The New York herald., 1879-10-10
COURT MARTIAL AT WEST POINT.

TRIAL AND CONVICTION OF GENERAL sERvICA
CLERK FOR ATTEMPTED BLACKMAIL--A sE-
WE'RE SENTENCE.
WEST POINT, Oct. 8. 1879.
For tho first time in many years conviction has
been had in this department by court martial. and
the offence which the military authorities
here have handled without gloves
Charles A. Paybcy yas general service clerk in
the office Of Colonel William NJ. Wherry. Adjutsnt
General of West Point. For year he had
been addicted to drink and would get occasional
sprees. Finally the matter became annoying to
the Adutant General that he warned Paybey for tho
last time, which warning unheel LED. and IN thu
latter part of August Colonel wherry notified him he
was going to discharge him and gave him ten days
to get his up and after that gave him Ave days
furloueh to arrange for his family. Paybey WIS
dumbfounded at the announcement. but even then
did not believe he would be discharged.
However. he wrote to one of the cadets. asking
him to write him letter of recon ndation. and
when the time came for him to go found that
Colonel wherry really meant what he said. Then
he wrote another letter to the cadet referred to- and
whom he had accidentally met III liquor saloon al
Highland Falls under the influence of liquor. and
demanded 81 900 OF him as the price of silence The
cadet at took the letters to Colonel Whcrry and
explained the situation and on the 10Th OF Septem-
Der paybey arrested the charge of attempting
to blackmail.
Acaurt martial was ut once organized. consisting
Professor Leper president, and cutenants Sears
Knight. Morton and Honeycut. and the prisoner
was put upon his trial. being defended by Lieuten-
ant Blunt. The trial lasted several days. when he
was declared guilty, and was sentenced by the
Court be dishonorably discharged the service. to
forfeit all pay and allowance due and to become due.
and to be confined two years in q military prison.
The findings OF the court martial
Major General Schofeld. III command Of the depart
ment, who approved them. and then application
was made to the Secretary or War for an order
directing to what military prison Paybey should be
sent. The order received yesterday to take him
to Fort Leavenworth and last evening Lieutenant
limerick and a private left for that place with tho
prisoner. intending to handcuf him Ill the
SKETCH THE CONVICTED MAN.
Paybey was more than ordinarily educated, and
aside his perate habits, smart and well
liked. When the broke out he enlisted in Mas
sachusetts regiment. and didn't leave the volunteer
service till the closed. Some time after he
listed in the regular army and came to West Point
aud had been in Colonel Whcrry's Office three
or four years. His main defence 70 the charge
was that whom he wrote the letter demanding the
81 900 he was under the influence OF piquor and
didn't realize what he doing. and when he came
Wherry states that al the internal evidence shows
that he was very methodical in his purpose.
DESTITUTE FAMiLA
Tho greatest sympathy Is expressed for his wife
and two children. one OF the lattor boing a cripple.
and all are extremely destitute. She has
aud Brooklyn. but they have become
tranged because OF her husbands actions.
She IL q pale. delicate woman. but il IL proposed
that she shall not suffer. the officers in the de-
partmont will look after hor welfare Ear it is
possible to do so.
The findings OF tho court martial and the sentence
read before the corps cadets ut Last evenings
parade.