Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-03-12
HAZEN'S TRIAL BEGUN.
A SYNOPSIS OF THE OFFENSIVE
OFFICIAL CHARGES.

Ger will Make In Court To-day-Lin-
coins Overlooking of His SubOrdi-
mates First Strictures-HOw Gen Nc
Feeley was Excused from Serving.
WASHINGTON, March 1.-THE court
martial for the trial of Gen. Hazen, the
Chief Signal Officer, on charges of con-
duct prejudicial to good order and mill
tary discipline, preferred by Secretary
Lincoln, began to-day. Gen. Hazen was
in court, accompanied as his counsel by
T. J. Mackey and N. Dumont. In re-
sponse to the usual questions, Gen. Hazen
objected to COmmissary General McFee-
ley sitting in judgment upon him because
of i'll feeling growing out of official
relations some years ago. Gen. McFeeley
replied that he at one time officially
called attention to a statement which
Gen. Hazen had given the newspapers,
which he then believed to be untrue and
that he still holds that opinion. Gen, Nc
Feeley thought that he could sit in the
present case and act impartially, but he
was perfectly willing to be released from
duty upon the court. Hewas accordingly
excused. The court was then sworn and
the accused was arraigned upon the
charge and specifications. The charge is
Of conduct to the prejudice of good order
and military discipline in violation of the
second article of war.''
THE CRITICISM IN THE REPORT.
The first specification is that the accused,
knowing that the secretary of War had, in
the performance of his official duty. decided
in the month Of September, a. D. 1883 that il
was not practicable to send in that year an
expedition to the Arctic regions for the relief
those regions, did, in his annual official report
as Chief Signal Officer, bearing date OF Oct.
10, 1884, criticise this official action of the Sec
retary OF War. and impugn the propriety
thereof. by saying that on the return Of the
escort ship bringing the relief party to St.
John on Sept. l3, there was still time, as
known from previous experience and shown
BY subsequent facts, to send an effective re-
lief.
THE LETTER TO LINCOLN
The second specification is that Gen. Hazen.
without having requested or been authorized
by the Secretary Of War so to do addressed
and sent to the Secretary OF War a communi-
cation, bearing date Fen. II, 1885, concerning
the official action OF the Secretary of War in
the matter of the relief expedition, contain
ing, among other statements. the following:
~ - respectfully submit that am justified in
the conclusion that the tragic termination of
the International polar expedition was finally
due to the decision not to dispatch q steam
sealer to erect its rescue on Sept. 10, lSS3
which did all in my power to have DONE
Such sealer, starting from st. John, n F.,
only IL days steaming from Cape Sabine, in
all human probability could have reached
and rescued the party before there was any
interruption to navigation by ice."
MORE OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE.
The third specification is that the accused
having written and sent to the Secretary of
" ar the oficicial communication of Feb H.
100, above mentioned, containing the lam
guage quoted and the following: 1.-THE Secre-
tary OF War, in his annual report for the wear
1884, was pleased to m Ike me the subject OF
severe structures, because in my official report
q fnr 70 h. inf. -
polar expedition l expressed the conviction
that such disaster would have been averted
had ship OF rescue been Dispatched from |
st. John after the return Of Lieut. CARING
ton to that port or, as late as Sept. I5 1888. as
urged by me, but not adopted by the Secre- |
tary Of War.
BACKING UP HIS ALLEGA ATOMS.
"As my silence in view of those structures |
might be construed as implying my assent to |
their justice, beg leave to place on record |
evidence that supports the correctness Of my |
Judgment in the premises"
And this communication having been |
said Chief Signal Officer with an in |
dorsement setting forth that the correct |
ness OF the judgment OF the Chief Signal Om- |
Ger In the expression made 10y him in his last |
annual report of his views as to the llr1Drietv |
of the action of the Secretary of War in not |
sending ship in September, 1888, to the Are- |
tic regions, Is not proper subject of discus |
sion between the Chi Signal Officer and the |
Secretary of War, and stating that the strIc- |
lures made by the Secretary of War in his an |
nual report referred to by the Chic; Signal |
Officer, were addressed to the
EXTRAORDINARY CONDUCT
of the Chief Signal Officer as military officer
in publicly cOntrOvertiDg the prOpriety of /
previous official action of his official superior
the secretary or war: and that, too, in |
matter in which the Chief Signal Officer had |
no official responsibility, and stating further |
that 1t was at that time thought unnecessary |
TO take any official action upon the violation |
OF military discipline beyond responding that |
it had been comm tied, but that this official |
expression Of opinion to the effect that the |
failure of the Secretary of War to organize |
In two days and dispatch to the Arctic regions |
new expedition at season which made 1t |
certain that it must under the best circum-
stances encounter all the rigors of
AN ARTIC WINTER,
was neglect of duty, is returned with the
remark that the breach of military discipline |
which could not be overlooked, may be |
avoided by retraction by the Chief Signal |
Omcer OF the within paper in his own hands, |
the accused did in response to an inquiry |
made by newspaper reporter as to whether
he SAID that Gen. Hazen had written letter
to the Secretary of War throwing the blame
OF the loss of the Greely party upon his
shoulders. Intentionally made statement in
view to Its publication, and did cause the |
same to be published in the EUening Star, a
newspaper printed and published in the city
OF wash ngton, and that this statement was
THE STATEMENT.
That he sal that Gen, Hazen had written
and sent to the Secretary of War such a letter
as was described in the Interrogation of said
reporter, containing the criticism and impu-
tation of blame upon the Secretary Of War
for his official action in not complying with
the recommendation Of the Chief Signal Off
Ger to send in the month of September, 1888,
an an eXpedltlon Tor the relief of Lieut.. Greedy
and bis party Immediately after the return OF |
the party which brought the news OF the loss
OF the steamer Proteus, in said month of Sep
temOer; ana dld further state that this said
Hazen said that the recommendation had
been entirely ignored.
MOTION TO STRIKE OUT.
Before pleading to the charge and specif-
cations the counsel for the accused moved to
strike out the first and second specifications
as irrelevant to the charge aud Insufficient IN
law to sustain it. He submitted a long argu-
ment in support Of the motion. The court
considered the questions in secret session for
court room the Judge Advocate announced
that the demurrors had been Overruled.
zen. HaZen was then called upou
to plead. lie pleaded "Not guilty
TO all the specifications and not guilty of the
charge" but said that he had some admis-
sions to make when the court should be ready |
to hear them. The Judge Advocate said that
ne knew what the character OF these admis-
sons would be, and that they would tighten
the labors OF the court, and he accordingly
suggested recess to allow the accused 10
piCpaAC tuClus nc court bHGu concluded to
adjourn until tomorrow morning for this
purpose.
THE ADMISSIONS.
1t is understood that Gen. Hazen will ad-
init In writing the report ana letter to the
Secretary of War from which the citations
are made: which appear in the specification,
but VIII deny any intention OF being dsre-
spectful to the Secretary of War. or OF i'm
pugning the prOpriety OF his official action.
He VIII deny having consented to the inter
view which he is charged in question with |
having had published. He will denv that he |
knew that such publication was to be made,
but Will admit that a newspaper reporter
having asked him concerning the
truth OF the newspaper statement that
ne had written the letter quoted in the speci-
ncatlons to the Secretary of War (Which state
mentwa not made on his authority or by his
that he acknowledged having
written such letter, and also that in answer |
TO question by this reporter he said that if |
ms recommendation had been adopted the
disaster to the Greely party would not have
RAILROAD FREIGHT RATES.
80