The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-07
Soldiers Must Appear Before
 COurtmartiaI
STRONG EVIDENCE GIVEN
Negro Railroad Hand Who Was Wounded by the Shooting from Rear Coach VIII Be Principal
 Witness.


 which has been ordered to sit in Savan- nah on Monday for the purpose of try ing certain members of the First squad ron of cavalry charged with reckless firing from a train near Rex, Ga., on their return from the July encampment at Chickamauga.
 There are close to 30 men of Troops A, and involved in this offense. The home stations of these troops are Savannah, Guyton and Ludwici Troop of Mcintosh, which was on the same train, was not involved, investigation developing that their guns were stacked in the baggage car and that they did not participate in the shoot ing.
 A negro railroad hand who was wounded as the result of the shooting which took place from the rear coach, will be one of the chief witnesses be- fore the court, which will be presided over by Brig. Gen. F. D. Huguenin of Macon, retired National Guard of flcer
 Pretty strong evidence has been woven around the men believed to be responsible for the wounding of this man, and If they are convicted it Is thought 1t will go harder with them than with any other members of the troops who participated in firing blank cartridges from the train. Conviction for these men, it is hinted, will mean fine and Imprisonment, either or both s,, .1s. governor, who will review its findings.
 In the cases of the other men where it can be proven that they were guilty of firing their guns from the train, it is likely dishonorable discharge will follow, unless it should be determined that in some instances more severe pun ishment is merited
 In the course of the investiga tion which was made into this shooting. evidence was discovered duplicating an officer in a serious breach of duty, and interesting developments in this connection are hinted at
 Contrary to the general belief held in some quarters the firing from the train was done only with blank car
 
 the negro who was hit could scarcely have escaped death and there Is little doubt that other persons would have been wounded
 Some surprise has been expressed by those who have learned the facts as to how man could be wounded by a blank cartridge. There were two kinds of maneuvers at Chickamauga. In order to make it work in the magazine of the Krag rife, the blak cartridge must be the full length and of ap- proximately the same shape as the ball cartridge. Some of the blanks are length ened by the soldering of light piece of metal onto the end, while in which melt and disappear at a dis tance of 10 or 15 feet from the muzzIe of the gun.
 The metal tipped blanks were first used at Chickamauga until 1t was dis covered that the force of the charge tore off the metal and carried 1t out of the gun barrel just as it would ..
 
 these pieces of metal struck his hat making a hole through it. An investi- gation followed and orders were issued calling in the metal tipped cartridges and replacing them with the paraffine bullets.
 It is supposed that some of the metal tipped blanks were retained and that hu hA firing from the rear coach of the train. It is believed to have been one of these metal tips which struck the negro railroad hand and severely wounded him.
 Report has 1t that the men who did the firing aimed their guns point blank at the railroad gang just as the train passed and let loose. They may or may not have been aware of the dan ger in the blank cartridge. Whether or not 1t Is a physical truth that at sufficiently close range a can dle can be fired through wooden plank, it has been demonstrated that 'a blank cartridge under such circum- stances can produce death. In the maneuvers at Manassas, Va., several years ago, one soldier fired point blank at the breast of another who was scarcely two feet away from the mug gle of his gun. The paraffne bullet went straight to the mans heart kill ing him instantly. number of cases of more or less severe wounds from the | same cause have been reported as the result of those and subsequent army maneuvers It not infrequently happens. accord ing to a well known army officer. that under the frenzy of the moment troops engaged in sham war. will sometimes ! attempt to smuggle in ball cartridges l and do real execution. The officers oft en come across this tendency and have to keep sharp lookout to prevent dis aster as a result of 1t.
 Tt Is difficult to understand tn tendency" said the officer in question. and yet you would be surprised to know how frequently 1t is met with during army maneuvers. And not only do they sometimes attempt to use ball cartridges. but I have known of in