The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-08-08

FletchoF. Hs says that he had n talk with
Capt. Dempsey and came To an understanding,
but that DIR. Henderson camo to his auartars
and would not wait for an explanation, but
Knocked him down and beat him The Colonel
explains further that he would have put Hen.
derson under arrest, but he did not wish to ere
ate scandal IN his own family. He hoped 70
have the matter all quieted without further
publicity. lie alludes to Mrs. HeFarIane in
hitter denunciations. as being the eauses of all
the difficulty. He loves his wife and that Mrs.
Fletcher did not believe the stories told by Mrs.
hcFarlane until she peddled them about and
spread the scandalous fabrications among all
the officers Of the post
Lieut.. Chas. W. Wright testified that he was
at the conferences on June 81, and said that
Col Fletcher had positive admitted that he
had charged Capt Dempsey and DIR. Henderson
with misconduct with his wife, but said the
Charges were made in the heat Of passion.
At thursdays session Capt. Augustus r. Egg
bert testified ut the meeting Of the officers Col.
Fletcher's remarks were so scattering and dis
connected that it was difficult to say positively
what he did say. He WAS very excited at the
time, stammercd, and showed that he felt the
situation to be very awkward
Lieut.. Z. K Christman testified that on the
18th of June his attention was directed by loud
calling, and he saw the accused running down
the back way from his house He was on foot.
aud was running toward the'city of Omaha
Ltcut. Wright was recalled and testified that
the accused did not make any resistance when
Dr. Henderson assaulted him.
On Friday Lieut.. Christman testified that
his attention was called on the morning Of
June 10 to Col. Fletcher running toward
Omaha lie heard him call to his coachman ex-
citedly TO hitch mp and follow him.
fhis concluded the prosecution, and the
defense opened its ease By calling Capt. Henry
Galley, who testified that he was at the meet
ing OF the officers called on June 81, and heard
Col. FletcheF's explanation.
Col. Fletcher said that hs desired 60 explain
TO the officers Of the post the trouble which
had occurred in his family, and to say that the
scandal0us rumors of which he had been ac-
eused OF circulating were never uttered by
him- he denied having ever accused Capt
Dempsey or DIR. Henderson with improper con-
duct toward Mrs. Fletcher, and said ne had
perfect confidence in the purity aud virtus Of
his wife, He also stated that be eame home
one night from meeting Of the Loyal Legion
at late hour and found Capt. Dempsey in his
wiie's room. His boy was sick at the time, but
he loved him very dearly and would have
taken excellent care of him, and it naturally
hurt him very much 70 see other officers called
IN TO help take care Of his boy.
cross examination showed some difference
IN the Captains memory of what occurred from
that of the other officers who sat with him.
Capt Keller testified that there had been
some talk in the offieer's club Of striking Col
Fletchers name from the roll, but after little
discussion the matter was dropped.
Licuts. Waring and Tousley testified to sub
stantially the same things.
Miss Cecilia Hansen, Col. Fletcher's kitchen
girl, testified that she never heard Col. Fletcher
abuse his wife, nor had she told Mrs McFar-
lane anything of the kind.
SECOND INFANTRY, Fort Omaha, NeA.