The age-herald., 1901-12-10
OBJECT ID MAJOR ROBINSON BEING A MEMBER OF COURT Officers Visit Montgomery and Confer With Gov-
 ernor JelkS ALL FRIENDS OF HlGDON They Protest Against Changes In Per sonneI and Posrponement of Date
 for courtmartial
 
ALL FRIENDS OF HlGDON

A committee of officers from the Bir- mingham battalion, Alabama National Guard, all friends of Col. E. L. Higdon, went to Montgomery yesterday morning. carrying between them something which they presented to the Governor concern ing the Higdon-Kyle courtmartial. This something may have been round robin" growing out of the Sunday night caucus or 1t may have been just com mon kick against the commander-in- chiefs action in changing the personnel of the courtmartial and the rearrange- ment of dates.
 The entire maneuver Is enveloped in mystery, but the Governor Is said to have taken it easy and smiled when ask ed as to the nature of the Birmingham officers visit. The cammander-in-chief of the Alabama troops did nothing but smile, however, and refused to tell the secret.
 It is understood that the Governor was told that Major Robinson, who was added to the court when General Clarke retired, was objectionable to the Higdon faction, and that the postponement would serious ly interfere with the attendance of cer- tain witnesses
 Had the Mysterious Smile.
 The officers came back last night wear ing the same gubernatorial smile with a slight touch of mystery added thereto. These officers were Captain Hughes B. Kennedy, Lieutenant Lucien Brown and Captain Walter Gardner, and though they wouldn't tell thing, they good humoredly said they did not forget their rank while talking to the commander-in- chief.
 "As soon as there delegation reached Montgomery" says special sent from the capital city last night, they pro ceeded to the Governors office and were soon admitted to the private apartment for a conference with the chief executive.
 This conference lasted for sometime and when 1t was ended the Governor was asked for the result of the interview With a gleam of mischief in his eye, the Governor said the boys had merely come down to pay him a social visit. He then seriously said he could not talk of what had transpired.
 'The Birmingham officers were just as reticent as the Governor. Lieutenant Brown and Captain Gardner came down on social visit and I am here as chap erone.' said Captain Kennedy. 1t is true we saw the Governor. and it is also true that the approaching courtmartial was mentioned during our conversation. The Governor treated us very kindly We did not forget that we were his inferior of ficers,' laughingly concluded Captain Kennedy.
 object to Major Robinson.
 While the officers refused to make statements to the correspondent it leaked out that they were here to express to the Governor the disapproval of a number of the Birmingham officers of the recent change in the courtmartal, whereby General Clarke was relieved from duty, and Colonel Mcdowell and Major Rob- inson were added to its membership.
 Tt has been suggested that Major Rob- inson is ineligible to service as a mem- ber of the courtmarhal for the reason that his superior officer Is to be tried.
 '"The officers were very much in earn est in making their protest. but if the Governor proposes to take the matter up he would not so state today. The Bir- mingham officers returned home at 3:3c o'clock
 kvle,s Probable Defense