The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-04-05
|DURT Of INQUIRY
FOR NOTTINGHAM
oovuRxon WILL APPOINT BOARD
TO IxvEsTlGAre ACTIONS OF
COLONEL or FOURTH.
LANGUAGE is eau Sc
CHAPLAIN w. q. PARKER RESIGNS,
GIVING HIS REASONS. WHICH
LEAD TO STRUT. IN
THE MILITARY.

CuIonel Thomas J. Nottingham,
comma nder Of the Fourth nesimeht
81 Infantry, Virginia Volunteers,
charged by the chaplain OF has Iesi.
uent, Captain, Waiter u. Parker. WIN
having used abusive and indecent IAN
guage towards his superior oiAcers'
VIII be subjected to a court u m
curry. according to statement: issued
last night by Governor William
hodges Mann.
The chief executive Of the Common
wealth and the commandment chief
Of jts forces, said that 1t has not yet
been decided when the court would ne
held nor what ofllcers would constitute
its personnel. The fact remains, how
Svsr. that the court OF inquiry, which
10 conducted something after the Or
der of . grand jury. will be held. and
that Colonel Nottingham must an
swer In person the charges which have
been preferred against him by the
chaplain Of his regiment.
Colonel Nottingham 10 alleged to
have used at the Culpeper Camp last
sumner offensive and abusive Lam
gpage against his superior Offices, two
OF whom were Governor Mann, COM
mander-in-chief. himself. and Briga-
dier General c. c. Vaughan. Jr.. COM
manding the First Brigade. Virginia
Volunteers.
Chaplain's Resignation Causes 1t.
Chaplain Parker. who Is also a cap
tain in the Fourth Regiment. sent In
his resignation to Colonel Nottingham
last August. stating that II was not
through lack Of interest in his military
duties that he wished to leave the
service. but because OF dissatisfaction
with conditions at the head OF the
regiment. The letter OF resigna ton
was forwarded by Colonel Nottingham
10 General Vaughan. with the recon-
mendation that 1t be accepted.
Colonel Nottingham added letter
OF his own. in which he generally
and vaguely denied the charges pre-
ferred against him by Captain Park
ar. He had written in the meantime
TO the chaplain. asking him for more
specific details as to the cause OF
his dissatisfaction. Chaplain Parker
replied. and detailed, with all partic-
ulars as to time and place, the occa-
sions when Colonel Nottingham Is
alleged to have used violent and hec-
tic language In reference to his SUI
perior officers.
Believing that Chaplain Parker
should know that his charges Of such
unbecoming conduct on the part OF
Colonel Nottingham had been denied
thus raising an issue OF verac!ty
between the two officers. Adiutan'
General W. W. Sale sent the letter OF
denial to the preacher captain. The
latter wrote out the charges with ali
circumstantiaiity Afterwards Colonel
Nottingham partially admitted some
Of the charges, but said that he made
his remarks In the presence of sew.
eYal members OF his staff. whom he
regarded ms members OF his officia
family. and thought that they should
not have been repeated.
Started Last August.
The matter has dragged along since
last August. various efforts having
been made to ward off a court OF in.
quiry. As last resort. I. Branch
johnson. OF Norfolk. attorney for Col.
onel Nottingham. was to have come
to Richmond yesterday TO make ar
effeFt to patch UP the affair. He wal
prevented. however. by business rea-
cons from coming. and court Of
Inquiry Is unavoidable.
Captain Parker's resignation has
not been accepted so far as he has
been informed. he stated yesterday
and be In therefore. not In a position
TO discuss the affair. AS long as he
n in the military service he must
have due regard for his superior off,
cers He will. Of course. however be
the principal witness against Colonel
Nottingham. should a court of inquiry
b. ordered.
Chaplain Parker Is pastor OF Park
Place Methodist church. OF this city
He has been in the military service
since he was eighteen years old, when
he enlisted as a private. and has been
CHAPLAIN for six years. He once seri-
cusly thought Of joining the United
States army as chaplain. and received
In appointment. But the condition,
Of his wife's health led him TO resign
before he saw service
NOTTINGHAM SAYS
MORE IS TO COME
Especial TO The Richmond Virginian.
NORFOLK. VA, April Through
his attorney. Branch johnson, of this
city. Colonel T. J. Nottingham. today
declared that as yet the public has
not been made acquainted with the
rsAl reason for the resignation O,
1G.AapIaiH' Waiter c. Parker, ana fntf
mates that at the proper time It will
be 9fven out II Is also limited thai
the CHARGES made against Colonel
Eottinxham are due to personal
Aptnu& However. neither Mr.. John.
son nor Colonel NOTTINGHAM would
di-cuss the matter further. declarins
that ut the proper time the entire
nrafter would be gone into, and tina,
tkev had rotktn~ "a ~or@n.y :,