Arkansas intelligencer., 1843-09-09
Court Of Inquiry at Fort eibson.-.No. 2.

Court of Inquiry at Fort Gibscn...No, 2.
Last week we showed to the public, that this court
was ordered to examine into certain accusations
transactions and complaints made against Lieut. COL
K. B. Mason" by Geo w. Clarke. According to
INSTRUCTIONS the court met upon he appointed day.
ganized BY sacearng to faithfully nd ipsrally
inc the case in hearing The first proceeding of this
impartial court was to place theaccuser upon oath; and
the accused Col NJ, allowed to examine him fully
and thoroughly for three days. During this examina-
tion, he emitted forth the gall Of his deadly hate un
der the sanction of the court the shape of violent
abuse and insulting personalities, overbearing
and browbeatng gestures, being hopes that he would
be able to overawe his accuser and compel him
don the prosecution. The proceeding of the court
was to refuse to "eranine the charges mentioned in
the letter published in our last. ..
Then it declined to send to this for the
witnesses. Next it refused examine the accusers
witnesses that he did produce upon the of the
accused, Col NJ, the grounds that they were In
dia ms; and that Indian testimony not admitted in
the Federal COURTS and in the of Missouri and
Arkansas. The court found under oath
to take Col Ms assertion, and these Judges of the law
endorsed the assertion that Indians not legal wit
nesses when it was notorous'y known that the
tion false. The court guilty of either igno
rance faIsehood. -
The court evidently showed by its proc eedngs tha,
it intended to Col. Mason. 1t allowed the ac
cusea the full privilege of questioning, end
less extent-but the accuscr snubbed off in his
questions, he began elicit some
testimony. And when Capt. ]. l.. Dawson appeared
before the court witness behalf of the
tion he requested permission of the allow him
to make some preliminary remarks, which the
tom in the courts at Fort Gibson and the
ed him this permission-this witness then refused to
| tfv f,l,o
is yet for Capt D. to explain why he refused to testify
upon this occasion Why he left the accuser in this
position, who made the accusation upon his evidence
Was the presence of this mighty despct overwhem-
ing that he could not speak
And the following letter will she that the honorable
Secretary Of War not kept in ignorance of these
proceedngsand his decision shows that he has
ed it as a light and "trfing matter" Altogether
it was a white washing affair.
Fort GIBSON, March 18th, 1913.
Sir THE Court of Inquiry sitting at this Post,
to investigate certain accusations made by me,
against 1t. Col. R. B. Mason, lst Dragons will
close its proceedings to-dav.
rest fully satisfied that when the proceedings
are carefully reviewed by person of your known
legal attainments, the facts will be perceived in
despite of the large amount Of Irrelevant matter
that surround them.
| take this occasion to say, that if the grounds
of my accusations, had have been in the posses.
sion of competent person, one W ho was well ac.
quaintcd with Military law, and the rules of pro-
cecdng in Military Courts-and one who would
zeaously prosecute the matter, Col Mason would
have been proven TO be all that have accused him
OF being. AS a citizen, had many obstacles in
my way, in proving accusations before Military
Court-sittlng, as it was, at Military Post-over
Military man Of high rank-and where most of
the witnesses, were necessar rly connected with the
Military at said Post. | had to struggle against
the surrounding influence Of the Military--and
with man whose long experience, in management
IN and about MIlitary Courts, where he has been
frequently, either an accuser or tho accused
has rendered him almost inrinciWe. | beg leave
to call your attention 10 few facts connected with
the proceedings of the Court, which will show to
You the nature Of some Of the difficulties that |
had to contend against. You will perceive that
the same rules did not always govern the accuser
and the accused.
Notwithstanding the high rank, and respecta.
bIty of the officers who compose this-Court, and
the great respect which | entertain for them,
think they felt too faroraby disposed towards the
accused, their brother officer. If after hearing
my statements and reviewing tho proceedings Of
the Court, you do not agree with me, that the
Court leaned too much in favor of the accused.
ignorance of the rules of proceeding in Courts Of
all kinds; and not to disposition to do those off,
GERS I'M ustice.
Upon the first day Of assembling, the Court call
ed upon me for a written explanation of my ac-
cusations. And in compliance to this call, | sub.
mitted certain papers containing the matter Of
charges which offered to prove up--among these
| charges there were two, that Col. Mason objected
to investigation being had upon, on the grounds
that had not this matter in my minds eye at
the time wrote my ct. H." letters. The Court
sustained the objection of Col. Mason--and fur
thcr, at the request Of COL Mason, | was reauir-
ed to make out my explanatory paper again, leav-
ing out the rejected matter. (rhis last act was
done to prevent the rejected matter from coming
under the eyes of the reviewing of1icer.) was
therefore, compelled to forward the matter to you
which did in my communication of the 9th
February, lS43. .ass. l-f. ... e...r .=E
Another kind Of procedure was allowed by
the Court, that did not appear to me to be strictly
proper. !, and my witnesses were compelled to
answer questions, which without explanation were
calculated TO effect our regulations. [Soe ques-
ton respecting card payng.] When attempt
led 10 show that done only what ariicipaed in,
by the Commanding and other Officers, and other
gentlemen, who were OF the Pos, at that time-that
done nothing clandestinely, but on the contrary,