Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-30
THE ATHENS TRAGEDY
REPORT FROM COL. DUGGAN. 1ST
INFANTRY.
Steps Taken to Ascertain the Guilty
Names to Be Given to the
Prosecuting Attorney.

The War Department has received a re-
port from Col. w. T. Duggan. LIST Infan-
try, giving full particulars of the recent
troubles at Athens Ohio at the recent
Joint encampment of regulars and Ohio
state militia, in which several national
guardsmen were killed or wounded by reg
ular troops in resisting arrest. The report
states that all the regular soldiers known
to have been implicated in the fracas have
been arrested and turned over to the civil
authorities for trial.
Col. Duggan says that from reports re-
ceived. 1t appears that some time between
and 7:3O pm. August 10, a number of
men, variously estimated at from fifty to
100 came down street in Athens in a
body, some firing revovers In the air.
In front of the court house they were
met by squad of the provost guard de-
tailed in the town, consisting of six or
Company D, 9TH Infantry, Ohio National
Guard. Upon this meeting a riot ensuei
and number of shots fired. Corporal
Charles Clark, Company d. 9Th Infantry.
Ohio National Guard. was killed. Sergean at
Blessing of the same organization severe
ly wounded and two other members of the
same organization slightly wounded.
To Suppress Disturbance.
Colonel Duggan tells of the steps he took
guards and checking up the troops. He
gives the result of this check roll in alb
sentees, showing ninety-three regulars
missing. but all save thirteen were not con-
nected with the disturbance. The check
roll furnished to the prosecuting at
torney of Athens country, who was given
every assistance by Colonel Duggan in de-
tecting the guilty men.
AS a result of the investigation the prose-
cutting attorney obtained warran is for the
arrest of the following named men. all OF
the 14th Battery, Field Artillery, and these
ren were turned over to the civil author
tiles. viz: Sergt. Duffy, Corporal Thuler,
Privates Raymond. GaydoS and Galigan.
Corporal Malcolm Nelson, 18th Battery,
Field Artillery. was also probably In the
disturbance.
He was drowned that night in the Hook
ing river. trying to return to camp by
swimming. He had bis revolver. the
chambers OF which were empty. Two blank
and two ball cartridges were found in his
pocket. His body was found in the river
about noon on August -
In the case of the other men at Camp
Armitage the prosecuting attorney decided
that he had not sufficient evidence to pro-
cure warrants against any of them.
The colonel assured Gov. Herrick, Gen.
Dick and Prosecuting Attorney Foster that
he would do everything in his power to
aid them in their investigation.
Prosecuting Attorneys View.
Inc prosecuting attorney assured him that
from his own observation and evidence OBJ
tanned he was convinced the mob was COM
posed of national guards as well as regu-
lars, 1t was reported that a hardware mer-
chant had sold some .3S-caliber revolver
cartridges to soldiers. whether regulars or
mlitamen could not be determined
In closing his report, Colonel Duggan
says:
Orders We're issued forbidding any en-
listed man of the command from going into
the city of Athens, without written pass
from his camp commander and guards
were placed at the different bridges to pre-
vent men from crossing the Hooking river
without proper pass.
Il believe the regulars engaged in this
affair all belonged to the troops at Camp
Armitage, and It is possible that some of
them succeeded in returning to camp by
the time the check roll call was taken, and
before the extra guards We're placed and
orders given to arrest all men coming into
camp
Il believe that none of the infantry took
part in the shooting, as no rifle shots were
fred