The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-09-14
ANSWER TO HOPE
WHAT SAvANNAHIANs REPLY TO
HORSE GUARD CAPTAIN.
LETTER PREPARED BY TEAM.
GIVES THE FULL HISTORY OF THE
SWINDLE AT SEA GIRT.

ernor's Horse Guard Was FOrmu-
Iatcd-Maj. w w. Williamson Sign
ed the RepIy-It Is Devoid of
nifty That Was So Notably Lack
ing iu Capt. Hopes Letter.
A meeting of the Savannah members
Of the Georgia state team that shot
at Sea Girt in 1899 was held yesterday
afternoon, and the following letter was
formulated, as expressive of their SEN
timents, in reply to the letter of Capt
George M. Hope of the Governors
Horse Guard:
Savannah, Ga, Sept. Is. 1902.
Capt Geo. M. Hope, Capt Command
ing Troop L, First Regiment Cavalry,
G. S. T., Atlanta. Ga. Sir: If the arti
Gle in the Atlanta Constitution of 18th
inst, which l enclose, quotes you cor
rectly, l now stamp your statement as
utterly false.
All the members of the Georgia
State Team of 1899 are still mem bers
of the Georgia State Troops, and
knowing their duty have never in any
way in the public prints criticized their
commanding officer. the Governor OF
the state, for his action in allowing
team from your troop to go to Sea Girt
this year. The team as a unit, how
ever, do criticise you and your troop
for going to Sea Girt, and good cit-
Zens of Savannah, knowing all the cir
cumstances, have condemned you for
going and the Governor for allowing
you to go. In the articles that have ap-
peared Atlanta has in no way been
criticised, for 1t is believed that At
&c i1sdf tool r,Ye e : g
Georgia as the military and citizens of
Savannah
That the good people of Georgia may
know the circumstances, and then
judge for themselves whether we. in
the position we have taken, are pro-
tecting the honor of the state, or your
troop by its actions sustaining the eff
ficiency of the service, give as briefly
as possible history of the case.
History of the Fraud.
In August, 1899, 1 was delegated by
Gov. Gambler to select a team to rep
resent Georgia in the interstate match
es at Sea Girt to be held that month
[ took with me % men from Savannah
and was joined at Sea Grit by eleven
men of the Horse Guard. After five
days practice Private L. j. Daniel of
the Horse Guard won a position on
the state team; the other eleven men
were from the First Regiment Infan-
try Georgia Hussars and Guards, all
of Savannah. 1 was called home by
an urgent telegram the day before the
matches began, and Col. Jordan F.
Brooks, vice captain, assumed COM
mand. During the progress of the
Hilton Trophy match at 500 yards,
there was reason to believe that false
marking on the Jersey team target
was being made, and Col. Brooks re-
quested representation in the pits
(proyided for under the rules) when
the, shooting at 500 yards began. This
request was refused by the executive
officer. During the 600-yard shooting
the eighth man on the Jersey team
made miss, when the man in the
telephone box spoke to the marker in
the pit on the Jersey team target, No
8, Billy, what is the matter with our
boys" thus informing the marker that
1t was the Jersey team shooting on
No. target. Immediately the bulls
eyes came in thick and fast, the next
four men making twenty-four bulls
eyes out of -twenty-eight shots, and
that in dim and fading light in the
evening.
Had Look at the Target.
Everyone pronounced the scores
as phenomenal, and after sup
per T. G. Philpot of Savannah and ].
A Atkins of Atlanta went down to the
pit to take look at the target. Thew
discovered irregularities in the mark
ing, and at once returned to camp in
forming members of the team of what
they had found. A delegation from
the Georgia team then secured the as
sistance of Maj. w. E. Harvey. Lieut..
Holt and Lieut.. Cookson of the Wash
lngton team, who went to the pits and
examined the target. They found a
number of pastors on the target with
no bullet holes under them.
afndavit of the examination. Early the
following morning the matter
being reported to Col. Brooks.
he, with Col. Cam, Inspector
General of Rifle Practice of Geor-
gia, called on Gen. Spencer and de-
manded an investigation. Gen. Spencer
had the target at once taken out of the
pit and locked up, and promised an in
Vestlgarlon that evening. Col Brooks
that evening had his witnesses present.
including the Washington officers Gen.
spencer declined to have the investiga
ton on the grounds that Rule had
been violated, which cited that during
the progress of the matches no one hut
the target markers and a representa-
tive from each team shall be allowed
in the pits. No matches were going 81,
when the men visited the pits. and
therefore no rule was violated. The
pits have been repeatedly visited when
no matches were in progress, and moth
ing has ever been said about it. I
have myself been there on several oc-
casions.
Protest Was Entered.
Col. Brooks then entered a formal
protest signed by himself Col. George
T. Cam, Inspector General of Rifle
Practice. Georgia State Troops. and
Col. Phil G. Byrd. acting adjutant gen
eral of Georgia, which Gen. Spencer de-
clined to recognize.
The Georgia team returned home:
and shortly afterwards received a COM
munication from the New Jersey State
Rifle Association finding j. A. Atkins
OF the Horse Guard, and W G. Aus
TN and I. G. Philpot of Savannah.
guilty OF tampering with the targets,
and debarring them from shooting on
the Sea Girt range again. Just here
l want to call attention to the fact that
by order of the Governor these men
We're representing the state of Georgia
at the time, and they were accused of
fraud. An appeal was made to the
executive committee of the New Jer-
sey State Rife Association. pro-
testing against the award OF
the match 10 New Jersey, at
the same time demanding that as
our men had been found guilty with
out hearing, that they should be
given hearing. and faced by the wit
nEEEaG taarf A