The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-27
COMPANY r WILL
 BE MUSTERED OUT Huntsville Board of Inquiry Makes Recommendations BRANDON ISSUES ORDERS Report to the Governor Will Result In the company's Being Mustered
 Out On the Night of
 October I.
BRANDON ISSUES ORDERS

Montgomery, September 26-(Special)- Company F, Third infantry, Alabama National guard. as organized, Is inefh- cient and worthless. We recom- mend that Company F, Third infantry 1 A N. G., be mustered out immediately
 These quotations are from the report | of the military board of inquiry appoint | ed by the governor to look into the ac- tions of Capt. R. L. Hay. commanding, and the members of Company F on the night of September ', when q mob was allowed to take from the officers, civil and military at Huntsville, Horace Mapes. negro. and hang him, in viola ton of law.
 The adjutant general, Gen. William W. Brandon, at once issued an order, by ex- press command of the governor, that the recommendation of the board of inquiry be concurred in and naming the night of October 4, next, as the time to muster out the Huntsville forces.
 The whole trouble of the night of Sep tember 2, is reviewed by the report of the board. It is shown that Captain Hay had no definite plan of action, that he | failed to support his sentinels on the outside and that most of the men had no loads in their guns, though there was plenty of ammunition to pe had. It was also shown that members of the military company were cursed and assaulted by the mob after fire was set to the jail and that they lost their military identity in the crowds.
 It is further found that "the attack on the jail found the military sitting around on the steps and out of military formation and on the curb stones eating supper"
 Also that on the night of the mob there was an entire lack of concerted efforts or plans for the protection of the Jail or prisoner"
 That the combined shortcomings of the military allowed a life to be taken un- lawfully by a mob under circumstances which justify us in concluding that the same could have been prevented, there by reflecting serious discredit upon the military called into service"
 The board also recommends that all officers be taught the laws governing their positions before being allowed to command men.
 Report in Full.
 The whole evidence before the com mittee was given and from 1t the fol- lowing conclusions were orawn on recom- mendations made;
 Upon the above evidence we report as follows, towt:
 T. The facts are that on September T. 1904, at about D. m.. Company F. Third infantry, Alabama national guard was orda ipfo hu ha nfr 1dcra through Sheriff Rodgers or Madison coun- ty. That this company reported to the sheriff at the jail in Huntsville, Ala, approximately eighteen strong at about 5:30 D. m., their number being increased before o'clock to approximately twenty five men, Capt. R. L. Hay in command, and Lieutenants T. P. Hay and s. Mor- gan Stewart present. That when Com pany F arrived at the jail the streets in It's immediate vicinity were crowded with people.
 Sheriff Rodgers states that when the military reported to him, he ordered them through First Lieutenant Hay. in the presence of Captain Hay, to take charge of the jail and protect the prison err This is denied by the military off, cers who, while denying the receipt of these orders, are not clear as to whether any orders were received at this time l from the sheriff.
 That Captain Hay proceeded to have his sergeants clear the streets with de- | tails, the people offering no resistance, and to post sentinels to keep the crowd back, giving general orders to these non | commissioned officers wno transmitted them to the sentinels as given them to keep the crowd back, but giving no or ders or instructions as to how this was to be done. That Captain Hay had had 1 bayonets -xed before leaving the armory. but he had not given the command to | load, and that the guns of the detail and sentinels were not loaded. though they had cartridges In abundance. That l approximately seven men were posted as sentinels. the remainder being at the | jail.
 F Failed to Make Arrangements.
 ''That Captain Hay utterly failed to make any arrangements looking to a sup l port of ms sentinels in case they were attacked by the crowds, who were demon | strating that their purpose to this end was growing. and that the sentinels al | the post which was finally attacked anc l overpow,ied, were not informed, and had no right to believe that they would be supported in such contingency, theil | orders and instructions being only of thai l indefinite character as outlined above.
 That this condition of affairs continued until about p. m, when an attack was made upon the post at the corner of Clinton and Washington streets. and one l of the sentinels was overpowered and rem dered unconscious by the mob, which | however, hesitated for an appreciablt time, when two or three sergeants ant men came to his aid, long enough, 1T fact for the sentinel to be sent to the jai and then rushed by his post and to tn, jail.
 That there was no effort on the par of Captain Hay or other military officer. to support this post when it was at tackled, and the attack found the mer at the jail out of military formation sitting around on the steps of the jai and the curb stones eating supper
 Command to Fall In.
 That thcreupon Lieutenant Hay at tn, jail gave command to the men there tt fall. Captain Hay then gave them z command to go in the jail, and then or dered them on the second landing of thu steps. The military claim that these or