Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-08-02
SWAIM'S COURT MARTIAL
TEXT OFTHE CHARGES AGAINST
HIM AND COL. MORROW.


Thievery and Neglect of Duty the Ac
eusatiOns In the First Case-Morrow',
Offenses Not Less Gravc-Names efth,
Witnesses Who Win be Called.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 1.-Major Scott
Judge Advocate of the court martial
appointed to try Gen. Swain on Sept. 10.
has prepared the charges upon which
/ that officer will be called to account
The charges are: First, conduct un.
becoming an officer and a gentleman in
violation of the 61st article of war; and
second, neglect of duty in violation of the
62d article of war. The specifications
under the first charge, after reviewing the
transactions between Gen. Swain and
banker A. E. Bateman, allege, first.
that the former accepted from Bateman
q 90. an acknowledgment of deposit of
$4,000, which was a simple memorandum.
and that after withdrawing all but $33 SO
OF that sum, he assigned and transferred
a written acknowledgment to the firm of
Bright, Humphreys Il Co., and 'tdid
thereupon knowingly and fraudulently
seek through said named firm" to com
pei Bateman & Co. to cash the S., 900 ac-
knOWIedgment, thus attempting to COM
NIT fraud upon said Bateman & Co.
SEEKING CONCEALAIENT.
The second specification alleges that
zen. Swain improperly sought, in a per-
sonal interview with A. Z. Bateman. to
avoid and prevent an investigation, and
to obtain from him letter retracting the
charges preferred. The third specifica-
tion alleges that when the grave and seri-
GUS charges were referred to Gen. Swain,
and had been publicly circulated, he
ialled to demand or request an investiga-
tlon by court OF inquiry, but addressed
letter of explanation and denial to the
Secretary of War, which was "eVasive,
uncandid and false, and calculated and
Intended to deceive the Secretary of War;
In several particulars regarding his trans
actions with Mr.. Bateman.
The fourth specification alleges that
Gen. Swain, upon learning that certain
bankers had entered into a combination
TO secure q reimbursement of sundry
sums of money advanced by them to
Lieut.. Col. A. 2. Morrow. of the Sixth
Cavalry, on fraudulent pay accounts,
and that the value of said combination
depended on Col. MorrOw's immunity
from trial for the utterance of fraudulent
pay accounts, did threaten to use his official
position and his knowledge so as to cause
the dismissal of Col Morrow from the ar
my,or to otherwise impair the value of the
securities given by Col. Morrow to the
bankers unless they provided for the pay
ment of a claim of $1I5 held bY him
(SWaim) against Col. Morrow.
THE NEGLECT OF DUTY.
The second charge, that of neglect of
duty, is based upon Gen. Swaim's failure
to report the facts in the case charging
Col. Morrow with duplicating his pay
accounts when evidence of the
otfense, came to his knowledge
through information received from Mr..
Bateman. The witnesses named to sup
port the above charges and specifications
are A. K. Bateman, John E. BeaIl, j.
Stanley Brown, Robert T. Humphrey,
David b. McKibbin, A. p. Morrow, NJ. NJ.
Parker and Jay Stone.
The charges against Col. Morrow,
which will be investigated by the same
cOurtmartial, are: First, signing false
certificates IN violation Of the thirteenth
article OF war; and, second, conduct un-
becoming an officer and a gentle
man. The first charge is
based upon the issue of duplicate
pay vouchers for March, April, Nav.
June and July, 1888, to Norton & Co., of
Wheeling, and Squier & Co., of Washing
ton. Under the charge of conduct unbe-
coming an officer and gentleman, Col.
Morrow IS accused Of disposing of pay
accounts to Bateman & Co., which were
trlpllcates of those already issued to Nor
ton IL Co. and Squier 81 Co., and thereby
imposing upon said Bateman 81 Co."
The witnesses named are Thomas III.
Norton, of Wheeling; j. II. Squier, j. d.
Wilson, A. +. Bateman, A. X. Paris, and
NJ. M. Parker, of Washington. 1t is said
that further investigation is being made
with a view to bringing additional
charges against Gen. Swain.