The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-05-09
LITTLE pmIL AND THE sUTLER.


" .#. -
How sheridan Came 10 he Fined 500 for
ANsnult.
karenporh Correspondence s. Loni Republican.
Yesterday, while looking over some old
legal papers, l happened &c run across ar
entry on a Justices docket entitled, "The
State OF Kansas vs.. General p. II. Sheridan
ct all" and further on found where the
Justice had fined the General 500 for as.
sault and battery. As this case was made
and tried in 1868, and local history OF that
date failing 10 give more than a mere men.
ton Of 1t, l hunted up all the facts in the
case and now sond them to you 10 show
future generations how law was applied in
that day in Kansas, but in order TO do so
will have to start with Grant at Vicksburg,
for It was at that point he first conceived q
liking for the person who was subsequently
the prosecuting witness in this case. In
that locality above mentioned Grant heard
Of come exploit Of bravery performed by
one n. L. Dunn, a private soldier, and,
wishing to reward!sll such, made Dunn an
orderly sergeant on his staff, and as he
paid strict attention to his duties and was
withal a good soldier, he received another
promotion, making him wagon master
OF that department. At the close
Of the war Dunn was discharged,
and with the endorsement Of General
Grant, was made post sutler at Fort Lsaven-
worth. This last promotion proved to be
his ruination. 1t was flush times in Kan.
cas-; there vas plenty Of money among the
soldiers and the suffers store was q yerita.
BILE bonanza to it's proprietor. Dunn coined
money, aud there was nothing too good or
Too rich for him. lie drove the finest team,
drank the best wine, and had the most ira.
grant brands Of cigars that money could
command. Other honors were thrust upon
him, and he was made postmaster in add.
tion to his other duties. As his honors in.
creased 80 did his appetite for forbidden
things, and, not being content with those
enumerated above added women to the
list, and he was lost. 1t is said that some
OF the orgies he and his friends INDUCED
in were more h%orriiying than amusing;
that the women were made drunk and all
the reyels Of a bacchanalian feast were in.
dulged in. To such an extent was this
carried on that it was reported 10 depart.
ment headquarters and the following order
was issued:
FORr LEAvESwoRTII, KAN, July 20, 1SGS.
Maj. Gen. Albert Gibbs, Commanding
Fort L.eavenworth, kan.-GENERAL: The
Major General commanding directs that
MIR. NJ. L. Dunn be removed from the res.
ervation and that he be forbidden TO return
until further orders from these headouar.
tera. Very respectfully,
CHAUNcY MCkgEvER,
Assistant Adiutant General.
A copy OF the above order was sent ia
Dunn and he left the reservation, but 70,
turned on the 18th, and shortly after enter.
ing the postoilice a sergeant with a file oil
men waited upon him and he was inform,
ed him that it was their duty to escort him
oil the reservation. Dunn objected, but
the order was imperative, and rather. thar
stand q siege he concluded 10 20 out west
but with his going there was a registered
oath that he would get even with his re-.
movers, and, going before a justice Of the
peace. swore out q warrant, OF which the
SAio "AAS az - S0Pys ..####a. .a 500. E##..
M. L: Dunn vs.. 7. S. Sheridan, Alfred
Gibbs, Chauncy Mckeever, Peter Leary,
and Richard 7. Lee. Charges: Assault and
battery with sabers; taking postage stampa,
postal envelopes, United States treasury
notes, and postal currency to the value Of
S2.000-all on July %, about noon"
When the csse Was called for trial all the
charges but the one for assault and battery
were withdrawn. The case occupied two
days, and among the witnesses for the de.
fense were come OF the brightest and best
otficera that our country ever knew. There
was the gallant Custer, with his long au.
burn locke; that little fighting Irishman,
Lieut.. Leary, and the bravo Lieut.. Moylan,
but the character Of the witnesses availed
the defense nothing, and the Jury brought
in a verdict Of guilty against Gen. Sheri.
dan and Corp. Lee, the former hayirg is.
sued the order and the latter executed it.
Alter the verdict had been rendered jug
tice OF the Peace Tholen assessed a fine OF
j against all the parties with the excep.
tion OF Sheridan, whom be fined 500 and
costs.
When Sheridan left the courtroom it is
said that he actually swore. In fact, he
damned LearenwurthI;~he notwithstanding
lurles, and damned the mau that didn't,
but the justice would not relent and the
tine staid. but the majority OF the citizens
believed that Tholen had shown a petty
spite in filming Sheridan 80 excessively in
comparison with the others, that a purse
was made up and the fine paid, SO that
Sheridan only lost his time and trouble.
but his rutlied temper was not mollifed,
and to this very day he. never mentions
~LeavenTorth without giving her a bene.
dlction that turns the air blue.
An order was atterward issued .iron.de..
parlment headquarters rsvokinp the one
that ordered Dunn from the post, but bis
turbulent and wild life had commenced to
tel! on him, and he sold out his effects and
went to Colorado, and laid out or jumped
a fnin0r'N plot,, sou. D. O. . r,f