Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1916-12-01
INSULT TO
REGIMENT
BY O'RYAN
IS CHARGE
MADE BY
OFFICERS
Especial 20 The Herald }

Y McALIEN. Tex. Dee. Every officer
NJ the Twelfth New York fnfantrv, sta
toned here, Is reliably reporte 10 have ten
\ dcred his resignation following Colonel
Gordon Johnson's similar action. taken on
the strength vi 4 charge that the regiment
was ''insultcd" hy MAJOR General John II.
lORyan. commander of the New York di-
vision The alleged insult j. said 10 have
/ taken place Several days ago when the
trops of the division were reviewed M Ne
Allcr ~ General O'Ryan and his guests.
United States senator Jas. W. Wadsworth,
IT,. NJ New York. and Major II. Juan AZ
Flores Of the Rcynosa. Mexica, garrison.
General O'Ryan refused 10 make an,
statement M connection with the affair. de
clarirg that il was matter for discus
sion only within the army. Officers of the
Twelfth New York are also reluctant 70
discuss the matter. nor was Colonel John
son who " a regular army cavalry officer.
and until the mastering into the federal
service of the national guard was of the
rank Of captain and aide de-camp TO Major
General Leonard Wood of the eastern di-
VI
ing 70 make any statement.
The incident has created a sensation. not
only III local army circles. hub IN regular
and dnational guard circles all over the
border Colonel Johnson n one Of the
most widely known officers Of the regular
army.
The incident N said 10 have grown out
Of the fact that the Twelfth New York
regiment passed the reviewing stand with
its colors furled with one battalion short.
and in marching order not satisfactory 10
the commanding officer. Colonel Johnson
is reported ~ have explained that the flag
was carried by the reviewing stand fnrled
because II was in ragged condition, and the
wind would have whipped il 10 pieces. New
rceimental colors had been ordered, but had
not arrived. His explanation Of the alb
sence Of one battalion was explained. II ~
said, by the absence Of one company on
other duty and bv short strength Of var
ious companies III the regiment The re-
naming companies Of the battalion we're
merged with the other two battalions for
the review.
The insult alleged by the officers Of tho
Twelfth IN said I'D have occurred when
Major General ORyan ordered the rcgi-
ment to pass the reviewing stand a second
time and together with his guests depart
ed from the reviewing field, leaving Brga-
dIcr General James Lester IA complete the
review Of the Twelfth New York The
regiment, II l. said, marched well the see.
ond time.
Ii il not known whether every one Of the
commissions were resigned because an<66
fetal list has been withheld. n in ns-
serted at the regiment headquarters, how
ever that al the officers followed the lead
of Colonel Johnston and Major George +.
Roosevelt. who j. n second cousin Of Col
onel Theodore Roosevelt.
Among the officers are members Of New
York's most prominent families, since IL has
always been the regimental tradition that
family connection and not wealth was one
of the first considerations In choosing men
for commissions. The ranks are composed
principally of men from the Bowery dis
trict Of New York.
The following Is a list Of the officers ~
the Twelfth on active service with the
regiment now
Major William r.. Downs; Captains Y. u.
Gauche. Jay Zorn, William &. Mitchell.
Frederick A. Deprister, Charles w. Lynn.
Frank Mccoy, Sidney j. DeKay. Hucttc
Cammack. Henry s. Hldreth, Elisha A.
DAILY. John y. Dean, Millard r. Waltz, Jr..
Ralph A. Kluge, Charles .. Brown, Jr.. and
Henry r. Holt: Lieutenants Joseph j. Kocn.
William NJ Chadbourne. John W. Abbott.
Truman Smith, George NJ BramwelI. Ane-
ustus Van Cortlandt, Jr., Godfrey NJ Tay-
lor, Robert Ewell, Reginald Anchinclrss,
Douglass Clark, William J. Shieffeln. IT.,
Blanton Barrett. Thomas " Barber, James
/ +. Dowling, Max Jrffe and Simpson Sloan.