The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-12-22
ERALp, SATURDAY, DRCEMDER ~, 1850


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sua FORTRESS MONROE CORRESPONDENCE.
A Soldier shot Dead By nm Omcer-HIs Threat
Cus After Deash and Orhar Alleged BAR
barities Committed On tho BODY Inauisition
BY = Military Cemnissions and Cenaicsing
stories % che Facts and Finding BIZ the
Court Of Inquiry, &c.
FosrREs MONROE, Doc 20, 1859.
On the 18th inst Lieutenant Egbe Oicut Of the 10th
United States infantry shot private George King, Com
paDy ID, OF the regiment through the head with
revolver while the road from Yorktown Warwick
Court House, killing him instantly Intelligence Of the
tragic rapidly reached here and usual In
such cases. with varied and conflicting stories regarding
it request was made by General Burton, command
ant OF the fort abstain from any written account Of
until the facts should be developed before military
court OF inquiry after which time he promised TO give
them for publication. The ustnabie and pro-
priey of this request will question: but the pro-
priety Of waiting forever add day. less,
the necessarily slow movements Of . military
court in making out their report whom the
facts might well be given. II they be given at all
directly after the court has ended its sitting is another
question with the readers Of the daily papers On the
day succeeding the homicide military commission con-
sstng Of Major H. Stone Fifth United States artillery
Major H. r. Putnam Twelfth United States infantry
Lieutenant Hawley, Twelfth United States infantry. and
Lieutenant HILL Fifth United States artillery. left for
Yorktown and commenced an investigation. On satur-
day they had concluded their inquiry, and Sunday
returned here.
It being four days now since their return and no sure
prospect or any time when their report will be out
and courtesy having given way to impatient waiting,
sba proceed to give the facts reaching from other
where the company TO which Lieutenant Olcut and the
deceased belonged - stationed and another having been
there duSing the nquisition. to say nothing Of the
leaves but little ground think for doubling the general
correctness Of the recital as here given.
On the 18th inst Lieutenant Olcntt with two young
men, named Shields and Jones, started from Yorktown
for Warwick Court House ip carriage drawn by four
post at Yorktown, furnished the mules, and private
King, who for time previous had had the and
driving OF the mules, as driver gallon Of whiskey
been drinking freely before they left Yorktown-so
much 80 as 70 excite attention and comment on
eight miles, and u is to be presumed they INDUCED in
further FREQ libations The driver had been to
Warwick before and not knowing the road lost his way
Turning about TO fork OF the road they had passed.
negro was seen BY tho parties In the coach and asked
II be knew the way TO Warwick and on his saying be
1a was Sd 70 s * as c ss 70 r.
on into the road. shields and Jones came
rough handling. Lieutenant 0lcutt asked the negro
u be had gun or revolver at his house, which
leaped from the carriage 0lcut ran 70 the honse got
the revolver from the nearos wife, hurried back and
presented y At King, With The question, won't you let
that negro drive?' "No, / WON'T replied King; IL
was placed here By Colonel shpmsn. and mean %
Kings head that the flashing powder backened his face
The ball entered the left eye, penetrated the BRAIN and
King fell dead. The tragedy did not end hsre Taxing
side Of the road his head beaten with rails and his ugu-
Jar vein severed with knife A. thus he lay he
buried.
II may DO that consciousness Of his dreadful crime
sobered Lieutenant olcutt At all events he shortly
after made known the homicide, claimed that IL was
done In self-dcfence, and demanded Investigation.
which resulted In the commission named above being
sent as stated, TO yorktown. will be understood that
the story given the eptome OF outside stories Before
the Military Court is said TO have been given In evil
dence that King intoxicated that he upset
rage once n consequence Of his incapaciy 70 drive
that continuing him rs driver endangered the lives OF
those In the coach and that tho attempt change
drivers no became savagey violent and threatened the
ence. Tho parties making Theses statements were, or
course the companions OF Lieutenant Olcau and the
is to change the criminal phase or tho Affair." although
tho suspicion may be Northumberland IL TO be hoped
u may bcs readily apparent only BY such statements
they would shield tho Lieutenant and themselves from
the accusation OF parcps crim,a On the dsinlerment
Of King WAS discovered the cutting OF his
,oTn stated S D e aoy. as ey'sa sG s:
connection II Is agreeable to state that decent burial
was subsequently, given the dlPrased On the fact Of
tending It, there manifest strong excitement among
the members Of bis company. There was special ndie
nation that Lieutenant Olcutt not restrained all
his liberty and threats that unless some show were
made Of bringing him TO justice he would not DO
allowed 10 enjoy his liberty long. One member OF his
company, who was moro boldly demonstnfive in his
threats N sad 10 have been tied up by the thumbs az
punishment for his tenerity.
Tho deceased was only twenty-five years old. He
listed In the Twelfth United States infantry one batal-
ion Of which has ence been changed 10 the Twenty
ninth United States infantry, fourteen months ago.
hpb had hsx-
ing been strictly temperate in his habits and altogether
Of unusually orderly and quiet demeanor He was IN
hunself as obedcnt and faithful soldier. He has
mother living In Troy, New York. and two brothers In
the same regiment nj Richmond.
Lieutenant Ocutt has always had the reputation OF
being IN exceedingly quiet nohensive and gentlemanly
person, a. well ny good and efficient ofbcer. except
whom excited by liquor At such times he Is reported
violent and uninanagcabe. IL Is related that only
short time since while riding through the streets OF
Yorktown, he met colored preacher an old and par
ticularly pcaceabie man, riding mule and without
any provocaton except that induced by liquor rode up
to the man. threw him from his mule and subsequently,
while stl on hts horse charged against the door OF
house where the dsrkey minister had taken refuge,
breaking IN the door which act happily wound up his
sa , s Only awo or three days be-
have stopped y negro VINO had not been saying word
to HIM, by the abrupt question, "Do you mean
thought intention, which did satisfy Olcut who
a. once made violent assault on him. a. though deter
mined On taking mr. ne sergeant n'enered before
vented the affair reaching trsgica end Numbers OF
such stories afoat which useless recsptulafe
In shor his amnesty seems 70 havo vented itsof
negroes Until this late OF tho shooting Of
King he Is reported having very generally behaved
conderatey and genilemanly toward the soldiers under
him. During the he served with honorable distinc-
ton He appointed frou, civil life, aud his
appointment II Is said 70 Colonel 0lcutt, Special Commits
sionsr Of tho War Department during the who Ia his
brother
The result Of the military inquisition can Of course
only he divuged through headquarters at Washington
whence tho drecty trorn
the frt that Lieutenant Oicutt still liberty, tho
general inference 10 that their finding IL favorable
him, net few, judging no doub, from the natural dspo
eition u officers shield fellow oicer and knowing
OF how little consequence frequently the NE OF simp pie
private regarded by them, intimate belief OF gene.