Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-12-08
COURT MARITAL.

Continuation of the Trial of Capt McKib.
ben, Fifteenth Infantry-The Accuse
l'estifies as to the Transactions in Issue
TIE Court Testifies in His Fayor-A
Strong Defense.
The general court martial for the tria
of Captain Chambers McKibben, of the
Fifteenth infantry, charged with having
on three occasions fraudulensly duplicated
his pay accounts, met yesterday at Fort
Smelling, pursuant to adjournment. The
members of tho court were all present
comprising Colonel G. L. Andrews, TWEEN.
ty-ffth infantry; Lieutenant Colonel w
A. Rucker, deputy paymaster general
Lieutenant Colonel j. M. Moore, deputy
quartermaster general; Major S. Brock
A. A. G.; Major W. G. Spencer, surgeon
Major G. M. Brayton, Fifteenth infantry
Captain G. B. Penrose, @. s.; Captain J.
r. Myrick, Third artillery, judge adj
vocate.
Yesterdays proceedings were begun
with the presentation by the accused of his
verbal statement of the circumstances con.
nected with his receipt of the payments
alleged to have been fraudulent Captain
McKibben explained that in 1881 he found
himself heavily burdened with debt, having
had protracted illness among the mem
bers Of his household, and was
laboring under the incumbrance of 81, soc
| stoppage of his pay. His sister volunteered
to loan him $4,000 and to allow him to re-
pay her at his convenience. In order te
protect her he insured his life in her
favor and gave her his accounts for hi.
monthly pay for alternate months extend
ing through 1928. She resided in Wash.
ington city, and drew the pay accounts
there as they severally fell due. Captain
McKibben made a memorandum of the
months for which he had assigned his &C
counts. which list unfortunately was lost in
1881 while he was travelling to his station
at Santa Fe, New Mexico. By reason of not
having these data the June account was
collected by him and the money was i'm
| mediately refunded to the government
when the fact was ascertained that it was
was also represented in those in his sisters
hands. In September, 1882, Captain
AcKibben was serving in the field against
the Indians, and he had deposited the as-
count for that month with the cashier of a
bank in Santa Fe. Believing ubseeuently
that the account for that month had been
hypothecated as above explained, he in
strueted the cashier not to draw the ac-
count. II was too late, however, and when
Capt. McKibben returned to Santa Fs and
ascertained that the money had been
drawn, he called on Psymaster Tucker who
had made the payment, and explaining that
he feared mistake had been made, he
paid in the amount, about $190, and recsiv
ed Paymaster fuckers receipts. Subse-
Quently he received from home list of the
months for which his accounts were still
standing in his sisters hands and in trans
cribing the dates he inadvertently omitted
that OF September, 1883. He drew the pey
for that month for himself and had no
idea there was anything wrong about it
until he received communication from
Adjutant General Drum notifying him that
the same account had been paid in Wash
iugton, whereupon the money was prompt
ly refunded.
The testimony Of Capt. McKibben was
substantiated by receipts from the several
officers above alluded to, and also by sub
hitting the several memoranda connected
with the matter in his possession.
The accused was very briefly cross-ex-
amined by the judge advocate, the princi-
pie point elected being that when the pay
accounts were made out it was with the
understanding that they were to be drawn
from the paymaster for the benefit of his
sister, end that through the courtesy of the
Daymaster-general she was allowed to draw
them in Washington city.
WITNESSES FOB THE DEFENSE
Major Brayton, of the 18th infantry, a
member of the court, testified to having
known and served with the accused since
1862. He afterwards served with him in
Atlanta in 1869 when Captain McKibben
was on General Meade's staff. Wit
ness always considered his standing
as good, and during the
past year he had never had an officer at
his post who conducted himself better or
who seemed to be more DESTROYS of assist
ing the commanding officer to do his duty
we'll. Had always considered him a
thorough gentleman.
Lieutenant Colonel Swaine, of the Fiji
tenth infantry, also member of the
court testified: I have known Captain
McKibbin seven years, and have had a
good opportunity to become acquainted
with his character, both in civilian and in
military society, and it had uniformly been
that of a gentleman of high standing in
viz WHCIO uC WdS SbdbIOuSus
He has had the confidence of his superior
officers to g high degree. 1 have been
his regimental commander during the
most of that time, and he has been of such
strict integrity that it would have been
impossible for him in the normal condi-
ton of his mind to commit a fraudulent or
to DO an ungentlemanly act.
DOCUMENTARY PRAISE.
The accused then offered in evidence let
tiers from General R. S. Mckenzie, U. S.
A., Colonel R. B. Ayres,of the Second artil-
lery, and Lieutenant Colonel Geo. A. For
sythe, of Sheridan's staff, written since the
present proceedings were begun. express
ing their faith in his integrity and their
sympathy with him in his existing trou-
ole.
At this point Of the proceedings an ad.
| journment was had until IL o'clock this
forenoon in order to allow the accused
time to prepare his written statement to
fhe court.
The New Ticker Appears in st. Paul.
The first appearance IN st. Paul of the
new time clock was made yesterday at the
watch and iewelry store Of G. G. Berg, cor
ner of Third and Cedar streets which is
conveniently placed in his show window to
tho