The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-06-14
Though Uncle Sans Heart to Acne
Is Made.
What WATSON Would Have US Believe

SAN ANTONIO, June 12.-[Special.1-AH
witnesses having been examined In the
WATSON court-martial for the deiense 'he
government announced it would close
without witnesses. The allowing is syn
opsis of Wasson's special plea which he
read from a lengthy manuscript. he stated
in substance that he stood before
them charged with the gravest offense that
could be laid against him as disburslng
officer of the government, as well as an
officer of the army. That to the charge
and specifications he had entered the plea
of guilty, and did so because he acknowl-
edged himself as committing a wrong
which would fully warrant the charges
preferred in the eyes of the law and o, OF
acts on which he looked with
the utmost horror, and should be SO con con
considered by all men. In pleading guiisy
to these offences he had no desire TO make
t tbe% are appea or any desire to evade
the natural consequence of his own acts OF
meanness and folly and the punishment
these acts entailed, but while he Is
possessed with this conviction ne deemed
It to be his duty, both to the court ana MN,
self, to lay before them statement o. an
the facts surrounding those offences, IN or
der that the court in determining upon
them should see them in their true
| LIGHT and form an exact estimate OF
his puilt. and be thus enabled to come
at a Sentence sufficient to impose just
| punishment and no more. In all cases
of crime, even the most aggravated, are
accompanying mitigating circumstances
which are always entitled TO a serious con-
sijeration. and in such ofenses as those
which he is charged such facts should
| have their due weight. He could not, he
said. better treat this part of his cause than
| by LAYING it before the court without re-
seryation, for he had now absolutely
nothing to conceal the actual circumstances
OF his fault, and to do this 1t was only ne
cessary to 90 back to the beginning OF the
present wear, for up to that period he
could truly sly his official career had been
without reproach and would bear the
closest scrutiny. At Galveston early in
January, for the first time he
Joined a party OF gentlemen In
social game of cards having no ldea
it would prove more serious enan sucn
games are usually. They played for am
ment rather than gain, but the stakes in
creased as the play progressed. and having
lost more than he expected or intended was
weak enough TO continue, in the hope
that his luck would take
favorable turn. At the close OF the play
he was shocked to learn that he had lost
several hundred dollars, sum ne cou,u not
afford to lose. He yielded to the delusive
idea that by playing again he could recover
his loss. but the result was more fatal than
before, and he found himself
loser to the amount OF nearly $Z,oVU,
a sup larger than he could conveniently
Command. He was to leave that city soon,
and the idea OF leaving that DEBT unpa.u'
even for a few days, was exceedingly re,
pugnant and to this is attributed his mrs,
tatsi error. He expected by the end
of sum of his own
money larger than would suffice to dis
charge the debt, but intended by him for
another purpose. This resource would not
have been available before his LEAVING. he
expected to be absent several weeks, and IN
consequence resolved TO draw from his
nnnlie funds enough TO discharge
this debt, supposing, that
his ability to restore it would be Ger.
taintv. He recognized the great impropriety
of such action, but had no intention OF
wronging the government by the use Oh the
money for a few days and thought this a
less evil than to let his debt OF honor stand
and bring upon him reproach among
the gentleman with whom he played:
TTnor9 his return 70 Galveston NJ the end Of
the month, to his horror he accertained the
remittance he was expecting was not iortn-
coming and all of his available cash
would not suffice 10 replace the sum
withdrawn. The last day. was at hand
wien his accounts must balance or his I'M
proper use of the money be discovered. he
realized the fallacious sophistry by which
he had pursuaded himself that 1t was harm
less 10 use that money as he
had done, and he realized with
great trepidation the danger in which
be stood and being so placed had
committed his second folly, by depositing
the funds he brought back with him from
histrip, in conjunction with his indiyid ual
cash and taking credit on his January &C
count current with certain collections
which he did not really deposit until
a few days later. and by so doing
gained time 10 renew BIS efforts
TO discharge the remaining deficiency.
The amount then was not 80 large that ne
could not have borrowed ltwltnont olIncuIy
and had he done 30 and foresworn cards
All would still have been well with him:
He did not do 50. Stung by his losses and
again stimulated by the false hope OF re-
gaining Il be again played and lost and BY
the end Of February was short $z,5yO IN MS
official accounts. However, up 70 this time
and till early in March, when be had 70
nsed every personal effort 10 raise and re-
turn the money. To gain time for this, be
arrT Inc check for 81 500 on the assistant
treasurer At New York and which be de-
nestled 10 his official credit In the Calves
Ton bank, but didpot drop It from bis New
York balance until the next week. He then
saws my folly drove me 70 such
erpedients; say driven advisedly, ior by
no other means, could L gain time 70
rectify matters. which was always my IN,
swervine intention. Such was the state OF
nv accounts when left Galveston 20 pay
Ire February muster. though my shortage
rad increased 10 90 900. / was sccomI q
MED by the department inspector. who
would, a. I knew, make the regular guar
teriv inspection OF my ACCOUNTS ~ the close
~ nv tim. This did not aisrTn me, Tor
II thought I had made an arrangement
bv which with the currency brought
back would surely bave on my arrival
sun sufficient 70 clear the account end
cover ID the whole irreKulsrity. II seemed,
bozevsr, that II was fAted thar should not
escar,s the penslty Ofruy Offences into which
I hsn been drawn gradually but ineNDr-
sbiv Ieafn on my return ] found
tps rnoner I EXPECTED Eas not on hand ana
I couid not fmmedis.ely oOmmand and
heurs resorted % the prety trick recOunte1
IN ths specification Of the second chsrEe
md can properly depict the remorss
III feeling With which resorteo
70 such subteTfnEs, but saE no
offer c1urre Of escape. ci1 tbs Thing
~ rsiped nDother brief breafhlng-tlme-
berrn The month 81 Aprl SD sbort.
insf - had STOOD When i left Galveston
he previous m0ufn- ] wAs ~ ne.rl5
--f-,rf .rprre1 steadilT forcing ne RON cDe
v-rrre 10 ero<ber .nr1 ffis rbouKtt haunted
- r-p~r hrur wnkirE o. g'eerl1E Sc
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