The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1909-12-17
A SOCIAL ROW IN THE ARMY.
Four officers Left West Point Because
OF an Inquiry.

Of an Inquiry.
West Point, N. Y, Dec. 16.-An or.
der issued by the war department
transferring Capt James s. Heron,
adjutant at the military academy the
last three years, to service In the Phil.
lippines has precipitated social row
In army circles and made necessary
general reorganization of the acad.
emic board at West Point.
Three other officers who, with their
wives, were guests Of Captain Heron
at dinner party given in his quart.
ers on the reservation early last
month, which has been referred to as
an hilarious affair."" have made appli-
cations to be relieved from duty at
the academy. Their requests are now
known to have been approved by Col.
Hugh l.. Scott, superintendent of the
institution. These officers are DR..
Robert II. Oliver, examining and sup
srivising dental surgeon, who has been
on duty with the cadet corps since jan
uary, 1905; Lieut.. Quinn Gray, coast
artillery corps, instructor In the de-
partment of philosophy, and Lieut.. II.
II. Smith, coast artillery corps, instruc-
tor in the department of mathematics
The row is indirectly the result Of
an investigation made by Colonel Scott
into the conduct of those who parti-
cipated In the festivities at Captain
Herron's dinner party. Just what the
official inquiry revealed can only be
judged by the changes now taking
place. Colonel Scott would admit no
more than was told by the facts al
ready in the possession of an inter-
viewer. He insisted that the investi-
cation revealed nothing savoring Of
scandal in connection with the dinner.
mo one can regret this affair more
than myself" Colonel Scott said 81
made inquiries because reports reach
ed me about the dinner party, which,
had they been true, would have set an
exceedingly bad example for the cadet
corps From all | could learn 1t was
simply Bohemian party Captain
Herron and myself have been close
friends more than fifteen years."
Another officer who discussed the
case, whose name is withheld by re-
quest said: 81 know that Colonel
Scott did everything in his power to
smooth out this trouble when he found
that nothing more serious than an or
binary army post jollitication has TAX
en- place at Captain Herron's quarters
The party was given about month
ago and day or two later Captain
Heron went away on leave of alb
sence. The facts did not reach Colonel
Scott until several days after this, and
rather than discuss the matter with
anybody else, he wrote to Captain
Heron, asking him to come back TEN
porarily that he might communicate
to him personally the gossip that had
found its way to the barracks as wei
as to every home at the post.
Captain Heron came back, but
took umbrage at the fact that he was
being made the subject of semi-offi
cial INJURY and applied to the adjutant
general of the army to be relieved
and returned to his regiment. Doctor
oliver and Lieutenant Smith and Lieu
tenant Gray did the same thing
Colonel Scott was called to Washing
ton and after a conference with the
authorities there it was decided tina
he would approve the request FOL
transfers. The step taken by these
officers was the sign for hostilities tina
have been threatening to disrupt the
social life of the post since last sum
mer.
Captain Heron belongs to the sec
ond cavalry and has splendid recor'
as an officer. Acting under the ORDER
of the secretary of war several year
age he made tour of exploration o
Alaska, which resulted in the discov
cry of the natural roadway known a
Simpsons Pass, leading from the Pa
cific ocean to the gold fields of tn
Nome country. He also brought bacl
some of the finest maps of the north
ern country ever obtained in Wash
ington.