The New York herald., 1879-02-11
BLAIR COURT MARTIAL.

THE ACCUSED CAPTAIN ARRAIGNED AT COVER
NoR's IsLAND-A STAY OF PROCEEDINGS OBJ
TANNED.
The general court martial detailed on the 20th of
last January by the Adjutant General of the Army,
for the trial of Captain Thomas Blair Fifteenth in
fantry United States Army, assembled yesterday in
Fort Columbus, Governors Island. Major D. G.
Swayne. who had been ordered to act Judge Advo-
cate and who was absent account Of illness pre-
vous days set for the trial. appeared yesterday in his
place before the court. The following is the detail
for the tribunal Lieutenant Colonel r. b. Ayres,
Third artillery; Lieutenant Colonel A. D. Nelson,
Twelfth infantry; Lieutenant Colonel J. NJ Bannan.
First artillery; Major G. A. De Russey Third artil-
lery Major @. L. Best. First artillery; Major Richard
Arnold Fifth artillery; Major John Mendeuhall.
First artillery; Captain ]. s. Wharton. Nineteenth
infantry. A. d. c.. Captain William Sinclair. Third
artillery; Major ID. G. Swane, Judge Advocate.
The accused officer entered the room in charge Of
the officer of the day and in the strict undress uniform
Of his rank The court was sworn oy Major las s%ayns
minstered to him by the President Lieutenant
Colonel r. B.Ayres. The charge was read and the
prisoner arraigned. The charge that of conduct
unbecoming an officer and gentleman and contained
two specifications. The first that ''the
accused did,. while living under the lame of
Thomas NicoI marry q certain woman at Glasgow
Scotland. the nd of February, 1861, and that
while his said wife still alive he married Mrs. NJ
bigamy" The second specification charged the pris-
oner with having, ION the 18th Of September 1875
written paper purporting to be special order from
the War Department in " ashington signed with the
name Of w. H. Hubby. whereby 1t appeared that he
had been discharged from the military service of the
United States" This, the specification charged, the
accused had done in order to deceive his wife in
Scotland. to give her wrong impression as to his
whereabouts and enable him the better to carry out
his design to marry the widow of his late COM
mander, General Gordon Granger.
The prisoner obtained permission for General
Martin T. Mcmahon and Mr.. sheppard to act as his
counsel. Thereupon counsel moved for two days
time enable their client to plead basing their ap
pcaton upon the fact that the copy Of the charges
furnished was not signed by any one, and that 1t
would be necessary to know who preferred them.
The Judge Advocate. in reply said the papers in his
possession had been received from the State
Department, and the charges prepared from
them. The defence took the ground that ~ the
charges were not signed. and II they were pre-
ferred by the General commanding the army.
that commander could not appear 70 prosecute in a
court of his own creation. Under these circum-
stances counsel asked for stay OF proceedings.
which granted till to-day ut eleven o'clock A. M,
after which the Court adjourned.
The record of Captain Bair's service In the United
States army Is said to be excellent In 1885, ut the
close Of the war, he came to this country and en-
listed private in the Battalion Of Engineers, and
by sodierly qualities. attention to duty and dlgent
study he attained his present rank.