New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-28
ARMY And NAVY NEWS.
IFEoA THE TRIBUNE BUREAU.l


Washington December q
RESPONSIBILITY OF GUARDS.-The War De-
partment has received the records in two court
martial cases which occurred at Plattsburg Bar
racks, New-York. the cases being Second Lieu
tenant Charles r W. Morrison, 5th Infantry: Ser
geant J. w Tweedy Company \. 5th Infantry.
and Corporal Harry Fl. Curtis, Company X, 0th
Infantry. The officer was in charge OF the guard
at that military pSst in the keeping OF which
prisoner escaped. The enlisted were the nom
commissioned officers of the guard on that oc-
cason. and it was charged that the officer and
the soldiers suffered the prisoner 10 escape through
negligence. The court acquitted Lieutenant MOrt-
and Sergeant Tweedy, and sentenced Corporal
Curtis to reduction to the grade Of private and $50
forfeiture of pay. The court. however. expressed
the opinion that the officer failed to perform hts
full duty in The matter. but thought the escape Of
the prisoner not due TO his particular case OF
negligence. General II. c. Corbin. commanding
the Department of the East reviewed the case.
and said there a failure TO perform fun duty
as officer VI the guard. al the negligence while
it may not have directly effected the escape OF the
prisoner. surely must have influenced the manner
Of performance Of duty during this special tour OF
guard. A commander OF G guard should be
model for all its members, and. when he is neFli
gent, neglect soon follows among his subOrdinates;
nor does ths duty OF officer in carrying into
effect legal orders received by him end with their
perfunctory transmission to his subordn1tes. This
is part, but only small part. of such duty; ne
must personally to it that the orders so trans
mtted made effective
In general comment on the matter the review
ing authority adds:
1.-The department commander takes this occasion
duty DIT Rlattsburg Barracks Is tneXcuSable. and
trusts that simple peTfunctory performance OF
that duty will not b. accepted by post command
ers fulfilling either the spirit or the letter Of
the orders and instructions regulating it, but they
will require that all guards be thoroughly and
carefully instructed in their duties. and through
day, but by all responsible officers. satisfy them
selves that an efficient performance of guard duty
Is maintained"
CARING FOR THE NATIONS DEAD.-Quar-
termaster General Humphrey Of the army finds II
necessary to increase the allotment for national
cemeteries TO s1250 600 or SIS go than the sum
appropriated for the eighty-three institutions now
maintained at government expense In recent years.
IN consequence OF the operation OF the eight hour
law and the natural decay OF lodges Outbuidings.
fagstaffs and walls and fences it has required the
strictest economy to maintain these cemeteries for
the amounts appropriated. Several OF the original
lodges contain only three rooms, OF which is
used the office, and inadequate a home
for superIntendents who have large families. The
addition, few years ago, Of about ffty-stx acres
OF land 10 the Arlington National Cemetery and the
Improvements and care OF he burial sections for
the soldiers Of the late war with Spain, the vic
tins of the disaster TO the battIeshp Maine. and
commissioned officers of the regular volunteer
service Of the United States have greatly increased
the expenditures for clearing, grading and tmprOv
above given the appropriations for national Gene
terieS in the Iasr few years have only suffccd to
keep them in reasonable repair and condition with
out providing for much needed improvements