New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-13
Discharge Denied, Col.
Wingate Ordered to
Fort Hamilton
FIVE PRIVATES
ARE UNDER GUARD
Men Tied to Wheel in I'd
Artillery ArmOry,
They Say

Discharge papers were refused last
night to Colonel George A. Wingate. in
command of the I'd Field Artillery; Cap
tain Wilbur T. Wright. and Lieutenant
Frank A. Spencer, both of Battery l.,
when the regiment was mustered out.
The three officers were ordered to Fort
Hamilton, pending full investigation Of
the "spread-eagling' of five privates
last Tuesday in the regimental armory
in The Bronx.
The five privates who underwent the
unusual form Of punishment, also were
held in the government service They
were taken to Fort Hamilton under guard
and Will remain there as prisoners till
the case against their officers is cleared
up. The privates are Max Kellerman.
Of Battery B, and Ralph Pingree, Earl
Pingree. Elmer ST, George and James
J. Foley, all Of Battery +.
Lieutenant Spencer is the man on
whom the brunt of the charges in con-
nection with the "spreadeagle" punish
ment will fall He was officer Of the
day in the Bronx armory last Tuesday
and ordered the FIVE privstes, all prison
ers, TO perform police duty in the ~.
mory ring.
Men Tied to Wheel Rims
The men refused. asserting they had
received nothing go eat during the day.
Lieutenant Spencer then ordered them
backed up against the gun carriages
and their outstretched arms tied TO
wheel rims
Army officers discussing the case yes
terday suggested that Captain Wilbur,
the immediate superior Of Lieutenant
Spencer, and Colonel Wingate, ranking
officer OF the regiment, we're being held
in the government service so as not to
be out Of the jurisdiction of the War
Department in case Of court martial
proceedings. because they were respon-
sible for the action of a subordinate
officer in the discharge of his duty.
There was surprise expressed that
Lieutenant Colonel Frank II. Hines,
post commander at The Bronx armory,
was discharged last night. Lieutenant
Colonel Hines assumed full responsi-
bilty for spread eagling" of the men.
Colonel Wingate, who j. in charge o.
the lst Battalion armory in Brooklyn,
was not present last night when his
command was mustered out.
The order TO hold the officers in the
government service was issued as a re-
suit of the Investigation made by Colo
mel Thomas Q. Donaldson, of the In
spector Generals Department.
Colonel Donaldson had not completed
his inquiry last night, and was ques-
tioning officers and non-commissioned
officers while the I'd Battalion was be-
ing mustered out.
Not Ready for Muster Out
Lieutenant Colonel Hines said that
Colonel Wingate and Captain Wright
would not have been mustered out last
night If the "spresd eagle" investiga
ton had not been made, as neither off
Ger, because Of lack of time, had been
able TO check up all the property OF
the War Department for which they
The non-commissioned officers and
privates OF the I'd Battalion made no
secret Of their pleasure over the fact
that some Of their officers we're in for
bit Of trouble at the hands OF the War
Department. They charged that the
mess had been badly handled and that
the men had not been properly fed
since their return from the border.
The hospital and supply stats were
the first TO be mustered out BY Cap
tain J. L. Gilbreth. senior assistant
mastering officer Batteries d. f and
F were then mustered out in the order
named. The men left the armory with
shout. of JOY. About the same time
Batteries A, and c were being dis
charged from the Federal service at the
1st Battalion Armory, in Brooklyn.