New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-06
FIRST BATTERY PROTEST
PETITIONS TO GOVERNOR.
Report That Fifty Members at Meet
ing Denounced Officers.

According 10 a story i'm military circles, about
5fr, mem hers of the LIST Battery have been guilty
- holding a meeting in the arrnory and de-
rouncing thci~ superior officers. Last Friday
night there was a regular meeting of the bat
-sre at which Lieutenant Wendell now under
charges presided. What appeared 10 be q ma
.o-ity Of The members demanded an election Of
civil officers at once. and shouted that they did
not want 70 be ruled from Albany. but from New
York
The rumor spread that General Roe had in
view tho placing Of Lieutenant Organ in per-
rosnent command of the battery and this
created Cd feeling. The excitement reached such
q stage that Lieutenant Wendell adjourned the
meeting As soon as he had gone however. what
might De called q trump" meeting was held. at
which private named Brand was elected chair
man some one mistake had been made
IN making q private a presiding officer and
Brand was thrown out and a commissary SER
geant named Maschke put in his place. Then
followed a fierce denunciation of the higher
officers and a petition to Governor Hughes was
ordered drafted.
lieutenant Henry a. Nickel and Lieutenant
u HiSCox were said TO have been present
ard made no efforts to stop the meeting It
was said during the meeting that General Roe,
or others in power had a scheme to place
Lieutenant John f. Organ of the I'd battery,
in permanent command. and that this would in
terfere with promotions in the battery.
we want home rule" declared one speaker,
"and the only way 20 get il is by united action
We must petition the Governor over the head of
General Roe IT is our only chance" The
speaker was loudly applauded.
Others said Lieutenant Organ was a marti-
net and that the % Battery members would be
only TOO glad 10 him 4 permanent fixture in
the 1st. That's right That's right" yelled
voices all over the room. we must choose our
own officers, and men TO our liking. and not per-
nit officers TO be forced upon us"
Several petitions were al once got into circu-
lation. and these were addressed to Governor
Hughes. and asked that the members of the bat
tery he allowed to elect their own officers
corporal named Paschke got up and said
that the signing Of such petition, he believed,
was contrary to military law, and advised the
members 10 go slowly Nearly all the members
signed the petition however, and then there was
some more hot discussion and some of the men
sided with Paschke. The result was that tho
chairman. Sergeant Maschke. decided TO hold the
petitions for the present
i was also decided that the bylaws Of the
battery gave the commanding officer too much
his own way IN conducting the affairs of the
battery. and that the members should control
matters more themselves. A committee. which
included PriVa IL :. Brand. Corporal Redeke and
tuNafe y. Cosel, was appointed to revise the
nylaWs and report AZ another meeting. Among
lnoSe who made strong speeches in favor Of
nome rule were Privates Fink and Mccarthy
The facts Of the unmilitary proceedings have
not reached General Roe officially. Lieutenant
Wendell. when seen YESTERDAY, would not saw
whether he had preferred charges or not nor
would he discuss the matter.
PRIVATE Brand, one Of the principal movers IN
getting up the petition. said Yesterday that it
had not yet been forwarded and that another
meeting was 10 be held later.