The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-11
CiPE BLIIR'S CASE
The Husband OF the widow of MRior-C en-
Gordon Granger Arraigned.

The court martial for the trial OF Capt.
Thomas Blair of the Fifteenth Infantry. L. \. A..
was organized yesterday forenoon in Fort CO.
lumhus. Governors Island. Several o1lcers in
brilliant uniforms sat around long table In
the centre OF the room. At the head Of the
table was Lieut.. Col. II. Is. Ayres. who will pre-
sido at the trial Facing him sat Major d. g.
Swain. judge Advocate. in civilian dress. De-
cupying tho sides Of the table were Liout Coils.
A. ID. Nelson and J. NJ. Brannan. Majors G. A.
Do Russey. c. L. Best. Richard Arnold. and
John Mendenhall. and Capts. J. s. Wharton and
VIM Sinclair the lnttcr the recorder ~ the
court mnrtiaL Along one side Of tho room ran
narrow bench. on which were arranged speci-
men prole'tilrs aud other emhcms Of strife
Cases with g'us, fronts like those used for AK
hibitlng impalcd bugs and butterflies were
fastened against tho walls nnd in them were
iuae cui,bI-' luS' @Ntrhior5. ana implements Of
klhdIrd uses, all neatly labelled. soldier
paced W AMI down the piazza running pnst the
front Oi the room.
The charge AGAINST Capt Blair and the speci.
ncetion. wer" read for the Information ~ tho
tribunal Shortly after the close OF tine reading
Capt lindr entered the room. accompanied 6y
ono Of his counsel G"n. MrMahon ~ wore n
ihusue uniform, which cuutrnsted widely with
the brilliant habits Of the other officers OF equal
RINK Capt. Blair Is of medium height rather
age IL wears Burnside whiskcrs, AMI his faa-
lures have worried expression. Tho order
directing tho holding % tho court martial was
read 70 him. with tho names Of the officers de-
tailed for tho trial MAYOR Swain asked:
DO you know any ranson why any one OF
these should not serve on this court martial2"
None. Whatever" was the reply.
The oath was then administered To the oflccrs
by the Judge AdVo'ate and he in turn was
Stood ~ and listened 10 The rcading Ing Of PIE ihe
charge preferred against him, together with the
specifications. He Is accused OF conduI 4 I'M
becoming nm officer Of the army and n gentle
man" SPECIFICATION FIRST scts forth that on
Fen; y. 1861 he was married in Glasgow. SCOT
land, 10y and under the nama of Thomas Mich
oils. and that on Sept. / 1878. he married Mrs.
Maria L. Granger. In lancaster. Ky. Specin-
c9llon second chnrgeS That on or about the sth
caused TO he mhde paper purporting TO he r
special order issued 10y authority and signed by
William A. kobh". in which his resignation was
stated to be accepted. 10 tako cfIc,t SSW 80 1919
ana leave OF absence granted from the ist 10
me SON 81 that mouth, witch document he sent
e. his wife. Ann Baltic Nichols in Glasgow
scotland. win lutont 10 deceive her. being about
10 marry another woman.
Capt. BlHir deSignntGI Gen. Martin y. Mona
hon and Col Elliott F. Shepard ~ his coun-
sci Gen. Mcmahon. addressing the court said
That the accused Captain had then and there
Tor the irSt time been informed Of the charges
against him, and that he desired brief timo to
prophrn his deirn ~. lie Hsk ed for an ADJOURN
mrni Of two or thr'e days, md gave notice that
ut M ncM sitting of the tribunal ho should sub
mt IN writing objections to the tribunal on tho
ground that the court martial WIS ordered and
lts members selccted by the same person who
makes the charges namely. tho General Of the
Ariny-Nlich ~ contrary TO regulations and
the court martial IL therefore an Illegal body
dyn. MrAlahon, having b1en consulted ns to
finally decided that he could be roady to 90 on
with tho proceedings on Tuesday.
me court martial thon adjourned until this
On. NirMahon hints that he will produce
other objections II necessary on tho ground
OF want OF jurisdiction. Capt BLAIR said yes
were Unfair 10 him. but he declined to exhibit a
copy OF the charges in his possession.