Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-24
NAVAL MILITIA OUT
Formal Disbanding Order Was
Issued Today.
STRATTON HAS RESIGNED
ALI the Other Officers Are Honorably
Discharged
MAY NEVER BE REORGANIZED
Statements of Lieut. Commander
Brummett and Surgeon Cox-Were
Not Given Hearing.
MAY NEVER BE REORGANIZED
Statements of Lieut.. Commander

The formal order disbanding the District
of Columbia Naval Battalion was issued
from headquarters of the District National
Guard late this afternoon by Lieut.. Col. L.
NJ. Brett, adjutant general Honorable dis
charges are granted to Lieut.. Commander
Randolph B. Brummett Lieut.. Sidney Bic
Der. paymaster; Lieut.. s. Clifford Cox. sur
geon; Lieut. VIM II. Iautz, chief engineer
Lieut.. Joseph A. Dempf. Lieut.. Junior
gradel John Doyle Carmody and Ensigns
Frank w. Sigourney. Clyde w. Kelly, Wal
ter Z. Burt, William E. Bleo. Joseph S.
Hill and Chas. S. Jones.
Commander s. w. Stratton is not includ-
ed in the disarmament order as his resig-
nation had been accepted to take effect
January 30, 1906.
The informal disarmament of the Dis
trict Naval Battalion by Gen. George Ii.
Harries. as exclusively given in The Star
yesterday, was the uppermost topic of
conversation today in army, navy and
national guard circles. 1t was said that
in reorganizing the District navy" Gen
Harrfes will endeavor to make 1t one of
the best naval militia contingents In the
United States
Lieut. Commander r. B. Brummett was
seen today by Star reporter and asked
for a statement concerning the disband-
ment.
I will say he replied, that In this
matter Gen. Harries has not given me
chance to vindicate myself from the allie
cations made against me. MY first init
nation that any trouble was brewing
came in a letter from the commanding
officer, Gen. Harries. demanding my res
ignation and charging me with disloy-
IN nY11ff "a n Stt,att Il
support.
Il emphatically deny that l have been
diSloyal that | failed to give Com
mander Stratton my support. For eight
years 1 worker hard to build up and
maintain the Naval Battalion. and it is
not just or right that others should now
step in and enjoy the benefits of my la
Dor.
vindicate myself and refute the charge of
disloyalty made against me. But I am
now willing to let time work out my
vindication. I have no criticism to make
issue with me-"
Means Its End.
DR.. s. Clifford Cox surgeon of the Naval
Battalion, whose resignation was also
called for by Gen. Harr:es, said to a Star
reporter this afternoon:
''The disarmament of the battalion was
the JEST SOiutlUil OF the GlTncuity, in my
opinion. 1 told Adjatant General Brett sew
eral times that we would be willing to go
cut II the battalion was disbanded, but we
did refuse to send in our designations with
the charges of disloyaty, etc. pending
This sdisbandment will be hard on Gen
Harries, as 1t will deprive him of his pri-
vate yacht, the Oneida
The District will now lose both the Puri-
tan and the Oneida, the Navy Depart
ment will call them both in. The depart
ment will not stand for having two ships
out without any men to man and take care
of them.
But will not the Naval Battalion be re-
organized at once?' queried the reporter
Not at ALL replied Surgeon Cox. THE
Naval Battalion of the District of Columbia
is now thing of the past.
1T will never be reorganized Everybody
at chat conference on board the Puritan
Monday night got cold feet 1t sounded the
death knell of the Naval Militia here The
disbandment will also probably prevent the
sacrifice Of the lives of a couple of hundred
of the flower of the youth of Washington
members of the battalion, through the igno-
rance or carelessness OF some one which
might have precipitated a naval disaster
Such an accident was probably prevented
by diSSolVing the battalion in time