New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-07-16
COURT MARTIAL ORDERED
ON CONMODORE'S JOKE
National Guard Private viii Be
Tried for Sleeping on Post"
at Rifle Range.
RAD ONE ON LANDLUBBERS'
Naval Militia Officers Remark
After Happening at Gate
Said To Be Responsible
for Serious Charge.

What promises to be an unusual and
,,,nort3nt general court martial in the
Xstoral Guard Of New York is that
,r6ored to try Private William Allen, of
-. Let Resiment Of Field Artillery. who
: charged with one of the most serious
r,gtsry sleeping on post while
on guard duty
Among the witnesses will be Major Cen
oral John f. organ, commanding the
,stonal guard; Commodore Robert T..
Forsbew. commanding the naval militia;
colonel Daniel Appleton, 18th Regiment;
coorel y b. ThurstOn, chief ordnance
oa,cer. and Lieutenant George p. Hill,
company +. 7th Regiment.
The court. which has been ordered to
r,eat at the old 22d Regiment armory. Str
street and Broadway on "Wednesday
night July 90 will be made up as follows:
colonel Charles l. DE Bevoise, "a cav
airy: Captain Edward J. Austin. LIST Field
Artillery: Lieutenant Robert \. White. LIST
Field Artillery. and Major Almet r. Lat
SON Judge advocate. attached 70 the I'd
Brigade
Private Allen will be defended by Cap
tain John =. Everett, Of Company d, 69th
Regiment. who successfully defended Cap
nn william B. Stacom. Of the seth. when
that officer was tried last year on a
charge Of signing a false certificate.
The incident which led up TO the charges
against Private Allen happened several
weeks ago at the Peekskill rifle range.
There is a gate at a roadway leading into
the grounds. and II would mean almost
sure death to any person entering it and
crossing the grounds while the shooting
is going on. as the roadway leads through
the zone Of fire.
Private Allen. armed with a revolver
was stationed at this gate with stringent
orders 10 let no one pass. According 70
the charges. Commodore Forshew came
along in his automobile and saw man
fast asleep i'm uniform extended full
length or the top Of the wall near the
gate. The commodore cot out OF his ma
chine. took the mans revolver out OF his
holster according to the charge, awak-
en,d him and gave him back the revolver
Allen his defenders say will deny that
he was asleep or that the revolver was
taken from him. and will assert that he
was merely lying down taking rest
when the commodore came along and told
him to open the gate so that he couid
drive his automobile across the field.
Private Allen. according to his friends
refused TO open the gate and explained
the danger. Commodore Forshew, Allen
will swear. was insistent that the sentry
opened the safe. and a war Of words fol
lowed. But the gate was not opened. and
tn commodore drove his machine to an
other place and entered the range.
When ne arrived among the officers
some Of the witnesses are expected TO
testify Commodore Forshew made quite
a Joke Of his experience with the sentinel.
Allen. and said the naval men now had a
bad one" on the laudlubbers.
Colonel Nathaniel b. Thurston, in
charge Of the shooting. upon hearing the
story ordered Lieutenant George p. HILL
Of the 7th Regiment. who was in com
nand Of the provisional company OF
markers and scorers Of which Allen was
a member. TO prefer charges against
Allen.
Aliens friends say he vii make strong
defence.