The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-01-22
4 SOLDIER AFTER GRAN.', HEART.
aodgson, Of the Seventh Cavalry, Bulles Louisiana
Civil Authorities -Rsprimanded by
COurt-Martial.
[Army and Navy Journal, 18th

ana OF WHICH COl. L. II. lie IrObrland, Ihlr-
teenth Infantry, is President, was arraigned
and tried Second Lieutenant B. H. Hodgson.
Seventh Cavalry.
Charge L.-'Conduct unbecoming an officer
and gentleman" Specification LIST: That
on October %, 1874, being in command of a
detachment Of United States troops serving
as ''posse comitatus" to protect DEPUTY
United States Marshal Edgar Selye in the
execution of his Office, he, in assisting the
said deputy marshal to serve a process on
one J. G. Huey. citizen of the United
States and resident of Vienna, in the State
of Louisiana, used unnecessary and unbe-
coming violence, and showed unbecoming
zeal, by diawing his pistol on said Huey, and
threatened to shoot him, and otherwise be-
having in ali unsoldierly and unbecoming
manner.
Specification 2. That he assisted IN the ar
rest OF Huey, and after said Huey had been
brought to the town Of Vienna and properly
secured, under a guard of soldiers, in the
upper room OF the courthouse, he said Huey
requested member of his guard to see Dep-
,uty q. S. Marshal Selye, who was in the
yard below, and asked him to come up and
read the warrant for his arrest, that he might
be informed as to the nature of the offense
with which he was charged; that said Second
Lieut.. Is. ID. Hodgson, on hearing the soldier
deliver the above message to the deputy mar
shall, rose from his seat and went up stairs
into the room in which said Huey and other
prisoners We're confined, and ordered the
soldiers on guard there to level their guns at
said lucy, which they did, and at the same
time drawing his own revolver and presenting
the same close to the body of said Huey, said:
This is my authority" meaning his re-
volver and these pointing to the loaded
guns in the hands of the soldiers, and which
were aimed at the body of said Huey, who
was unarmed and defenseless, thereby mean
ing also to have it understood that he had
made the arrest himself, and held the said
Huey in custody by his own will, and that of
the armed force under his command All
this to the scandal of the service and to the
uniform he wore, and in gross violation of
the honorable traditions Of his profession,
and in fragrant violation of his duty and pro-
fessional obligations of an officer and gentle
man.
Specification 3. That being present when a
writ OF habeas corpus was served on Deputy
United States Marshal Edgar Selye, issued by
the Hon J. E. Trimble, Judge Of the Eleventh
Judicial District Of the State of Louisiana, for
the production before the said Judge of GER
tain prisoners, then in the custody of said
United States Marshal, for the purpose Of in
qulring into the cause of their detention and
imprisonment, he sent the following violent
insubordinate, indecent and offensive message
to the said judge by the Sheriff Of the parish
of Jackson, who had served the said writ
''Give Judge Trimble my compliments and
tell him to go to hell. Tell him next time to
send three papers. l would like one to
shave with, one to light my pipe, and one to
use when go to the privy," or words to that
effect, at the same time displaying his re-
volver.
Charge IL" Violation Of the 54th Article
of War" Specification: That while ON the
march with his command, he maliciously and
without authority, and in violation Of the
statute law of the State Of Louisiana, de-
stroyed a portion Of the telegraph wire the
property Of the Western Union Telegraph
Company, and also the property Of inhabit-
ants of the United States, by cutting the
same, in one or more places, and twisting
portions of the wire around the stumps OF
trees thus interrupting Geographic commu-
nicatiOn between remote sections OF the
country, and to the interruption of the bust
ness of said telegraph company.
Charge ILL., conduct to the prejudice of
good order and military discipline" Speci-
fcation: That while in command Of the de-
tachm mt he on various occasions and at diff
ferent times got 50 much under the influence
Of intoxicating drink as to materially impair
his USE fitness as an officer, and unduly ex-
cite his mind and irritate his temper.
To first charge and specifications, accused
pleaded not guilty to the specification, sec
ond charge, guilty" except the words ''ma-
iicionsly and without authority, and in viola
ton OF the statute law of the State of Louis
iana and to the excepted words mot guilty"
to the second charge, "not guilty to the
third charge and specification, mot guilty.
The court found him Of the first specifca-
tiou, first charge, mot guilty." of the second
specification, first charge, equity" except
the words, ''and order the soldiers on guard
there to level their guns at the said Huey,
which they did," and the words "and these,
pointing to the loaded guns in the hands OF
the soldiers, and which were aimed at the
bvdy of said Huey;" and the words, "mean-
ing thereby also to have it understood that ne
made the arrest himself and held the said
Huey in custody by his own authority and Of
his own free will, and that Of the force under
his command All this to the scandal of the
service, and to the disgrace OF the uniform he
wore, and in gross violation Of the honorable
traditions Of his profession, and in hagrant
violation Of his duty and professional obllga,
tons as an officer and q gentleman" and OF
the excepted words, "Not guilty
OF the third specification, first charge. |
Guilty." excepting the words, "send the
following violent, insubordinate. indecent
and offensive message to the said judge, by
the sheriff Of the parish OF Jackson, who had
served the said writ: Give Judge Trimble my
compliments and tell him to 60 to hell. Tell
him next time to send three papers. would
like one to shave with, one to light my pipe,
and one to use when 1 go to the privy, or
words to that effect at the same time display
ing his revolver, which message was indecent
and highly unbecoming and officer and a
gentleman and calculated seriously to impair
the admin stration of justice and bring the
same into disrepute and contempt. But sub
stituting therefor the words, "use the follow
ing vulgar and indecent language regarding
the said writ: that if such paper were
served upon him he would use It when ne
went to the rear, and that he would tell the
Judge to 90 to hell, or words to that effect.
And Of the e excepted words, Not Guilty" Of
substituted words, Guilty" Of the first
charge, mot Guilty" but Guilty" Of Con
duct prejudicial to good order and military
Of the specification, second