The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-05-12
FORMER SOLDIERS
EXP ANAT|ON
Late Members OF Disbandcd
Coast Artillery Make De
inand Of General Sale.
SAY POLITICS PLAYED PART
Contend Guilty Men Should
Have Been Punished. and
Not Entire Corps.

lntimatlng that politics had some
Ing Of tho Coast Artillery Corps. fol-
lowing an investigation by a court of
inquiry. tho non commissioned officers
of the four companies which were SO
Eummarily elected from the service
have addressed q letter to Adjutant-
General W w. Sale asking for an ex-
PLANTATION. They say they should have
been mustered out Instead of disband-
ed, and argue that the undesirable Gle
ncnt9 Iii tho old organization could
have been eliminated without putting
the entire command under badge OF
5i
Further, the writer's OF the letter
say they understand that the prose-
cu,ion" relied for evidence upon the
testimony OF q man whose record
shows him TO have been unworthy. AS
a final shot, they say that IL the com
tnand Is to BIO political. they may have
chance TO enlist some politicians in
Its ranks. ai
Sale Dcfers Comment.
General Sale. who has been i'll for
several days. reached his office at noon
yesterday and read the letter. He said
he would take the matter up and indi-
cate HIS purpose in the matter later
on.
FORMER Adtutant- General Charles
Anderson. who is referred to in the let.
ter Az the friend OF the coast artillery.
sndsplaced In the ligt. OF sympa thizing
with II as against the infantry, also
declined last night to discuss the mai
ter In any OF it's bearings
Apparently the intent OF the letter
Is TO charge that the influence OF The
Infantry killed the coas, artillery.
Among militia officers last night there
was disposition to believe that this
letter might result In the publication
(. OF the findings OF the court Of inquiry.
which. 1t Is understood, have been
held back out of consideration OF the
feelings OF the men of the corps.
Text of Letter.
The text OF the letter is as follows:
Having waited in silence for some
explanation from the big military
tmoguls OF tho State ~ 10 why we
enlisted men were pushed out of The
service without any forcwa rnings and
what seems TO us now TO be- without
any redress for wrongs which have
been unjuatly inflicted upon u.s. and
still being In ignorance as 10 tho
cause OF such drastic means being
taken, We earnestly implore you TO
Hshten our burden by putting upon
rs the brand Of the findings OF yot,r
honorable military court or rcinoy.
inE from lis the public's pointed
hnser OF scorn and disgust and lei
Ting Us die military organization In
suSe or one for which this grand old
state must hang her head in shame
%Thia Information we think due 10
w. the War Department, the public
ana mainly the young men who arc
contemplating the formation OF a new
organisation. How do they know hut
their fate might terminate In a same
manner after they have put forth
tiietr time and efforts for an organ
ration which they had grown to love.
and how would they know that thew
were not doing wrong in taking into
. me RANKS we men who wcre in the
ola organization apd who In Rich
mond In that grand old book OF war
records might have opposite our
names incompetent 'disbanded for
Inc good of the service or many
other charges that might greatly
handicap an organization In getting
TO that mark of proficiency and fame
which all loyal citizens would like 10
see II have? I-
Pain IIenped on Them.
There have been among us a few
mat was hcaped upon us in not know
Ing the courts military Judgment
upon us. and these few have burst
forth IN pleas to Richmond for a
napcr OF some kind to show that they
have been honorably discharged from
the service or that they are not men
that would be ashamed to ask an
other organization to enlist them. and
In answer TO these pleas there have
been given but few words of encour-
agement and hopo to these men that
they shall ever know how their milf
tary records stand In Richmond. but
IN each case they have been referred