Arizona silver belt. [volume] (Globe City, Pinal County, Ariz.) 1878-19??, 1886-06-19

We have news from Fort Thomas
which, gives evidence Of an outward
and visible sign of mental decay Of
Major Anson Mills, commander Of
that military POST, In this, that he
has deluded himself into the belief
that he is omnipotent and that his
word is law within his baliwick,
His last evidence Of mental disqui-
etude cropped out in ar order that
the telegrapher at that post should
Change his boarding house from that
of an American to q Chinese chop
house, alleging as a reason fear that
tile operator (who is temperate man)
would get drunk and therefore get
into row. There was no other rea-
son given for the change and the
operator, not wishing to give color to
the avowed fear of his immortality, de.
chned to make the change, whareupon
Mills placed him in arrest, under a
negro guard, confirming him within
certain limits and specially interdicting
his going to the postofhce, For a vio-
lation of the order in respect to the
postofice and refusal to readjust, un-
less in the presence of witnesses, the
instrument, which had been disar-
ranged during the operators forced
absence. Mills in his frenzied mad
ness, because Of his eontemmed orders,
ielt called upon to assert his supposed
authority, pursed his lips, clenched his
fists and thrice hisslngly, through his
teeth, called the operator a liar and
then ordered the guard to knock him
down. Happily for the credit of the
army, the order to knock down was
not executed, whereupon, Mills chang
cd hls tactics, and instead of assailing
the operator with his tongue, the but
of a gun or other missile, he fired pa
per bullets, through the agency Of a
court martial, then in session at Fort
Grant, whittier the operator repaired
and was put through his facings. He
conducted his own defense with a
steadlness of purpose that showed that
Mills had walked the wrong man, one
likely to resist an outrage to the Bit
ter end, and show that Mills had made
a miscue in assuming authority over a
signal service man, who is entirely
foreign to officers of the line. The re-
suit of the findings of the court mar
tial is in abeyance until the revising
officer has had his say. And now, as
like begets like, it is in order for the
operator to give Mills a Roland for
his Oliver. The law is not a respec-
ter of persons, the prince and peasant
are on par as Is also the corporal S
bunkee with the epauleted officer
and in this instance, if the operator
chooses to avail himself Of the law, il
wlll not be a collar-and-elbOw contest,
the operator will have underholds
Section 25, Of Chapter 5, of Articles OF
War, if the operator is a soldier in the
sense contemplated by that section,
floors Mills for using provoking
speeches and gestures. Article 81, oi
the same chapter, is still more bind
ing in Mills case; 1t says: ANY Off
Ger who is convicted of conduct unbe,
coming an officer and a gentleman
shall be dismissed the service" TC
repeatedly call a man in arrest lial
and order him knocked down cannot
be claimed as a gentlemanlY act. Il
is not only an ungentlemanly act but
it is in contraYentiOn of civil law
which Mills by his oath is bound tc
support Not the least, however, o.
Mills ofensB is the interruption o
telegraphic communication, delaying
the transmission of messages betweer
Globe and Eastern and Western com
rnercial points, from the 18th lnstan
until IL meridian of the 10Th inst
This, perhaps, might be condoned BY
a Jury in consideration of Mills mind
which was passion tossed and lasheC
to an unusual degree by the opera
tors refusal to obey the command t.
lake his meals at a Chinese chol
EOuse.