Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-02-12
ARMY RIFLE SCORES FAXED
Prise Money Awarded Companies of
Fifth Infantry Must he
Repaid

Because Of fraud practiced in the mark
ing up OF the rifle scores an order has
been Issued by the War department
striking out the entire score made at
practice at Plattsburg, N. Y, last sum-
mer by Companies l. and NJ of the Fifth
infantry. The order is a very sweeping
enc, and not only are the scores declared
OF, but the department orders that all
the men who have received increased pay
for their good work before the targets
must refund the extra money to the treas
ury.
The order was received yesterday at ths
headquarters of the Department OF the
East on Governors Island, and, while IT
caused little surprise among the officers,
II created a stir among the enlisted mon.
The order followed proof that there was
fraud practiced in recording the target
scores, the result Of collision among the
men.
The officers OF the regiment are held
entirely blameless
The inquiry, which has shown an aston
ishing state of AFFAIRS is to be followed
by a sweeping investigation OF the rife
scores OF the entire battalion. This will
take some time. for the battalion is split.
Some Of the men are in Cuba and some
are stationed In Plattsburg. Captain John
son Of General Grants stan has been or
dered to the Plattsburg barracks to con-
tinue the investigation there. while an
other officer is to be detailed to proceed
to Cuba TO make the same inquiry there.
That the investigation will be rigid Is
not doubted by army men. for the War
department seeks to find out exactly to
what extent the frauds were practiced.
Whether the investigation vial become
general throughout the whole army Is a
matter for speculation.
When the men go to target practice the
scores are kept by other enlisted men
stationed in the pits. They are In charge
of an officer, but as there are a number
of targets there are many chances for
fraud. The targets are examined after
each shot by the man in charge, and he
signals the result with flags TO the score
keepers on the firing line. 1t is believed
that there was a conspiracy in the two
companies by which the men in the pits
announced after examining the targets
greater score than the marksman had
really made.
For excellency Of Workmanship the
men receive rewards OF Increased pay
This increased money amounts to from
81 to 81 a month. Under the order issued
fifty or sixty men, who have~received this
cash will have to pay 1t back. There is
no way by which they can avoid payment,
for the amounts will be deducted from
their pay.
Colonel H. o. 8. Heistand. military secre-
tary Of the department of the west. said
that the investigation which resulted In
the order striking out the score of Com
panies L and M had been going on some
time.
THE regiment has separated" he said,
80 the papers had to be sent back and
forth many times. All this caused delay,
but finally they were forwarded TO Wash
ington. Colonel Calvin d. Coles in com
mand OF the regiment took an active
part in the matter, and II was upon his
recommendation that the order was pro-
mulgated.
THE frauds came out through the off,
cial reports. There were certain details
In connection with the target practice
which came to the attention of the off,
GERS and led them to suspect that the
men had pEacticed fraud, in order to pile
up good scores. The first cursory exam
ination convinced the department that
there had been collusion, and so the more
careful investigation was made The in
quiry has now been extended to the other
companies OF the regiment"
Colonel Heistand was asked whether he
believed the practice OF padding scores
was general. To this he replied that the
War department gave increased pay for
good Workmanship and that there was
always the temptation for men to strive
for good scores. Beyond that he was
noncommittal.-New York Times.