Norwich bulletin., 1910-07-28
PLENTY OF EXCITEMENT
 FOR THE ARTILLERYMEN Gall for Fire Duty Was Quickly Re- spohded To, While Mock Court martial Was Pleasing Feature.

At Fort Mansfield on Napatree Point, Rhode Island, the local coast artillery men are having plenty of excitement during their ten days tour of duty. On Tuesday the companies had sub caliber practice. the Fifth and Thir- teenth companies manning the five Cornell, the Third company being at Battery Wooster. The sub -caliber practice was to be continued on Wed nesday, but the mechanism at Bat tery Wooster got out of order and it was therefore postponed
 An unusual call was sounded on Wednesday afternoon about l o'clock. when th5 companies were all summon ed for fire duty. While on his way back from Watch Hill, Lieut.. James F. Burdick discovered a. fire on the veranda of Ryan's hotel, which was formerly the Peninsula house and sit uated just outside the reservation. The Third company, under command of Captain Coleman, was the first to respond as an organization and was soon on the scene, Captain Coleman leading his command and could not be overtaken. The other companies as well as the regulars responded and q bucket brigade was formed After a half hours work the fire was extin- guished, but considerable damage was done the building.
 Wednesday afternoon there was a ball game between the regulars and the picked team from the state com panies. Tonight there will be a dance at the barracks of the Eighty eighth company. given by them. the music for which will be by the band with the artillerymen.
 Post Ordnance Sergeant Barbour of the local armory was visitor at the fort on Wednesday afternoon.
 On Tuesday at guard mount Ser geant Woodmansee was acting ser geant major and Lieut.. w. R. Denison was officer of the day.
 aoty 1r-fr, f,J 1T1 Tuesday evening to try Private Basto of the Thirteenth company, c. A. C., IN. G.. he being charged with losing his rifle and taking one belonging to The court was composed as follows: Judge, First Sergt- Smith; clerk, Corp. Gebrath; judge advocate, Private Gay man of the U. s. hospital corps, and the following on-commissioned off, cers. Sergts. Anderson. Bossey and Ortmann. Corporals Day, Brown and James. Private Shipley was appoint ed by the Judge to defend the prison- CT.
 The court convened at s3o and after the charges were read, the prisoner pleaded guilty to the charge of losing his rifle, but denied taking the other rifle that was found in his squad box.
 After hearing all the evidence pro and con and the witnesses being cross examined, both by Judge Advocate German and Private Shipley, the case was submitted to the entire court. Aft CT due consideration, the court found the prisoner not guilty on the second charge; the sentence imposed by the court was a fine and extra duty, the same to consist of scrubbing the boil CTS and other cooking utensils for the rest of the tour of the Third and Thir- teenth companies.
 Private Basto was ably defended by Private Shipley of the Thirteenth com pany and great praise is due him. in getting such a light sentence for his client.
 Cooks Lester and Peckham are do- ing valiant duty for their command, as is Cook Fish for the Fifth com pany.
 Inspector Rafferty of the New Lon don artillery district was at the fort this week inspecting the guns.
 It is expected that the local compa- nies will return on Saturday, reach ing here about noon. They will return by trolley, the baggage coming by lighter.