The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-08-29

Under the above heading the Char
Iotte Observer of the 23rd has b fol-
lowing to say about the conduct of the
members of the state guard who went
into encampment nea that city a few
weeks ago. We are glad TO be to
state that the soldiers of the first and
second regiments which went into
camp here d short while before the en-
campment in Charlotte were not guilty
of any such conduct. The men at
Camp Glenn were gentlemen and by
their conduct showed that they were
such. Wilmington is trying TO secure
the permanent encampment of the En-
tire state guard and if she succeeds
she will not dread any such conduct
as The Observer says the third regl-
ment were guilty of in Charlotte, be
cause the Wilmington people will put
up with no sucn rowdy, ungentleman-
" conduct. Wrightsville1 sound and
beach are the summer homes of a great
many Wilmington people. The wives
and daughters of very many of the
business men of the city are there dur
ing the summer and the families of
often 90 down to spend the day at the
seashore. The men of these families
will see to it that order is kept on the
beach and on the sound. They will
not put up with such conduct az the
members of the third regiment were
guilty of in Charlotte. If the officers
cannot make the men behave the cit
liens of Wilmington will do it. They
are not used to such rOWdy conduct at
their seashore resort and they will not
put up with it: and those members of
the third regiment who behaved so
OutrageOusly in Charlotte nay as well
take notice now that should they come
mer they will have to behave them
selves. If they expect to come here
and behave as they We're allowed to
do in Charlotte they will be greatly
disappointed. The Wilmington people
are not used to such conduct and are
not going to put up with it. That's
all there is about the matter. In re-
gard to the conduct Of these. soldiers
the Charlotte Observer says:
The Statesville Landmark says:
THE Landmark expressed the hope
that the members of the Third Rcgi-
ment. during the cncampment in Char
lolte. would not engage in any of the
Indecent conduct that has So often
characterized the troops in this state.
But 1t GEMS impossible to get n few
companies Of troops together without
enough tGughs in the lot to disgrace
the others. During the encampment
at Charlotte some Of h soldiers made
it a point to attack and maItreat ne
groeS without any reason whatever
except cure viciousness: and Jo. Mills.
an old who took a load of mel
ems to the camp vas robbed Of every
melon-65 in all-ny soldiers who took
them and refused to pay him a cent.
A claim for the entire amount has
been filed with Adiutant General Rob-
ertscn and the negro will probably get
his money but that doesn't mitigate
the cffcnse. A term on the chain
gals would be proper medicine for
men who habitually disgrace a uni
form
That is not all. There are we'll
authenticated stories Of indignities
practiced by these ''soldiers" upon
we'll behaved colored women here. up
en- the public streets and elsewhere.
Unless there can be sumo adequate
guarantee Ct better behavior. which
means better discipline at another
time. The Observer for one. will not
be ambitious to see another n of
those encampments in Charlotte. In
addition to the intrinsic Woring of
such BEHAVIOR. the misconduct is CAL
culated to put the devil in the negroes
of Charlotte who. IS a class are Or
Gerly and laW-abiding.