New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-01-06
9Th ARTILLERY DEFIANT
Officer Declares Men Are Ready
to Stand Pat for Col. Morris.
HINTS AT COURT MARTIAL
General Butt Says Signing of
Petition Was Improper and
Against Military Discipline.

The officers of the 9th Regiment, Coast
Artillery. were in a defiant mood yesterday
IN regard to the petition in favor OF their
colonel William F. Norris as chief Of coast
artillery Major ]. d. Walton of the regi-
ment declared that il any action were
taken against the regiment for drawing up
the petition It would be on account Of the
personal animosity OF Adjutant General
William Verheck.
General Verbeck." said Major Walton
"has it in for the regiment, because many
Of our officers signed a petition when Gov
ernor Dix first came into office asking that
Colonel Austin be made adjutant general
Nothing was ever done about that petition,
but General Verbeck has been waiting 10
get square with the eth ever since. He
thinks he sees a chance now He does not
know anything of military affairs He is
Sunday school teacher
1--WE of the 9th are prepared TO stand pat
and fight to finish
That the petition against Adjutant Cen
eral Verbeck. mentioned by Major Walton
was circulated was cont rmed by Colonel
Austin Of the Sth Eegirlent, Coast Artil-
lery, and by Colonel Charles c. Davis, Of
the 18th Regiment. Cast Artillery. Lieu
tenant Colonel William w. Ladd also con-
fessed to a knowledge Of the petition.
II the Governor decides to take action
against the 9Th for its part in the present
petition the consequences may be farreach-
ing for in addition to the officers of the
regiment the petition was signed by all the
enlisted men.
According to Major Walton some Of the
officers Of the Sth and 18th also affixed their
signatures to the document, but the colonies
Of the two regiment said they had not heard
Of any such action.
The officers Of the 9th expect trouble for
some Of them have engaged lawyers to ex-
anime the military code and look out for
their interests.
L am certain" said Major Walton, that
we did nothing to transgress the code We
merely pointed out the merits of our colonel
and asked that he be considered"
The note of impending troubles was also
sounded by Major General Roe, who adopt
ed a stern and official nothing to say" poll
fey.
Colonel Morris said he was an innocent
sufferer, as he knew nothing about the
petition, but declared that many petitions
had been circulated in the national guard
and that the signers had never been re-
buked
Colonel Davis said ne could see no harm
in the signing Of the petition advancing the
merits of Colonel Morris.
William NerbeCk was made ad1utant gen.
eral by Governor Hughes in 1910, and was
later reappointed by Governor Dix, al
though ne is a Republican. He is the head
master Of ST. Johns School at Malinus.
Although me officers of the 9Th Regiment;
III signing the petition to Governor DIX, dld
not sign their names officially as officers, II
is pointed out by military authority that
the officers are none the less liable TO pun
ishmcHt.
Brigadier General McCOskey Butt In
speaking of the petition, said:
The signing of a petition by officers OF
the National Guard is a great shock 10
those who have been under the impression
that its discipline had so vastly improved
over former years. The unmilitary proceed
ure, however is not surprising in subordi-
mates when they have had examples set
them by some officers higher up.
While the petition in question contained
matter that was perfectly harmless, II was
nevertheless improper and against military
discipline. more especially as the petition
was not sent through the proper channel