The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-05
THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
Facts and Suggestions from the Annual Re-
port of Secretary Endicott.


port of Secretary EndicOtt.
WASHINGTON, Dec 4.-The report commences
with statementofex expenditures, which amounted
TO $45 $50 81 The estimates for the fiscal
year ending June 80, 1887. amount to $40, 2O4,
183,48 Then follows the report of the Lieuten-
antgeneral of the Army, which has already
been printed; statement of the operations Of
the Military Academy, the reports of the Adju-
tant-general the Inspector general and the
Judge Advocate general In the course of his
report the latter says:
1.-THE question was recently raised at court
martial in the military Department of Texas
whether civilian witness who stood mute and
refused to testify could be punished for con-
tempt. There was much difference of opinion
among the military authorities in regard to the
course to be pursued, and, upon the request of
the general commanding that department. the
question submitted to the Attorney general
for his decision. That officer has decided that
court-martial has no authority to punish civil
ian witness who simply refuses to testify
Il am not aware that the question has been
formally raised before, though no authority can
be found in which such an exercise of power as
punishment for contempt by court-martial has
been approved by any court of last resort To
clothe military courts with such authority in
time of peace might be open to grave objections.
At the same time, the failure of justice which
might follow, if such refusal could pass unpun-
ished, renders it important that some action
should be taken l would therefore suggest that
a statute be enacted whereby an attachment
against such witness for contempt would ISSUE
upon application to a United States court. as in
the case of witness refusing to testify before
master in chancery, or a grand jury, or as pre-
scribed in the act of Congress, now repealed in
regard to witnesses refusing to testify before
registers in bankruptcy
THE Supreme Court of the United States has
t1t- fIAl@ 1rafo
a private citizen has no authority as such, with
out any warrant or military order to arrest and
detain a deserter from the army of the United
States This decision will deprive the army in
arresting and securing deserters of the assist
ance of civilians and police officers, who have
heretofore rendered valuable services in that di-
section 1t has always been considered that ar
rests could be thus made for the purpose of de-
iivering, as soon as possible, the offender to the
military authorities, and that the rule of the
common law in that regard could properly be
followed. The Importance of securing such as
sistance is manifest, in cases where 1T is not
always possible to have in the hands of the party
who is able 10 arrest the deserter a written war
rant or military order that | feel called upon to
suggest that statute be enacted applying the
common-aw rule to deserters, authorizing their
arrest, as in cases of felony by private citizens
police officers, for the purpose of surrendering
them to the proper authorities for trial"
The Secretary devotes considerable space to
claims of officers and enlisted men of the army
for losses of personal property in time of peace,
and cites the laws bearing on this subject
The report is largely devoted to statemen OF
the operations of the various bureaus of the de-
partment, In which the general public is not in
terested. OF the Signal Service the report says
1.-THE number of stations in operation June 30
1885, was 489 Telegraphic reports are received
daily from l60 stations. In addition reports are
received from twenty five Canadian stations by
the cooperation of the Canadian meteorological
service, from 80 voluntary observers, from
fifty two army surgeons at military posts, from
1913 foreign stations, and from 655 naval and ner.
chant vessels. The meteorological service or
ganZed in number Of States has continued to
co operate with the Signal Service with CRAFTY
ing results.
''The aggregate length of military telegraph
lines now operated by the Signal Service is g
40 miles. The seacoast telegraph line which
extends along the Atlantic coast from Smith
VILE. n g, to Cape Henry Va. and from Chin
colleague Va, TO Sandy Hook n. j. has proved
of great value to shipping and affords a means
of rapid communication when assistance NAV be
required. Portions of this line are now used as
q telephone line by the Life saving Service and
in cases OF wreck the crews of life-savine sta.
tons are enabled to more promptly reach the
scene of the wreck. A contract has been made
for the manufacture and laying Of the cable au-
thorized by Congress TO connect Nantucket with
me mainland, ana III is peileFeu bnaL Geographic
Communication will be established with this
lsland during the present year. thus adding to
his service most valuable station for the dis
play of storm signals.
1.-THE expenditures for the Signal Service dur
ng the fiscal year ending June 30, 1885, after
deducting the receipts from military telegraph
lines covered into the Treasury were 1892, 592 81.
Il en- unable 10 concur in the recommended
lions Of the Chief Signal Officer for legislation
TO provide for the permanent detail of fifty en-
listed men from the line of the army for duty
on the military telegraph lines, for including the
appropriations for the 81 nal Service in the APP
preparations for the army. and for the reorgan-
ization Of the Signal Service Corps of officers by
appointing colonel, lieutenant colonel major
and eight captains and the promotion of second
Jeutenants