Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-05
Men All Kept Aboard Ozark,
i. Now at Indian Head.
COMING HERE TOMORROW
No Official Word of Vessels Where.
abouts Received.
OFFICERS VERSION AWAITED
Inspector General Ordered Down the
River to Get Report Of Com
mander Stratton.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch TO The Star.
INDIAN HEAD. Nd, August s.
The training ship Ozark. with the
Naval Battalion Of the National Guard
Of the District Of Columbia on board. is
anchored off this point, about one mile
down the river. None Of the men was
granted shore leave. Two officers
whose names are not given. left here
for Washington on the government
tug. 1t is expected that the Ozark Will
leave here early tomorrow morning,
arriving in Washington about noon.
Although unofficial news has been
received that the training ship Ozark
is at Indian Head. no report has been
received at District. militia headquar-
ters regarding the whereabouts OF the
vessel. No official word has yet been
received that the ship did not proceed
to GARDENERS bay for maneuvers, as
called for in special orders issued be-
fore the cruise began.
Resignation Is Accepted
1t is reported unofacially that the resig-
nation of Lieut.. John H. MittendOrn,
chief engineer OF the battalion, who was
not permitted to go on the cruise. has
been. accepted by the President. Lieut..
last year, but was not forwarded for ap-
proval until recently.
Former officers and men Of the Naval
Battalion state that Lieut.. Mittendorff
was the only licensed engineer among the
officers of the battalion and that they
believe that II he had been permitted to
take part in the cruise and run the ship.
as he formerly did the Puritan, there
would have been no trouble with the en-
gines, and the Ozark might have been
able to proceed to GARDENERS bay.
Maj. Leroy w. Heron. inspector gen.
eral, National Guard of the District OF
Columbia, has been directed by Gen. Har-
-ies to proceed down the river and NEE,
the Ozark to receive the report Of Com
mander -Stratton regarding the alleged
desertione. 1t has been pointed out BY
officers In the guard that the other side OF
the story has not yet been heard and thai
when the report Is made 1t may be found
that the men who left the ship were en-
t.rely at fault, and that their action was
due chiefly to their inexperience and false
ideas of what q trip on a training ship
TeauX
the men had not had an opportunity to
get home they might have gotten over
their seasickness In time to ENJOY t., last
part of the cruise.
Form of Enlistment.
The question of whether or not some
Of the men who left the Ozark were reg
ularly enlisted continues to be a matter
of comment among ofhcers OF the Ma
tional Guard. Under the new militia
law the enlistment paper of member
Of the local guard is practically the same
as that of the regular army.
II a man desires to become member
Of the guard the first thing he signs is
the declaration of recruit, which Is as
follows: II, desiring to enlist in the Ma
tional Guard Of the District Of Columbia
for the term Of three years. do declare
that am of the legal age to enlist, and
believe myself to be physically qualified
to perform the duties Of an able-bod1ed
-; and l do further declare that
I am OF good habits and character In al!
respects, and have never been discouraged
from the United States service tarmy or
navy, or any other service on account
Of disability, or through sentence oI
either civil or military court, nor as
charged from any service. civil or MN.
tary, except with good character, anu
for the reasons given by me 70 .he To-
cruiting officer prior to this enlistment.
After he has passed the required pnysl-
cal examination, and before being sworn
by the recruiting omcer, the recruit signs
an oath Of enlistment in which he declares
that he voluntarily enlisted IN the Ma
tional Guard Of the District OF Columoia.
for the perioo OF three years unless
sooner discharged by proper authority;
and do also agree to accept such bounty,
pay rations and clothing as are or may
be established by law; and do soiemniy
swear Tor afiirm) that ] Will bear true
faith and allegiance to the United states
OF America: that I will serve them hon
estly and faithfully against all their
enemies whomsoever; that l VIII obey
the orders OF the President OF the United
States, and the orders OF the omcers
appointed over me. according 10 the ruies
and articles Of war; and that l VIII faith
fully observe and obey all laws and regu-
lations for the government OF the Ma
tiona Guard of the District Of Columbia
In the opinion of many officers OF the
guard II the men signed TINS oa,h o.
20 through the formality Of holding up
their right hands, they are regularly en-
listed.
Statement Of Petty ohacer.
A netty ofacer. boatswain's mate, second
class, who is now serving his second
enlistment in the Naval Battalion and
was one of the men who left the ship.
made the following statement as to his
reasons: =,
"The food on the ship was bad. and the
water brackish. The men couldn't work
properly because they did not get enough
to eat. On Sunday night a liberty party
was granted and twenty-six men failed
te return. On Monday we played base
hall game at the Marine barracks. and
some other fellows went along as rooters.
At the sixth inning the score was 3 to o
in favor Of the Marines.
About that time the rooters decided to
score by making q home run. I and
another member of the crew started for
We intended to go back
10 the ship. but / couldn't get away. I
am going to report for duty as soon as
The ozark gets back. We never intended
TO desert.
1.-THE boat was very crowded and dirty
and I was afraid that typhoid fever or
some other disease would break out. The
work was not harder than usual, but the
men couldn't work when they did not get
enough food. When we reached Annap-
3lis practically all the officers. including
The skipper. came home"