The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-10-24
WEST POINT.
The Court Martial of the uolored Cadet.

The Court Martial of the Oolored Cadet.
The third days session of the general court
martial at West Point began on Saturday morn
ing. The business of the day commenced with
the counsel for the prisoner requesting the op-
portunity to send for 8. M. Capron, at Hartford,
Conn.,, and introduce his evidence as to the
veracity of Smith antecedent to his cadetship
appointment. The Judge Advocate demurred
to that and held 1t irrelevant to the case, as 1t
did not apply to accused in his military career.
The first witness examined was Cornelius
Russell, employed as a laborer. He stated that
he knew Wilson and Smith, and saw some of
their difficulty on the date alleged; saw Wilson
get drink at the tank; Smith then came up
with the guard pail and pushed it against Will
con and showed him off the tank; saw both
striking each other but could not tell who gave
the first blow; they fought with cocoanut dip
pers; saw Wilson cut over the temple with
Smiths dipper; saw two or three, perhaps
more, blows given; heard them say something,
but could not tell what it was did not see that
Smith was angry when he showed his pail
against Wilson.
John Miller, hospital steward deposed that
at about o'clock P. NJ, August 20, he dressed
the wound of Cadet Wilson at the hospital, and
described the wound; it was over the left tenn
pie, and might have been dangerous; there had
been great deal of hemorrhage patient who
seemed excited was put to bed; the wound
healed rapidly.
The Judge Advocate then closed the testimony
on the first charge. and specification and
opened the second, which is as follows
Charge II.-Conduct unbecomng an oficer and a
gentleman, in violation OF paragraph 1871 OF the
United States Army regulations Military Academy.
Specification. n.-In bthis, that Cadet J. w. Smith,
having been reported on the 18th OF August, 1870,
for replying to fle closer" in mighty disrespectful
manner at drill, p. NJ, after having been spoken to
in the line Of duty, did submit TO the commandant
written explanation therefor stating, 81 spoke to
"fe closer during the drill nor did Cadet Corporal
Beacon speak to me during drill at any time," which
| statement was false.
| Cadet Edgar g. Beacom the 'file closer" of
| the date mentioned corroborated the truth OF
| the allegations in the specification, with a men,
| tion of incidents; that was the only instance
where he had ever reported accused.
Cadet William 8. Davies testified to the main
facts in the proceeding, and that Smith replied
to "fle closer" in an audible but not loud tone
| of voice.
Cadet B. Dyer Jr., told nearly the same
story.
Cadet Augustus c. Tyler did the same; Smith
turned his head to reply to ''ile closer" but
witness could not hear what that reply was.
The rendition of testimony was exceedingly
slow, careful, and deliberate, which made the
proceedings correspondingly tedious. But upor
the whole a military court presents many pleas
ing features, in some respects superior to oul
| civil courts. For instance, all the witnesses al
well as members, by professional discipline, are
subdued into habits of exactness order, ant
quiet, and there are no pickering contentious
that so often mark the course of civil suits.
At noon the motion to adjourn to some day
this week prevailed. Several officers left OF
the afternoon trains.
|