Omaha daily bee., 1910-07-17
CENSURE OFFICERS lNSTRIFE
United States Marines Fail to Agree
and Get Into Trouble.
COURT OF INQUIRY TAKES IT UP
"Profane, Irritable, UnmilIfary, In
subordinate" Are Adjectives APP
b piled i'm Judicial Findings to
Men High in Rank.

WASHINGTON, July 16.7-Personal strife
among the officers of the United States
marine corps today reached climax when
the Navy department, as the result of a
court of inquiry, sent letters Of censure to
nearly all OF the officers concerned. No
further judicial proceedings are contem-
plated,
The censure officers are; Major General
George z. Elliott, commandant of the
corps Colonel Charles H. Lauchheimer,
adjutant and inspector; Colonel Frank l..
Denny, the quartermaster at Washington;
Colonel Charles A. Doyen, commanding the
marine barracks at the naval academy at
Annapolis; Lieutenant Colonel Thomas G.
Prince, assistant quartermaster at WASH
ington; Lieutenant Colonel Henry G.
Haines, assistant adjutant and inspector at
Washington, and Majors Louis ], Magill
and David d. Porter, assistant adjutants at
Philadelphia and washington, respectively.
The court held that General Elliott had
been profans, irritable and irascihie. at
times, INDUCING moderately In Intoxicating
liquors, but never intoxicated on duty, and
sometimes failed to 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 whole detriment. IL he
thought the facts had the least bearing
on the question"
General Elliott Suspicious.
He was suspicious" added the court, ''of
the adjutant and inspector. his assistants
and some others and untustly believed they
were trying to drive him from office. What
added greatly to his irritability was dis
ease Of the right ear, which lnfirmity does
not appear to have been generally known
to his subordinates. He worked for the
good of the service and accomplished much,
but failed to maintain discipline at head
quarters and to enforce proper respect for
himself In office"
Colonel Lauchheimers, according to court
had violated the spirit but not the letter
of the regulations requiring subordinatior
and loyalty, had been unmilitary, disre-
speotful and insubordinate, and had made
general instead of specific reports against
his superior officer. Hut on the other
hand Colonel Lauehheimer was declared Il
be a capable and efficient officer and on,
who was frequently consulted by Genera
Elliott. Colonel Lauchheiner has been OF
his present duty since December, 1904.
Among other things he was charged with
evinoinE no desire to assist the court II
sseertaining the facts, except in his owr
interests, though he answered specific
questions.
Colonel Denny was held to have inten
tionally evaded answering questions on
subject OF which he had full knowledge
AS to Colonel Doyen the court found tina
he showed = remarkable failure TO displa!
the proper respect and subOrdination du'
to his eommandant.
DtffereRoea from Lack az Ftrmnesa
The court found generally that tins diff
cultiss had arisen from radical difference
Of policy between General Elliott an
Colonel IAuchheimer through the former
lack Of firmnoas, consistency In Language
and department and a too long tenure o
office in the RdjutantH. inspectors an,
quArtermaster's departments. resulting II
loose ideas OF suhordinGtion and militar!
ethics and lack Of professional and militar.
experience.
The inquiry OF which thiA wholesale 40
ton was the outcome was ordered as tn
result Of the suspension by General Elliot
Of Colonel Lauchhelmor for five days o.
charge that ne had been keeping tab
on Elliotts personal conduct. Colone
Lauchheimer then sought the court Of In
quiry, which sat for six months hearin
testimony.