Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-06-15

| to the act of April 70, 1904, the charac-
| ter of Il legislative rule of evidence to
which. in the opinion of this Office it is
| clearly entitled, it would seem to he
| clear that it was the il ntion of con-
| gress in establishing sucA a rule to re =
quire that, in the determination of
cases arising under it, voluntary
affidavits. and equally voluntary state
| ments from officers whose official
responsibility in connection with the
| acts TO which statements relate have
| long since terminated, should be eX-
| cluded from executive considerations
and the legality and prOpriety of the
| award should be determined in all
| cases by the testimony furnished by
| the official records of the War depart
| ment.'
The war department has received in
| response to it's request a statement
| from Lieutenant Colonel William l..
Pitcher, Twenty-eighth infantry,
| against whom complaint was made by
Colonel S. c. Mills of the inspector
generals department on account of the
conduct of the former officer involving
his failure to marry young lady in
gagemcnt had been formally made and
Colonel Pitcher and the young lady
We're entertained by friends here in
| celebration of the incident. 1t was said
that Colonel Pitcher returned to his
station at the Preside of San Francisco
without explaining to the young lady
his intention OF canceling the engage
ment. When the matter came before
the War department in its official way
Colonel Pitcher was invited to submit
his statement which was to the effect
that he had changed his mind i'm the
matter. The authorities regarded the
explanation as unsatisfactory and rs
rendering Colonel Pitchers case the
proper subject of court martial pro-
ceedings. When the officer learned of
this intention Oh the part of the de-
partment he telegraphed this week
asking a postponement of action until
he could submit further statement.
The judge advocate general of the
army recommended that Colonel
Pitcher be permitted to make the
statement but no recommendation was
presented in favor of a postponement
of the court martial proceedings.
The enlisted men of the army who are
candidates for second lieutenancies
have arrived at Fort Leavenworth.
There are fOrty-one who have passed
their preliminary examination. of whom
thirteen are from the Philippines and
twenty-eight from various posts in the
United States. The period of instruc-
ton at Fort Leavenworth in anticipa-
ton Of the final examinations of
September 1 will begin on June Is and
the instruction Of candidates will be
under the supervision of Captain
Robert A. Brown, Fourth cavalry.
Lieutenant General A. r. Chaffee,
chief of staff of the army, has APP
parently adopted a policy which per-
mits no great amount of leniency in
the case of army officers who are ac-
| cused of wrong doing and who are
found guilty by courts martial. He be-
lieves that when the sentence is that of
dismissal and no recommendation of
executive clemency is appended to the
findings of the court there should be no
attention paid to other considerations.
He is inclined to accept the verdict Of
the military court as final and as being
prevail Of the recommendation of the
reviewing authority.
Another change has been made in the
army uniform question so far as 1t re-
lates TO the issue of clothing to the en-
listed force. About month ago it was
decided that the troops at some twelve
or fifteen prominent garrisons of the
country should receive the new uni
form. 1t was the purpose, it was ex-
planned, of having the public in the
neighborhood of these garrisons become
familiar with the new apparel. The
incident attracted considerable COM
ment for the reason that it meant pro-
longing the period in which the stock OF
old uniforms and equipment might be
exhausted. 1t was found that. there
was material in the quartermasters'
depots to the value of 50 000. 900 and that
at the present rate of issue it would re-
quire five years to get rid of clothing
and equipment which the government
could hardly afford to throw away. 1t
has now been decided by the chief Of
staff that the issue of the new uniforms
shall cease entirely and that until
further orders the old uniform and
equipment Shall be issued, not only to
the regular army, but to the militia,
from which have been coming numer-
Gus requests for the new uniform. 1t
Is considered advisable that in the
interest of public economy the stock of
old uniforms, which are in perfectly
good condition shall he exhausted no.