The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-06
COURT MARTIAL
MAY TRY NEGRO.
Soldier Who Defed Rich
mond Officer Released
on Parole.
ACTION CAUSES
MUCH SURPRISE
Camp Commander Apparently
Syrnpathizes With Black Man
and Declares Persecution
Must Stop = Matter in
Hands of Regular Army
Officer.
Camp Commander Apparently
Svr,nath;zes With BLACK Man
ny ALEXANDER FORWARD,

.Carroll, the negro soldier, VINO on Mon
day afternoon trespassed on the camp
of the First Virginia, disobeyed orders
to halt and threatened Lieutenant. Err
nest NJ. Hardy and Corporal J. f. True
heart, both OF Richmond, with a pistol.
rests tonight with the provost guard.
Much to the surprise OF the Virginia
officers General Wotherspoon, the
commander OF the camp, to-day re-
leased Carroll on parole, while retain
ing him under arrest. The whole mat
ter was then turned over to Lieutenant
Samuel K. Gleaves. commandant of
cadets at the Virginia Military Insti-
tute. Lieutenant Gleaves is a regular
army officer and a Nirginian. He took
the evidence of witnesses and tonight
made his report to Provost Marshal
and his staff refused to make any
statement whatever. saying that an
official report would be made to Gem
eral Wotherspoon tomorrow morn
ing.
Mny Order Court Martial.
Upon the action OF the camp COM
mander will depend whether or not a
court-martial viii be ordered. The
prevailing opinion in camp is that II
cannot be avoided.
Lieutenant Hardy positively repeated
his original statement. to the effect
that Carroll pointed the pistol at him,
This, of course, Is the crucial point of
the affair. The evidence OF other wit
nesses was equally damaging. among
them being Major Stanley w Martin.
of Lynchburg.
The defense made by the negro to
Lieutenant Gleayes was that he and
his comrades have been made the sub
ject of persecution at the hands of the
Virginia troops. while passing the
quarters of thu latter, which they were
compelled TO do in most cases. He
said that when ordered 10 halt he sup
posed that the mes we're after him
and thatfhe did not recognize them as
guards. Turning at last. he saw a
fixed bayonet, and fearing bodily harm.
pulled out his pistol TO check the ad-
vance, at the same time retreating to-
wards his own quarters,
This version of the story was laughed
at among the virginians. They pointed
out that no man with long military
service could fail to recognize an Off
GER. nor could he fail to see that the
man marching on the lines with a gun
must be guard. A clear intention
to be offensive is indicated to them
Provost Marshal Boughton said that
the drawing of a pistol under any cir
cumstances was an offense. but might
not be In itself serious, while II the
pistol was pointed at any one the mat
ter would be very grave and a court
he did not point the weapon and that
II was not loaded. The Virginians had
no opportunity to examine il. TheY
had no arms. they having rigid in
structions to prevent the possibility
Of any ball cartridges being in camp
While 1t Is perhaps true that many
persons pass the lines without hating.
the guards are put there for the pur-
pose of preventing trespassing. I have
been properly halted several times.
notably by guards of the Howitzers.
and have been taken to the corporal
OF the guard and required to exhibit
my pass through the lines.
Sympathies With Negro.
s General Wotherspoon. commander Of
the camp. expressed himself to-day in
sympathies were with Carroll. He said
he would regret to punish the man, in
view of his long service, said to have
covered sixteen gears, and further
made a remark to the effect that the
.persecution" of the negroes must
cease and that he would dismiss the
troops from the camp to effect this If
necessary. oficers of the First Vir-
ginia were firm in the conviction that
a serious penalty should be inflicted
upon Carroll. whose offense they re-
gard as heinous
A most rigid government inspection
was visited upon the First Virginia to-
day. which did not go out for field ex-
ercises in the afternoon, Every man,
every uniform, every tent, every gun,
every camp arrangement, was scrutl-
nized by LieutenantCo Colonel j. c. F.
.Tillson. Of the Eighteenth Infantry.
He was heard TO say that the regiment
made the best showing of any national
guard organization he had ever seem,
His only criticism was that the state
did not supply the men with enough
changes of uniforms TO keep hhem
looking always clean. Colonel Perry
was delighted with the result.
All the troops went out in the morn
ing. and all but the First in the af-
ternoon The hikes covered from six
to eight miles on each OCCASION, the
infantry studying attack and defense.
Officers We're given problems to work
out. based on the constructive tactics
OF the enemy.
This work was exceedingly interest
ing, the military knowledge and COM
mon sense Of those taking part being
tried to the utrnost, Time. place,
and distances all had to be carefully
considered. For the most part the
work was complimented. AS a. matter
of course this Is a school Of instruc-
tion and Is not an examination. The
troops are going to school, their teach
ers handling the situation fxQm this
standpoint, y
The infantry officers went out In
the morning. while the men did stand
Ing gun exercises. In the afternoon
the batteries tooR a run Into the coun-
try and tried to do practically what
the officers did In the morning on
paper.
Program for To-Day.
To- orrow morning there will be an
ioflcers ride and walk and study Of
4 (continued on Second Pags) .