National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-04-11
VAN HEusEN,s CASE.
The Signal Corps Sergeant Charged with
Writing to Newspapers.

A general court-martial has been ap-
pointed to meet at Fort Myer, Virginia, next
Thursday for the trial of Sergeant Theodore " Van
Heusen, of the Signal Corps. charged with being
guilty of breach of discipline in criticisng the
actions of his superior officers The detail for the
court is as follows: Captains Pennington, Graves,
and McGiloray, Second Artillery; Lieutenants
Strong, Fourth Artillery; Gilman, Thirteenth In
fantry Baird, Sixth Cavalry; Hobbs, Second Artll-
lery, aud Captain s. S. Elder First Artillery, judge
advocate
representative of THE REPUBLICAN inquired OF
General Hazen of the Signal Service, last night,
whether the arrangements for the court martial
for the trial of Van Heusen had been completed.
well" replied General Hazen, 1.-The publication
of the order for this court-martial was somewhat
premature, as, in the first place, court martial
was not asked for, but simply that an in
vestigation be had to determine whether a
court was necessary. Ny impression IS that IN
less the investigation now in progress shall de-
veop the fact that Van Heusen is the writer OF the
articles upon which the charge before the court
| martial would be based there will be no further
action in the matter"
Learning later that the elder Mr.. Van Heusen
had arrived in the city, THE REPUBLIcAN sought
that gentleman and inquired what was the status
of his sons case
al have but just reached the city from
Mexico replied Mr.. Van Heusen, "and have
not yet been able to fully get at the matter. Let
me introduce you to my SON." With these words
he led the reporter forward and presented him to
quietly dressed gentleman with an intellectual
cast of features, who looked as little like an in
tractor of any laws it was possible to imagine.
In reply to an interrogatory, he said that he was
fully prepared to have the charges against
him brought to an investigation, and felt
confident of establishing his innocence; that
all he had asked for was a speedy and
impartial trial. Mr.. Van Heusen, ST., said, at
the conclusion of the interview, that he had no
desire for any newspaper notoriety for himself or
his son in this matter but knowing his son to be
gultless of all the charges preferred against him
he proposed to enter into this to the fullest
extent as it was one in which gross injustice
had been done to young man whose record
in the service any one might be proud OF.
Sergeant Van Heusen was sent to Fort Myer about
amonth ago and told to report himself under arrest
it being stated at the time that he had violated the
rules of the army by writing criticising letters
about his superior officers. He has been in the
Signal Corps nearly seven years, and is considered
one of the hest meteorolegsts in the service, and
was in charge of the reports from the various sta
tons throughout the country He has remained
prisoner at Fort Myer until the past two or three
days. regardless of his request to be tried by court
martial and afforded an opportunity to defend
himself against the charges made. For some rea-
son no attention was paid to him until the arrival
of his father, when he was Immediately released
on parole and an order converting court martial
issued.