Arkansas intelligencer., 1843-09-02
WAR DEPARTMENT,
Adju'ant Generals Office,
Washington, July %, 1913.
GENERAL ORDERS N0 an

GENERAL ORDERS NO. 80.
l. The proceedings of the Court Of Inquiry in.
stituted by direction of tho President Of the Untcd
States, whereof Col. w. Davenport, lst Infantry.
is President, and which convened at Fort Gibson.
Ark, on the 3lst of January, 1913, pursuant to
" General Orders,' No. IT, Of 1912, 10 examine
into certain transactions, accusations and com.
plants made against Lieut.. Col. R. B. Mason,
Regiment Of Dragons, by George w. Clarke, a
citizen employed in the Indian Department, have
been submitted to tho Secretary Of War. and the
following is the decision thereon:
WAR DEPARTMENT, July %, 1913.
lhe evidence does not seem to implicate Lieut..
colonel Mason any mproprlety, except in driv-
ing horses belonging to the Government to ST.
Louis, and in using tho public horse, mule and
harness in the cultivation of crop of corn for his
own private use. In this, he was wrong-and
more especially so. if he were the commanding
officer Of the Post at the trIe. Ia this it
but lrihlng matter, and in all probability did but
little harm in fact but, there is a principle vio-
lated which should be carefully guarded. The
public property, like the public funds, must be
used solely for public purposes. In all other mat
ters. Cot. Mason. appears to have been careful,
vigiant, and faithful officer, evincing great care
IN preserving proper discipline and sound morals.
J. NJ. PORTER.
II. The Court of Inquiry of which Colonel
Davenport is President, is dissolved.
BY order: R. JONES, AdjI GENT.
We publish the following letter to show the public
the attempt of President Tyers administration to gull
them by its system of humbuggery, and after we have
done our publications, it will be for the public to say
whether Mr.. Tyler and his Secretaries, Spencer and
Porter, do not deserve the cxccraton of the whole
American people, for bctraying the reposed in
them-fof aiding in screening, and keeping concealed
the corrupt acts of public offender.
Inc Hon } NJ. Porter is brother to Gov ID. R. Por.
ter OF Pennsylvania who is distinguished for repricy
ing criminals 1t appears that this felo,e synpqthy is
peculiar to the family-for this scrupulous
does not fnd evidence in the proceedings the Court
TO impcltc Col. Mason in any impropriety, erecD, in
driving horses belonging to the Government and i,
using the public horse, mule and harness. in the cul
tVatIon OF his crop of corn for his private use "
and this he says, is mere "hifng matter" His vi
sion was so obscured that he could not find any evi
dcnce that Col. Mason worked Edwards negroes-used
public cteamsters-waggons and teams, to haul his crop
OF corn 100 bushels) from the field. Probably The Go
vernon can tell what influence operated upon the
be able open his eyes, least to the pub
lie that there did exist influence about &" Head
Quarters." The nature of which the public will infer
from the family failing OF the Secretary
Fort GIBSON, Feb. 9th. 1914.
Sr:-lhe President of the United States. di.
rected that Court of Inquiry should assemble NJ
TINS fos', on the alSt ultimo, to investigate
certain charges and accusations which wor.
made by me, against 1t. Col. r. B. Mason. l.,
U. S. Dragons. When this Court assembled
preferred, as one of the instances of his ..uso oi
public property for private purposes, in subs,anc,
the following charge, viz :
"On Or about the 10Th Nav. lsfI,o ot For, Oh
son, Cherokee Nation, Lit. Col. r. b. Masoa ,D
Dragons, took from Company 1" D'' LIST DrogoonS
without the knowledge or permission of its com
manding oihcer. (who was absent at the ,ioe or
a lew days leaveO public horse. and with him
started OH furlough. for St. Louis. Mo. He roI
that horse as far as Ft Wayne, there he left him n,
or about the 18th May, lS4l. Lit. Col. r. B. Mason
ISL Drag s, then and there obtained public horsl
from Company 'A' lst Dragons. The Gonna
ny "A" horse he rode from Fort Wayue. ON The
roau % 'o"aras ot. Louis, on or about the 18th Nav
i ioil ana ana not return with said horse to For
w, wayne until on or about the 10Th June, lS4l.-.
Inc Company ID" horse. which Id. Col p D
Mason took from Company d, LIST Drogoons ~
or about the 10Th May, lS4l, as before snac;fod
was not returned to said Company. until ON .,
about the list June, lS4l. It. Col. r. r. Ma
son. took this horse from Company D,' lst ORA,
Soohs' al tlme when its services were needed b,
The Company, for the Company was lust upon tn,
eve OF march from Fort Gibson to the Choc,o, :,
ra'loh' Tor active service in the field. To mono,
all The men of sd" Company that were fir 70,
duty, at the time of its departure from Fort Glib.
son. ior the service in the field as aforesaid. its
commanding officer was obliged to use some two or
'hree horses belonging to &C" Company lst D,a.
goons' which had been left at Fort Gibson by fhq,
Company as unfit for use. Those" C'' Compa.