The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-04-22

INSPECTION OFFICER OF Ma
TIoNAL GUARD QUITS uN-
DER PRESSURE.
Request for Retirement Made by Gov.
Hay on Complaint From Militia
Officers of Eastern Washington
Capt Weiborn, Assistant to Adju-
tant General, Removed.

The National Guard situation pre-
scented a new phase when Capt. John
Kinzie, u. S. A., retired, requested the
war department to relieve him from
further service as inspecting officer of
the Washington militia, and Capt. Cal.
Weldon, assistant to Adjutant General
George B. Lamping, was ordered re-
moved by Gov. M. E. Hay. Gen.
Lamping was at Olympia last week
in conference with the governor, and
the National Guard situation was dis
cussed thoroughly. The retirement of
Capt Kinzie as inspecting officer was
the result of request made of the
war department by the governor that
his relief be sent.
A short time ago Lieut.. L. A. Pick
ems filed charges against Capt. Wei
bon, with Adjt Gen. Lamping. Lieut..
Pickens alleged that Capt. Welbon's
conduct in ejecting drunken civilian
from the armory was unbecoming an
officer in that it was unnecessarily
harsh Adjt. Gen. Lamping has the
charges under consideration and is
now conducting an investigation.
Other Complaints Made.
The immediate cause of Capt. Wei.
bon's removal was not the charges, &C.
cording to information received from
Olympia. It was announced that dur
ing a recent inspection trip to the
eastern part of the state Capt. WELDON
engaged in an alteration with several
National Guard officers and incurred
their enmity. Their reply was to
make complaint to Gov. Hay.
Although relieved from further duty
Capt. WELDON will retain his rank OF
captain in the National Guards. The
adjutant general will pass upon the
question of whether a court-martial
will be held to take up the charges
filed by Lieut.. Pickens.
Capt. kinzie's Report.
The retirement of Capt John Kinzie
as inspecting officer was the direct
result of disagreements between him
and the adjutant general, and the
transmission of report to the war
department by Capt. Kinzie criticiz-
ing Lamping's conduct in office. In
that report Capt. Kinzie charged
Lamping with disorganizing the Ma
tional Guard of the state.
When the misunderstanding be-
tween Lamping and Kinzie reached
the acute stage, the adjutant general
asked the governor to request that
the war department relieve the in
specting officer.
In letter to Capt. Kinzie the war
department congratulated him upon
his honorable, straightforward and
efficient work with the National
Guard of the state of Washington and
regretted to inform him that the gov
ernor through Adjt. Gen. Lamping
had requested that he be relieved. In
response. Capt. Kinzie telegraphed, re-
questing that he be relieved.
Successor Decided On.
The war department has given no.
tlce That substitute for Capt. KinZie
has been decided upon. Adjt. Gen.
Lamping believes that another regu-
lar army officer will be designated
within a short time to do the work
formerly performed by Capt. Kinzie.
Capt Kinzie comes of a family of
soldiers, his father and brother hav-
ing been officers of the regular army,
and his cousin, Col Garland Whistler,
being in command of the coast de-
lenses of this district, with headquar-
tiers at Fort Worden. He served with
honor in the regular establishment,
and was retired for disability and not
for age, following fall from his
horse while on duty in Montana He
was with the army in the West during
the Indian wars, in the Custer cam
paign, and later.