The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-01-19

New York Graphic.i
The general court-martial now in ses-
sion at Army Headquarters, at the cor
ner Of Houston and Greene streets, in
this city, will, it is understood, this after
noon have case before it of ansual Oc-
currence and romantic interest, the
details of which have something in COM
mon with the famous Corbin case, that
caused so much interest at Fort Ham
ilton and in the courts in this city about
eighteen months ago. and which, more
over, remind one Of the loves Of jose
phine and Ralph Rackstraw.
The scene of the present cause Of trial
lies beyond the. bounds of civilization,
excepting the garrison of frontier post
among the homes of the Indians, while
that of soldier Corbin was brought
about amidst all the refnements charac-
teristic of suburb of this great city.
All the parties necessary for the pres
kent trial have arrived from Fort Totten,
D. r., the military. post of the Devil
Lake agency. They are Sergeant John
O'Shea, of Company A, Twentieth
United States Infnntry-a part of the
garrison of that post which is Command
ed by Major Yard, Captains Taylor and
Patterson, and Lieutenant Ribble. The
Sergeant is the alleged culprit, and the
three last named are witnesses against
him according to report The charges
against Sergeant O'Shea who has been
in the military service Of the United
States for twenty-three years, is, in sub
stance, an assumption of authority to
the prejudice of good order and military
discipline. There are five specifications,
and in them, as described in the redun-
dant language of army regulations, is
wrapped up in bit of interesting ro-
nance which, as framework for a
novel, would gladden. the heart of a
Lever, and which shows also that the
biting blasts Of winter and the isolation
of the plains are no barriers to lovers
plans.
1t seems, from what can be learned at
this stage of the proceedings, that Cap
tain Rodney M. Taylor, of the garrison
at Fort Totten, had u daughter about sew
enteen years of age, and between her and
Hospital Steward William II. Wilson-a
good-looking, soldierly fellow of about
twenty-five years, and can Englishman"
there was mutual attachment. 1t Is
said-ministers being scarce in Dakota--
these two lovers mutually agreed to enter
the matrimonial state with such formu-
las as they could command, about four
weeks ago. The event created much ex-
citement at the garrison, and the result
was that the commandant ordered the
hospital steward into confinement.
O'Shea happened to be the sergeant of
the guard, and, instead of locking up the
steward, allowed him the privilege of the
guard-room.
When night came on, however, in his
good nature he allowed the steward to
leave the guard-room, only to fall, in a
very brief space Of time, again under the
eye of Captain Taylor. Sergeant O'Shea
was then ordered to be confined for al
lowing his prisoner such privileges, and
it is this, it is understood, that consti-
tutes the assumption of authority preju-
dicial to good order and military disci-
pline." The case has other romantic fea-
lures, but these will suffice to indicate
its interest. Sergeant O'Shea, who has a
fine record as a soldier. having served
through the late war in the Army Of the
Potomac, and dating his enlistment from
May 29d, 1857, in the First Artillery,
then commanded by the subsequent Con-
federate General Magruder, is allowed to
go on his parole pending the trial in this
| city.