Evening star., 1923-05-05
TRADE BAN WEAPON
USED BY MARINES
IN FIGHT ON CITY
$4,000 Monthly Business
Taken From Fredericksburg
for III-Treating Private.
/ From n Staff Correspondent.

From n Staff Correspondent.
QUANTICO, Va, May 5.-"The ma
rines never quit because their out
posts are driven in
With this characteristic def, Brig.
Gen. Smedley d. Butler, commandant
of the base here. today sounded the
slogan with which the entire Marine
Corps will surge back into battle to
win justice for the man in uniform"
Marines Lose Tilt.
Temporarily repulsed yesterday in
their effort to have Deputy Sergt.
Reuben Fl. McGhee dismissed from
the Fredericksburg police force on
charges that he brutally assaulted a
Quantico private whom he had ar
rested for alleged drunkenness. the
marines today were rapidly consoli-
dating their position and preparing
to lay siege to Fredericksburg with
the long-range gun of a 'merciless
quarantine"
In the meantime Gen. Butler Is
| awaiting further word from his legal
| strategist: Col; r. E. Byrd. Rich 1o
i retained to lead them.
I'VE are going to exhaust every
legal means In our power TO get Jus
Cen Butler asserted He was as
! saulted by a FREDERICKSBURG police
arrest The policeman says he only
slapped him in the face. A marine
officer declares the policeman struck
/ him blow with his fist. The police
man had no legal right to do either.
! Will Continue Fight.
Our outposts have been driven In,
! but the marines never quit because
their advance guard was forced back.
! I have in my pocket S2,4S1. We are
| ready to spend every cent OF that
and still more. Even the marine de-
tachment at Norfolk has wired me
| that every man there has contrib
| uted toward our marine defense fund.
We intend to show that member of
our big family has Just as many
rights as the members of any ci-
| william family"
! Quantico was a buzz of excitement
| this morning following announcement
| last night that the corporation court
/ of fredericksburg has sustained
Deputy Sergt. McGhee and retained
| him as an officer of the law. Some
| of the marines were for forming a
/ punitive expedition forthwith. placing
! their foot ball stars at the front as
! shock troops and storm;ng the citadel
/ of SpottSylrania county without de-
| lay. Once inside they planned to
! capture several policemen, giving
! them a genuine old-fashioned spank
! ing in public and then retiring behind
| tho trenches of the Rappahanock
| river.
! Gen. Butler and his officers how
ever. have plan that they expect
! to strike much more deeply. On
| burg just at the city limits there
| stand two marine SentrieS. The town
! is "out of bounds" quarantine,l; no
member of the corps may pass in or
out without a special pass signed by
! the commandant. Few have those
| Fredericksburg is beginning to feel
! the loss of the marines trade, and
! everybody knows marine is a good
! spender.
! Lose S25,OOO Month.
Further than this. the Quantico
base itself does a business of $4,000
month In Fredericksburg. Already
| Alexandria is bidding for that trade
! The banks of Alexandria are seeking
the funds the Quantico marine base
now keep in the Frederick sbur1 in
stitution. An Alexandria creamery is
| after the tremendous business move
enjoyed by firm in the seat OF
Spottsylvania county. And the pea
nut and soda water emporiums OF
Fredericksburg are beginning to
sweat.
To cap the climax, the Marine Corps
| is erecting homes for it's officers
directly within the Quantico reserya-
tion. At present many of the officers
| rent homes in Fredericksburg, and a
general exodus undoubtedly would
have serious effect upon the bust
! ness of that place
| There is not an officer or a man
| does rc1, ha
! hind Private Seagroyes He is one
| of our sons" Gen. Butler declared
! and we are going to protect him like
| a son."
| Story Gets Laugh.
noGs. The testimony ssIa Of Deputy Sergeant
seagroves. spanked" him. as he
would ''one of my own sons" drew
from the Devil Dogs here a loud and
hearty laugh.
other marine who is unjustly treat
! ed" was the unanimous declaration
of officers and men.
In refusing to sustain a petition of
| Private SeagroveS yesterday, seeking
the dismissal of McGhee, Judge John
T. Goolrick empha tically denied from
the bench that Fredericksburg had
been anything but hospitable to the
the case had received too much un-
just and unjustifiable publicity" In
| closing. he extended to the marines
| a hearty invitation back to the city,
with his personal promise that t.l eirs
would be "a real old Virginia well
come"
The trial yesterday was merely for
the purpose of seeing McGhee's dis
missal from the police force. The
marines may yet institute criminal
proceedings against the officer and
civil proceedings against the town OF
! Fredericksburg. The next step, how.
ever. awaits further word from the
La Cal I'D