A Militia Captain Cleared—Then He Quit
Company D's investigators found no missing money and called forgery charges a 'malicious lie,' but Capt. Elmer R. Brady still handed in his resignation.
At a meeting of Company D, First regiment, N. G. W., held at the Armory last night, the past differences between the company and Capt. Elmer R. Brady were very amicably adjusted. The investigation committee made a full report of the recent charges made against the captain and fully exonerated him in every respect. The company accepted the report and all members present, fully thirty in number, signed it. Capt. Brady then tendered his resignation, which was accepted.
The report in full is as follows:
'Seattle, Wash., Sept. 17, 1894.
We, your committee on financial investigation, beg leave to report that after a thorough investigation into the financial condition of Company D, First regiment N. G. W., we find that said company's finances are in perfect condition and have been in such condition ever since Capt. Elmer R. Brady took charge of the company, so far as his personal account is concerned, and at no time do we find that he was short in any of his accounts in any sum, nor is he short any sum at the present time.
We further find that Capt. Brady never embezzled any of the company's money at any time, and that the reports to that effect are false and malicious in every respect and particular.
We find also that the article published in the Daily Telegraph on the 31st day of July, 1894, to the effect 'that Capt. Brady was accused of appropriating the sum of $73 of the company's money' is utterly false and without foundation. The statement that he was accused and had committed a forgery is a malicious lie, and the party who authorized it did so with a malicious intent and without any authority from the committee and without authority from the company.
We, the committee, do hereby exonerate Capt. Elmer R. Brady in every respect and particular from any charge of appropriating any of the company's money at any time, and do further exonerate him from any charge of forgery whatsoever and that all public statements to the contrary are false in every particular.
FRANK E. ADAMS, H. A. TURNER, Committee.'
“We further find that Capt. Brady never embezzled any of the company's money at any time, and that the reports to that effect are false and malicious in every respect and particular.”
A local militia company publicly investigated its captain after a newspaper accusation, then exonerated him and accepted his resignation in the same meeting. It is a reminder of how quickly reputation could be damaged in print—and how institutions sometimes clear a name only after the damage is done.
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