, 1886-08-03


MONDAY, Aug. 9.
The court mel pursuant to adjournment.
All officers present.
Proceeding of previous session read and
approved.
The accused not being prepared to pro-
coed with the cross examination of wit
nesses, the Judge advocate called as wit
ness for the government Capt. L. IL.
Rucker, 9th United States cavalry, who,
being duly sworn, testified as follows in
answers to questions from the Judge adj
vocate
Il have been the accused's troop COM
mander since January. 1881. He has
been constantly on duty with his troop,
excepting on one or two short leaves and
detached service. He has ever spoken to
me of his wife in very high terms. Ny
troop was stationed at Fort Riley, Kan,
from the winter of 1881, TO June IL, 1855.
Fort Riley is three miles from Junction
City. l heard in the latter part of 1884,
that Lieut.. McBlain was going to get a
divorce from his wife, and afterward heard
he had obtained it. This was a subject of
general conversation in the garrison and
Junction City. The accused has never
spoken to me of any other residence but
Philadelphia, Pa. Its nottrue that Mrs.
McBlain has written letters to me attempt
ing to iniure her husbands standing in the
army as a gentleman and officer. Lieut..
McBlain's pay is that of a second Lieuten-
ant, about $40 per month"
Question by Judge Advocate Ebstein {:
Previous to the granting of this divorce,
did or did not the accused, within your
knowledge, show marked attention to n
young lady Of Junction City ?"
Objected to by counsel for accused.
Objection not sustained by the court.
Answer by Capt. Rucker "He did.
The lady was Miss Kittic White, a resi-
dent of Junction City. He took her out
riding, both on horseback and in a buggy,
and took her to all places of amusement.
This began in 1883, and was kept up until
he lett there"
Gross examination by Counsel Stoll for
the accused.
Capt. Rncker The accused vent to
Colorado in 1882 on detached service, re-
turning with his troop in October of that
year. My command went out nearly
every summer l never heard of Nc
Blain's playing at poker. | think he
met Miss White first at a hop
at the post in April 1888. l capnot say
that he took her to every show that came
along. He has taken other ladies to
the theater and out riding. Young
officers are in the habit of taking the ladies
visiting at the post to entertainments Of
different kinds. as a matter of social du.y.
1t was known that the accused was a
married man. He never tried to disguise
hat fact, so far as | know. | have no
friendly feeling toward the accused"
The question: He preferred charges
against you a short time ago?" was OBJ
iected to by a member of the court. The
objection was not sustained. Answer by
Capt. Rucker; He did. The charge was
conduct unbecoming an officer and gentle.
man. The specification was in regard to
showing letters / received from his wife.
| never made any attempt to stop his pro-
motion that | know of. | cannot say how
often he visited Miss White. 1t was a
matter of general comment in the town. |
do not know how many hours he remained
with her when he called. nor that he was
alone with her during these visits. | do
not know that he was frequently invited
to go there to play progressive eucher. 1t
is not Il fact hat I made it my special
business to pry into the affairs of the
accused"
Question by Attorney Stoll: 'Do you
remember the scandal that wa going on
there known as the Goddard scandal
was objected to by judge advocate and
objection sustained by the court. Counsel
for accused then stated hat he had no
more questions to ask, also that, owing to
the non arrival Of documents from San
Francisco which are necessary In the cross.
examination of the witnesses for the pros
e%cution, he was compelled to ask the court
for an adjournment of thirty days.
This request the court took under
advisement until k o'clock this afternoon.
Adjourned.