The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-09-26
WASHINGTON TIMES BUREAU.


! ficiency," without notice or invesuiga-
ton, and denied a copy OF letter which
ii is alleged by the officers is response
bic for their DISARMAMENT, Company q.
Seventeen Virginia Regiment, known
as the Alexandra Light Infantry. stands
in Alexandria today IN a peculiar posi-
ton.
The fight for a copy of a letter writ
ten by Major James Z. King to Colonel
Perry before the disarmament OF Com
pany G has been sought by the Officers
of that company for several months.
Repeated efforts to secure a copy of this
letter, so that they may know what they
are charged with. have been made by
Capt. P. J. Murphy ard Lieut.. W. w
Domaine, both OF Colonel Perry and
Adjutant General Anderson, but with
out effect. A final appeal was made to
Governor Swanson. The following cor
respOndence, which has been in relation
to the case, was given out by Captain
Murphy this morning.
The correspondence follows:
Governors Office.
Richmond, Va, Sept. 10, 1903
Mr.. p. j. Murphy, $40 Commerce street.
Alexandria, Va
Ny Dear Sir: I have referred your
letter 10 AdjUtant General Anderson,
with request that he send you copy Of
ali letters received in regard to the
disarmament Of the company at Alex
andria- With kind regards. am, very
truly yours.
CLAUDE A SWANSON,
Governor Of Virginia
Governors Office.
Richmond, Va Sept. y.
Capt. p. J. Murphy, Alexandria. Va.
My Dear Captain: The letter Of Ma
Jor James KING 10 Col. ". J. Perry in
reference to the company In Alexandria,
which letter was inClOSed In his letter
10 General Anderson. was entirely 4
private letter addressed to him person
ally and was not in the regular military
channels. Colonel Perry inClOsed il TO
General Anderson as a private letter and
consequently we did not feel justified IN
giving you a copy of the same. 1t is
not TO be given out 70 any one, nor is
il a part Of the record in the Office.
we nave no desire 70 keep from you
anything that has been made q part of
the record IN this case.
With kind regards and best wishes. I
am very truly yours,
CLAUDE A SWANSON.
Governor of Virginia
GovIrnors Office,
Richmond Va, Sept. =. 1903.
Mr.. P. J. Murphy. Alexandria, Va.
My Dear Sir: Replying 10 your letter
Of recent date Will say that the letter
referred 10 by you from Major King
was a personal letter. marked as such,
70 Colonel Perry, and not TO the adju-
tant general Il is not filed as a rec
ord In the case nor considered by the
department. It will be utterly improper
for US 10 give copy Of a personal
letter, as you can readily see. You have
all records filed in the case.
Very truly yours.
CLAUDE A. SWANSON,
Governor OF Virginia
Alexandria, Va, Sept. "A. 1908.
4 Of
Virginia, Richmond, Va:
Sir: I was surprised to receive the
reply to my letter of the 9th inst,
and more so 10 know that your view of
the matter was different from what
expected.
In your reply of September 10 you
state that you had requested that we
be furnished with all the correspond
ence in relation to the disbandment Of
the company at Alexandria Your let
ter OF September u informs me that
the letter IN question, written TO Colonel
Perry, was a private one and was for
warded 10 the adjUtant general in
like manner and. therefore, you could
not give the contents 10 anyone.
Your communication Of September q
tells me that the letter was written 10
Colonel Perry and not the adjutant gen
eral, and It would not be proper 10
make known the contents.
The different replies are somewhat
puZZling, and I am without criticism
taking the liberty to write this letter 10
inform you of the circumstances, as
there is evidently some misUnderstand-
ing in the matter, and to ask you again
that you take into consideration the fol-
lowing facts:
That Colonel Perry requested me by
a letter OF April 16 not to resign, and
in no way intirIated that he was going
TO write to the adjutant general on
April 30 requesting the disarmament Of
Company g, and in this letter he ex-
presses the desire TO get rid Of certain
commissioned officers, without giving
reasons for his request
He Colonel Perry inclOsed n lette
from Major James f King in his letter
OF April 80. and states that he desired
10 submit this letter of Major Kings IN
connection with this case.
That the same private letter was
among the official papers at the time
Lieutenant Domaine and myself were
in the adjutant generals office. Your
letter of May y states that your rea-
sons for disbanding the company was
based on the contents Of letter bear
ing date Of April 30 from Colonel Perry,
in which he states that he used all
means in his power to convince me of
the necessity Of great Improvement in
my company, If II were to remain in
the service
In an unsolicited letter from Colonel