The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-16
General Elliott Called
"Profane, Irritable
and Irascible. |"
WITH 1t ALL, A
GOOD SOLDIER
Personal Strife Among Members
of Marine Corps Reaches Gil
max With Findings of Court
Of Inquiry Dissension
Between Staff and Line
Officers.

Washington. D. c.. July 15.-The per-
sonal strife among the officers OF tho
United States Marine Corps to-day
reached climax, when the Navy Da-.
partment. as the result of court OF
inquiry, sent letters of censure TO near
ly all the officers concerned. No fur
ther judicial proceedings are contem-
plated.
The censured officers are Major-Gen-
eral George F. Elliott. commandant OF
the corps; Colonel Charles II. LAUGH
heimer, adjutant and inspector; Colo
mel Frank L. Denny. the quartermaster
at Washington: Colonel Charles a.
Doyen. commanding the marine bar
racks at the Naval Academy at Annap-
oils: Lieutenant-Colo Thomas 4.
Prince, assistant quartermaster ~
Washington: Lieutenant-Colonei Henry
C. Haines, assistant adjutant and IN
spector at Washington and Majors
Louis j. Magili and David D. Porter.
assistant adjutants and inspectors at
Philadelphia and Washington. respec-
lively.
Profane and Irritable.
The court held that General Elliott
had been profane. irritable and iras-
chile at times. indulging moderately in
intoxicating liquors, but never intoxi-
Gated on duty. and sometimes failed 20
treat subordinates with courtesy. but
was usually polite. generous. truthful
and plain. blunt soldier, open and
frank" General Elliott was paid 4
tribute by the court for telling the
whole truth, even TO his own detri-
ment. II he thought the facts had the
least bearing on the question"
He was suspicious added the court,
.'of the adjutant and Inspector. his
assistants and some others, and un-
justly believed they were trying 10
drive him from Office. What added
greatly to his irritability was a disease
OF the right ear. which infrniry does
not appear to have been generally
known to his subordinates He worked
for the good OF the service and accom-.
plished much, but failed to maintain
discipline at headquarters and to en-
force proper respect for himself in Of
fee"
Colonel Lauchheimer. according to the
court. had violated the spirit but not
the letter of the regulations requiring
subordination and loyalty, had been
unmilitary, disrespectful and insubordi-
nate and had made general instead OF
specific reports against his superior Of
fcers. But on the other hand. Colonel
was declared to be "a
pable and efficient officer and one who
was frequently consulted by General
Elliott. Colonel Lauchheimer has been
on his present duty since December.
1901
Did Not Assist Court.
Among other things he was charged
with evincing no desire to assist the
court in ascertaining the facts, except
in his own interests. though he an
swered specific questions.
Colonel Denny was held to have pur.
posely and intentionally evaded an
swertng questions on a subject pr
which he had full knowledge. AS to
Colonel Doyen. the court found that
he showed remarkable failure to dis
play the proper respect and subordi-
nation due to his commander.
The court found generally that the
difficulties had arisen from a radical
difference OF policy between General
Elliott and Colonel Lauchheimer.
the formers lack OF tirnlness.
consistency in language and deport.
ment and too long tenure Of Office
of officers In the ranks OF inspectors
and quartermasters' departments. re.
sulting in lax ideas Of subordinattob
and military ethics and lack OF pro-
fessional and military experience. The
inquiry of which this wholesale action
was the outcome was ordered as tn.
result of the suspension by General
Elliott OF Colonei Lauchheimer FOR
five days on charge that he hao
been Keeping tab" on Elliott,s per-
sonal conduct Colonel Launhhetnaer
then sought the court of inquiry which
sat for six months hearing testimony
AT the bottom of the dissension IN
the corps is said to have been the nues.
tion OF the successorship to General
Elliott when he retires in October.
the night between officers OF the line
and OF the staff.