The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-08-04

De2slns they are dese-rers the mem
. b=rs Of the District naval militia who
took French leave from r-e Ozark
with the battalion aboard for a practice
cruise declare today they VIII nor Be-
tTieI for zesertion-
some OF these re5elIious yolzzz men
. further contend that even though +htz
serious charge should be lodged zzztnzr
them they are confident they. can con
7lr-e any cCurr their action was 5rsti-
HabIe-
Z vas simply q case OF staying On
lAe sil5P and starving 70 death OF dying
from disease or beating II home one
ct them expressed IL today.
To frustrate an effort 10 brir-r a
charge O. deseriOn against them. con
v1crlon for which would mean three o.
I've years IN jail Et hard labor. Il Is
. ilAeiy these young men VrII report Tor
oHTy when lh- 1zzri, lands ID Wash
-nSion next Saturday, and zn tha- e1eut
the most s-vJs Js uha--e thzr Can he
rl -sht AKA. rs them IS -5rca king their
liberty in that they were given leave
OF absence at Annapolis and ove--stay-
e5 that leave. Punishment IN this casa
cannot exceed TWO or three days con-
ll1el-5e-lt aCr4rd the ship
Not Sworn In.
i IS also considered likely thar sey-
eral o. the alleged des=--e-s v-fI1 MT
even hSve 10 face this punishment IN
view o. the LacL that they were not
C-1CIalIy sworn IN before Shipping win
the battalion and cannot be officially
considered as members OF the battalion
They contend tLat obey were nothing
more than passengers willing 10 work
IoE their cruise
Just why all Of these men were not
duly sworn III IS not explained Ths
men say tL4L their names and as
were Simply taken and they were tytd
that they would be sworn in before re-
tuLA-iS- -A-s important Junction had
not JranSpirJel before they decided home
vas 5elSer than the Ozark, they can
lend
The principal complaint OF these en-
hTyo sailors is against the food thsy
Fecelve1-t- did not receive, as the case
may be
Iley unanimously agree that what
was given Them was not only INSULT
clent, but was awful Thev further
contend that there was nothing RADICAL
y wrong 3 i'm the ship, and that every
tnlCs wound have been me had JGs
cruise been managed properly
Hibbs Still Suffering.
Burnett II bbs. OF IZ4S Four-and-a-
half street southwest. one Of The drst
Cne5 10 start hOmewaTd after landing
81 annapolis, sunday, said today tnat
ze naC not fully recovered from his
experience aboard the boat de claims
that he was rapidly starving, in spite
OF the fact that he was one Of the
mess cooks assistants
After our arrival at Portsmouth,
Va, we ordered s5o pounds OF meat
which was delivered 10 the wharf the
following day, but II was two days
aFJerEE ard when We started 10 trans
Ier Il 20 the snip. and II was bad then
VI managed 10 set one ration or Of
this meat and then threw the re
EDEtET overheard o. did
meat after that Our meals from then
on consisted chiefly OF beans mOuldy
This diet would not have been so
bad II there had been more Of IL. and
u we had some fresh water and real
Couee 10 wash II down with The
only drinking water we h9d was pure
salt water, and when the crew got its
first dose Of conee made with salt
mained so. more OF less, a1Jerward-7
General Harries- commanding the
ca gsrly awaiting some kiEd OF a re
UOTt from Cap = W Srrarton. com
handing the battalion. It is cOnsid-
cred kelly some word viii be received
Not only is General Harries expect-
ing q report from Captain Stratton
leaving the ship and going to their
homes, but ne contends that he should
have been informed before now 10 the
effect that the plans for the cruise
" ere changed
No Official Report
It was announced at the guard head
quarters today that Captain S1ratton
las not informed General Harrfes Of
the fact tIat he did not proceed 10
Gardner's Bay I. T., as was originally
intended, and as far as the headquar-
ters IS officially aware. the Ozark IS
now at CzardHer's Bay
When Captain St-at-on reached the