Omaha daily bee., 1889-10-07
COLONEL fLETCHER'S CASE.
He Was Sentenced to Dismissal BY
the Court Martial.
BUT PROCTOR DlsAPPRovEs.
Ii is Thought Harrison Will Concur in
the Secretary's Opinion NJ ebraska
Knights Tcmplar Receive
An ovation,
WAsuINGToN BUREAU, The OMAHA Ben,

2
WASHINGTON, ID. c., Oct. O.
The famous Omaha court. martial case of
Lieutenant Colonel Joshua S. Fletcher, of
the Second Infantry, is still ubling the Of
ficas here. 1t was stated In this corre-
spondence some time ago that Fletcher was
found guilty by the court-nartIa and SEN
fenced to dismissal from the army. The
judge advocate general reviewed the case
here and disapproved of the findings of the
ourtmartial. From the judge advocate
general it went to the general of the army,
who was also given chance to review it ac-
cordipg to the rules OF the service. At frat
General Schofield was inclined to sustain the
views of the Judge advocate general, but
after more mature deliberation he concluded
to differ with the judge advocate and ap.
proved of the findings of the court-martial.
He did so and sent the documents pertaining
to the case to the secretary of war. Secretary
Proctor called his military secretary, Col
onel Thomas +. Barr, to his assistance, and
together they went over the records OF the
case and considered it profoundly Proctor
knows very little about tho army and less
about courts-martal 50 he left the matter
entirely to the determination of Colonel
Barr. This officer concluded to sustain the
view of the case takeu by the Judge advocate
general. and prepared an opinion IN the case
for Secretary Proctor. The secretary ap-
proved the view Of the matter taken by Col
onel Barr, and adopted Barr's opinion as his
own. The case was then referred to the
president, in whose hands il is at present.
The Judge advocate general and the secre
tary of war have disapproved of tho findings
Of the cOlrtmartial which sentenced Colonel
Fletcher to dismissal from the army Ma jor
(,pnnrnl IA al m 81 nd
OF the army, approved the findings of the
court-martial, and thus the matter stands at
present, IL is thought the president will sus-
tain the views on tho matter taken by the
secretary of war and the judge advocate gen
eral, and that Colonel Fletcher will escape
from the net woven around him by his subor-
dnate officers at Fort Omaha.
TIE KNIGHTS TEMpLAR.
For one week now Washington will be
gwen up to the knights Templar.
They have already taken possession of the
city. Their banners, bunting and flags every
where proclaim that politics have been rcle-
gated to the rear. With the impending cam
palgns in New York, Ohio, Virginia and
other states few men from congress will be
here during the week, and there will be q
practical suspension of the operations of the
machine which grinds out appointments in
the executive departments and elsewhere
where they may be. A cabinet meeting anu
routine work at the white house will pro-
everything political will give way to the
festivities of the great triennial concave
1t IS refreshing to have the city full of peo-
pie from every section of the country now
and then and nothing said Of politics. WASH
ington is essentially and naturally political
mart. Politics is king here, like wheat rules
at Duluth, hogs at Omaha cattle at Chicago
and cotton at Savannah, It. is not often that
the prime staple of the 225, 600 inhabitants of
the national capital is shelvcd for "a whole
week and neutral subjects are
discussed or festivities are al
lowed to take possession OF the
city. Washington never looked 50 hand
some, with her banners, flags and buntings,
besides her miles of bright coiored insignia
Of the order which prevails There Is a holi-
day atmosphere on every hand. People are
generally taking vacation. The decora-
tons of the city are prettler than on the
occasions of a presidential inauguration.
They are more highly colored, richer and
diversified, The sombre black, Indicative
of chivalrc courage, and the pure white, en-
blematlc OF gentleness, commingle at every
step with the deep red cross. the sign of the
crusade era. This is to be the greatest
| knights Templar conclave ever held. The
attendance promises to be larger and the
auspices and surroundings are more pleasant
The full dress of the knights never made
| men look so handsome as in Washington,
where there there is u natural military at
| mosphere. Pennsylvania avenue never ap'
| peared to such good advantage, The parade
on Wednesday will be the most brilliant
scene this great thOroughfare ever pre-
sented. The weather is the concern of al
| tonight 1t has been bright ana beautiful
| for some time till to-day when the clouds
| became overcast and ram was the threat
| Finally. as evening came on there were little
spits of rain and lastly a slight regular
| drl2zle. October is usually bright, dry
| and pleasant month in the region of the
! Chesapeake bay and ii this is not week OF
| tine weather 1t Will be the exception.
NEBRAsKAs CONTINGENT.
| The Nebraska Knights Templar were The
| first to put IN an appearance. The grand
commandery of Nebraska, Sir William r.
| Bowen, grand recorder, arrived at the ma
tlonal capital last night, and were accorded
| n distinguished reception. The Nebraskd
| knights were expected at o'clock. but theiI
| tram was quite late and they dId not arrive
| at their headquarters, 1909 Ninth street
| until ear II O'Clock. There are about one
| hundred men in all and almost as many
ladies'. The communicates were Mount
| Tabor, Mount Calvary, Beatrice, Hastings
| and York. They arrived in their specia
train of seven Pullman cars, and were met
| by Sir knight Hay, of the Washington CON
! tmgeGt, aud We're escorted BY the Demola
commandery behind band, The boys pre-
sented magnificent appearance and were
received along Pennsylvania avenue and on
the route TO their headquarters with cheers
| The Nebraska knights will keep open house
| during their stay here. They have fitted up
| pared TO welcome their guests in true Ne
| braska style. The BEE correspondent made
| a call at the headquarters tonight and founG
many visitors. They were royalty welcomed
| and IT is evident from the way in which
| the Nebraska knights have started in thai
| they are going TO become popular and wiz
| laurels on every hand.
| The Des Moines and other Iowa COM
| mandel les are to arrive to morrow.
| The perfect success of the pilgrimage OF
| the Nebraska delegation is largely due tC
| the grand recorder, Sir William IL. Bowen
/ active in the United States. The Nebraska
knights and their ladies are comfortably anC
| luxuriously quartered within two blocks OF
the headquarters. Nothing has been omitted
that could add 10 the comfort and entertain
| ment of the sir knights and ladies, and foI
the very pleasant and homelike location Of
| all they are lndebtra 10 the untrIng efforts
! of Past Eminent Commander j. W. Moore
and his estmable wife, and are prOtuse In
their expressions of satisfaction aud pleasure
in finding themselves so well cared Tor. The
number aud character OF the Nebraska rep
resentaJIOn is fully up TO that of any from
! the west and will take prominent part IL
the business of the grand encamplnent. II
J the absence OF Right Eminent Commander
Henry Gibbons, the grand commander o
| Nebraska, the Very Eminent Sir Lewis NJ
Keene, OF Fremont, as deputy grand com
mander, Is the ranking officer ana as such II
in charge OF the Nebraska delegation
| Nebrask! has been honored in the appoint
ment OF Sir keene as one of the marshals o
the grand parade on next Tuesday.