in the department. and, he understood in
other departments also. The number of
men arrested has been larger than usual,
and there have been a noticeable number
arrested for intoxication. He was not pre-
pared TO say i-lst what the percentage Of
increase was. Trouble is reported at Fort
Hamilton. Fort Schuyler, Fort wadsworth
Fort Hancock and at Willet's Point.
PAY day at Fort Totten, Wilet's Point.
Long Island sound, came last Wednesday
and the 491 soldiers stationed there drew
about 500 per man. Since that time there
have been wild and hilarious times in the
saloons at Whtestone, the nearest village
TO the reservation, and in the half dozen
roadhouses 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 courts-martial on
drunk and dsorderly' charges and twelve
for absence without leave. The twenty
one absentees and the twelve men now i'm
the guardhouse will add considerably to
those figures. There have been since the
last pay day as many as ten men absent
without leave at one time from one COM
pany of less than 100 men. Commenting on
this Major w NJ Black the commandanr
OF the fort stated that the number was
unprecedented in his recollection. Major
Black, Adjutant Howell and every officer
and soldier interviewed at the fort gave
without hesitation the opinion that the
change for the worse in the general dis
cipiine was due entirely to the abolition Of
the canteen and the turning over by the
soldier OF his monthly pay I'm his rocket
10 the tenGer mercies of the outside saloon
keepers who thrive in the vicinity of mill
tary posts.
'sThe force now at Fort Totten consists
Of four companies Of the Second Battalion
OF engineers, the nucleus OF three. compa-
nies OF the new Third Battalion of en-
gineers that IS being recruited and the
Fighty-second Company OF the coast artu-
tery With few executions all these men
are veteran soldiers OF the highest branches
OF the service. and in character are we'll up
in the general average of the American
soldier"