Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-02-17
.CONF|NE OFFICERS
IN CAMP STOCKADE
Major, Captain and Two Lieu
tenants Held in Lee
Bull Pen"
PRECEDENT IN DISCIPLINE
Armed Guards Patrol Barbcd-
Wire Enclosure to Prevent
Escape of Prisoners.
PRECEDENT IN DISCIPLINE

Four commissioned oniccrs-a ma
io., captain and two l;euicnants-are
imprisoned in the Camp Lee stockade
which Is surrounded by q Gordon Of
barbed wire eight fec. high and
guarded by four blockhouscs occupied
by armed soldiers. ordered to shoot
any man attempting TO escape
camp Lee authori.ics state they
we're compelled TO conhne the officers
in the stockadc because of repeated
oncnscs and violation OF the customary
paroles granted officers under arrest.
In military circles the confinement OF
the officers at Camp Lee is considered
Unique. If not unprecedented.
No other camp III the country has
commissioned officers confined to
S;ockades. no matter what the charge,
in tho opinion OF Major Toilette, judge
advocate of tho cantonnent.
1he ofhccrs now in the stockadc arc
noWn no preference, as far as can
i'stcd men being confined with them,
including dcScrtcrs. alien enemies nnd
men charged with moro serious Of
TENTS ARE OCCUPIED
NJ CAMP PRISONERS
within the S;ockade. and /, was stated
ycste rday ;ha, two of tho commits stoned
oh'gers ss, are quar,ered in a tent Nithin
Eppa Lee Williams. the R!ch,nonIl
soldier who has thrice escaped Camp
Ice Ice authorities and is now under nf-
teen ycars' sentence for. desertion
fittE yards square, the stockadc Is
surrounded by wall OF harbcd wire.
ABOUT three feet inside this barbcd
C.ir wre iGnSe is another thin strand OF
"ITc' ne guards posted in tho block :
:iouses ~ each corner o. the inclosurc
ccr" instructed 20 prevent prisoners
from passing beyond this Nrst wire.
X prisoner passes ths wire. the
Euarh Is ordered to call halt" once.
=. INC man does no; obey. the guards
are instructed TO fire. ], is understood
20 do this on several occasi al
thoush i: i no; stated whether any
men were wounded.
BARBicD WIRE WALLIS
LIGHTED At NIGHT
AZ night the barbed wire walls are
easily and permitting ahe movement
et the men inside. TO he aeer., - Day, nm 4
nishss gus.ds patrol the odtside of 'the
tiiteSosarS,i TO prevent cscapcs
II Is understood that the officers con.
Ined 10 the stockadc arc given the
same fare as the other prisoners. This
iare is similar to that accorded so!
d!ers outside. except in cases where
ohenses have been Committed within
the siockade when rationing is dc.
elared as a part Of the punishment
The custom. in tho case of officers
charged with infractions OF the mill
ta::: rules o. OF casting, in any way,
discrcd!t upon the uniform OF the
United states Army, has been to con
nnc them 10 their quarters. II has
alMa:,. been rule 10 Keep them from
the !gnominy OF suffering imprison :
rent III the military bull pens"
NATURE OF OFFENSEs
IS NOT ANNOUNCED
In discussing the matter. however
The military authorities, without in
dicat!nS the exact nature Of the of
lenses which cannot be made public
Until released from Washington, state
that such drastic measures were only
taken in extreme cases, such as the
present. Neither would they permit
publication Of the names.
Major Toilette state that the officers
had all been charged with SERIOUS Of
fenses in the military calendar. but
| had no; the original offenses beon fol-
lowed by other violations OF military
law. the officers would have received
the usual treatment.
Refusal to abide by the military Law
in maintaining rules of confinement tc
quarters while awaiting trial and repe
tition OF original offenSes are indicated
Ms some of the ofenses which have
caused officers at the camp TO furnish
such unique example Of military dis
cip!iHc. ID