The Lamar register., 1902-06-25
GENERAL GARDNER ExoNERATED
Board of Inquiry Finds the Adjutant
General GuiltIess.

General GuiltIess.
Denver, June 2l.-Adj. Gen. George
+. Gardner did not make use OF Ian
guage unbccuming an officer and Il gen
tleman i'll the reported interview with
John 5. lrby of the Denver Times on
the afternoon of March 9th last, in
speaking of the Telluride snowsldes,
according TO the finding OF the board
of inquiry appointed to look into the
matter.
The report of the board as presented
to Governor Orman, is signed by Brig.
Gen. John Chase as president and Col.
james III. Brown as recorder, and is as
follows:
"That on the forenoon of March 6,
1902, John $. lrby, as reporter for the
Denver Times, called, as was his Gus
tom, at the adjutant generals Office for
news items. Addressing Gen. George
f. Gardner. he called his attention to
the resolutions passed by the Legisla-
ture relative 10 the recent loss of life
in the Telluride district. Some conver-
sation ensucd on the matter in the
course of which General Gardner made
use of the expression: 1t looks like
the Judgment of the Lord on those poor
fellows or words to that effect. The
labor troubles of July. 1901, were
spoken of, and the conduct of the
Miners Union at that time was com
mented oil.
1.-The evidence clearly establishes the
fact that conversations was held be
tween Mr. Irby, of the Denver Times,
and General Gardner on the forenoon
of March 6, 1902, relative to the loss
of life in the Telluride district during
the several months preceding. and the
conversation was regarded rs an inter
view by thc reporter, and was, there
fore, turned into the paper for publica-
ton.
1.-The testimony clearly establishes
the fact that General Gardner did not
regard the conversation in the light OF
an Interview.
"Mr. Irby testified that he did not
write up the interview until about
twenty-onc hours after the conversa-
tion occurred, and that the head lines
were not written by himself but We're
added in the office of the Denver
Times by person or persons not pres
ent at the Interview. n prcpondcr;lnce
of the evidence also establishes the
fact that paragraphs one a. and three
80 We're not spoken, but that the bal
| ance of the interview was reported
substantially as 1t occurred. The in
terview. as published, was not Il CON
| iinuous statement by General Gardner.
but was the statement as Mr.. lrDy
understood General Gardeners express
siOns as brought out by questions and
comments by Mr.. 1rby. The converSa-
| ton occupied about ten or fifteen min
utes, during n part of which time Gen
| cral Gardner was reading a letter. Civ
ing but partial attention to Mr.. lrby's
| comments
The testimony of witnesses who
| heard any part of the conversation is
positive that in all that was said Gen
| eral Gardner showed no spirit of vim
| dictiveness or ill-fecllng towards the
citizens of Telluride or the labor or
ganiZationS as such, but, on the con-
trary, expressed sympathy over the
| loss of life from various causes in the
Telluride district, dcploring the cnlam-
! ity and approving the touching senti'
| ments in the resolutions of the Gen
eral Assembly
"The subjects Of conversation were
upon the resolutions passed by
the Legislature. the various ca
lamities which have visited Tellu
| ride, and the sentiments of the Miners
Union towards the National Guard. All
| these subjects Were matters of com
mon knowledge, frequently discussed
| in papers, and were subjects of comment
| editorally and otherwise. in the public
press.
"In the alleged interview between
| General Gardner and Mr.. lrby The
court finds that General Gardner mad,
use of no expression which would bt
unbecoming an officer and gentle
man.