Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-11-20
range OFFICERS
ARE CLEARED BY
BOARD verdict
Sergt. Napier of 25th Met
Death Through Accident, De-
cision of investigators
ENTIRE SERVICE IS
INTERESTED IN CASE
Thorough Investigation Is
Made Before Decision
Reached in Peculiar
Fatality

Especial star Bulletin Cnrrsspendenee]
SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Nov. %.
The report Of the board Of officers alp
pointed to investigate the circum'
stances attending the death Of Sgt.
Henry +. Napier, 25th infantry, which
has been eagerly awaited by the en-
tire garrison, was made public today.
. Sergeant Napier was the senior non-
commissioned officer Of the machine
gun platoon, 25th infantry, who was
Killed last week by the fire of one
of the troops OF the 4th cavalry en-
gagged in shooting It's proficiency tests
on the Glass "A" range, while he was
endeayoring to enter the target pit
The cavalry has manifested great
interest In the finding Of the board
because of the possibility that the
finding might reflect on the amount
OF care that was taken to insure the
safety of parties near the range dur
ing the firing and the deceased's own
regiment has been concerned to know
II the board would decide that Ser.
geant Napier died in the line OF duty,
because on this finding depended the
payment TO his beneficiary OF the six
months pay which the war department
pays on the death of an officer or en-
listed man n said death Is not the re-
suit OF the soldiers own misconduct.
The report OF the board as published
entirely aequits the range officers OF
the cavalry and the troops engaged in
the firing by declaring that the acci-
dent was purely accidental. The re-
port Of the board down 70 the Ininut.
est details Is the subject of much dis.
clssion today and the Interest exceeds
that or any other accident which has
occurred here IN some time. a,
Iislif. .Rnifn on Stand .
The hOard nppuinted by the post
Commander consisted Of Major Ernest
b. Cose, 25th infantry. Captain Harry
e. knight, 1st infantry, and First Lseu-
tenant Clarence K. Lyman, 4th
cavalry. The board met on the 14th
instant. interrogated all witnesses who
had any knowledge Of the sergeant's
Whereabouts, his reasons for going
near the range, and the cause OF his
death, etc. They made careful ex-
animation Of the terrain and supple
meuted their report by a carefully
made sketch Of the ground p =
The principal witness was the de-
ceased's detachment commander, Sec
ond Lieutenant MI. A. Palen. 25th in
fantry. who testified In part that on
Thursday, November 9Th, he told Ser
geant Napier to see the cavalry range
officer, Lieutenant Stedje, and to bor-
row two "Bs targets and two marking
disks to use In the experimental firing
he was conducting with the new type
Of machine guns on the artillery range,
He continued his testimony as fol-
lows: ;. c<.-z
Sergeant Napier was unable to get
the targets until Monday morning, No
vember 10. He left the barracks OF
the detachment at about o'clock and
went to the "A range to get the tar
gets. <@s<. 4
AT about IS clock he arrived at
the artillery range with the two tar
gets but without the disks. had the
targets put on the carriages at the 500
yard but and asked the sergeant
where the disks were and he said that
he had been told that there were disks
in the range house on the artillery
range.
He then looked through the target
house and reported that there were no
disks there. He said: I will step
Continued on page four)