The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-01
Reorganization OF
EAST LAKE COMPANY
Capt. Lea Offers Co-Opera-
ton to Successor
NOT YET ELECTED
Lieutenant Newton Explains Unusual
Situation in Which He Is Placed
by Order Sent Him by
Colonel Graves

The members of Company L. Fourth
regiment, Alabama National Guard, sta
toned at East Lake met last night for
the purpose of reorganizng the COM
pany.
1t was announced about two weeks ago
that all the officers of the East Lake
company had resigned and that the COM
pany would be reorganized with new Of
ficers. 1t seems, however, that only
Captain Lea and Lieutenant Newton had
resigned 1t is said that Lieutenant New
toms resignation has been sent back to
him and that Captain Leas has not yet
been acted upon.
Captain Lea made a short address TO
the men in the ranks last night in which
he expressed his regret at leaving the
company and his desire to see the COM
pany established on better footing than
1t has been heretofore. He said that it
was entirely up TO the men to select their
new captain and also said that he would
be glad to assist the man selected in any
way that he could, whether he was a pri-
vate in the ranks or one of the lieuten-
ants. He stated in his address to the
:nen that it was his desire to see Com
pany +. one of the best companies in the
Fourth regiment; said that the material
was there and il the men would get to-
eether 1t would not only be the best dis
ciplined company in the regiment, but
the best drilled. Captain Lea said that
l. had been rumored that he gave the
story concerning the resignation of the
officers of Company l. to the newspapers.
He also said that Lieutenant Sullivan
was rather indignant that the story
should have read. "All the officers have
resigned. 1t is understood that Lieu
tenant Sullivan has not resigned, nor
has he any intention of so doing.
Lieutenant Newton Speaks
After Captain Lea's talk Lieutenant
Newton delivered short address to the
men. saying that he had heard rumors
10 the effect that he had given out the
story in which 1t was stated that the
East Lake company was going to be re-
organized and that all the officers of the
company had resigned lie said that he
kne~. nothing about the story until he
saw it in the papers: that all he knew
about the designations was that he had
resigned the same time Captain Lea did
and that his resignation had been sent
back to him with orders from Colonel
Graves. commander of the Fourth regi-
ment to take charge of the company
pending the election of permanent com
mander. He said also that 1t was gener-
ally understood that Lieutenant Sullivan
had not received his commission at the
time Colonel Graves issued the afore-
mentioned order to him and stated that
that was probably the reason the colonel
had sent the order to him instead of Lieu
tenant Sullivan.
Lieutenant Newton said in his talk to
the men: ',Of course. know that tech
ideally I have no right or authority to
take charge of Company L until orders
come from the adjutaht general for an
election of officers. l take 1t that when
Colonel Graves sent me the order to
take charge of the company he was un-
der the impression that our first lieu
tenant (Suilivan) had no commission,
and for that reason he sent the order
to me. Now. from a military standpoint.
! am under orders from the regimental
commander to take command of my conf
pany; but again, according to the mill
tary laws of the state of Alabama, 1 am
rot and cannot be in temporary COM
rnand unless officers senior to ME have
been suspended by an order from the
governor or adjutant general. which they
have not.
East Lake Fine Field
1T became a member of a military
organization in my seventeenth year and
have been connected with the military
ever since. love the atmosphere of the
camp and nothing gives me more pleas
ure than to be on the field, whether 1t
is state encampment or war maneuvers,
l want to remain with Company l., for
I like every man in it. and think they
have shown as much soldierly spirit and
bearing as any men have yet served
with. East Lake has the best field and