St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-03-21
Most Of the Troopers Army
Life Spent in the Guard
house.
His Chief Aim in Life Is to
Get Even With Lieut..
Steele.
A Buffalo Capitalist Skips to
Canada With His Aman-
uenSiS.

to something of sensation at the OPEN
ing of the third days session this MORN
ing, and the subsequent proceedings
were anything but agreeable to Ex-
Private Wild. Lieut.. Steele'S accuser.
just as soon as the voluminous record
of yesterday had been read. Lieut..
CroWder, counsel for Steele, informed
the court that some important undiScOv-
cred evidence had come into his
possession. He went on to say that
three days ago Wild visited the
Offices of the local recruiting ser
geant, and in the course OF a
lengthy conversation, plentifully inter-
larded with vile epithets, had stated
that he bore personal grudge against
Steele, and had at last a chance to get
even. He intended, he said, to get him
imprisoned. Wild went on to say that
Steele had once refused to do him
favor, and In consequence he was "lay-
ing" for him. This was the first chance
he had gotten. Under ordinary clrcum-
stances he would have done the work
desired by Steele, but he made up his
mind that he would not, and said as
much to the men OF his troop when
Steele sent for him. Several of these
men watched him out of the window at
the time of
The Now Famous Scrimmage
to see If he kept his word. He went on
in braggadocal manner to say that he
had served fifteen years in the army,
but had never yet got a five years dis
charge from any company. He proposed
to make as much money out OF the row
as he could, so long as the museums
we're willing to pay him for posing as
freak. AS to his previous service un-
der the name of Ward, he said that the
disclosure came from a man to whom
he had written, and who had been cur
enough to give him away. After this
statement had been read, Wild was re-
called ana questioned regarding the
truth of each paragraph. His invariable
replies were, Il won't answer" ''Ihat's
got nothing to do with this case;" PPM
not on trial" In reply to question by
the court, he adhered to his statement
made yesterday. that no private could
testify against an officer without being
afterwards oppressed by
that officer, but on being closely pressed
saik that he could not remember case
of the kind. Sergeant Antoine Wen
rith, of the local recruiting. station,
dignified officer with All impressive
was buCh ohN will hOo
the statement that Wild had talked to
him as reported. He said that he had
never seen Wild before and had never
met Lieut. Steele. On the occasion in
question Wild had repeatedly bOasted
of the way in which he had paid the
grudge toward Steele. Wild had VOlun-
teered all the information and he (Wen-
rith) was not solicited TO say anything.
By order of the court Wild was brought
in with Post Trader Commas, who bears
a close resemblance to the former, and
the two were confronted with Wenrith.
The witness, rising and
Pointing at Wild.
said in an impressive tone: "That is
the man who talked i'll my office"
Wild's eyes flashed, his fingers worked
nervouSly, and he seemed about to
room,'' said the Judge advocate. in
sharp tone, and Wild abOut-faced and
retired with swagger. Sergeant Har-
rigan, of the Eighth cavalry, was then
called. and testified regarding Lieut..
Steele's invariable courtesy and manly
bearing on all occasions toward the en-
listed men. The sensation created by
the testimony of Sergeant Weurith had
hardly subsidized when Counsel Crowder
sprung another unexpected document
ON the court. This was the record of
eX-Private Wild while he was men,
ber of Troop f. Eighth cavalry. 1t eX-
tends over a period of sixteen months.
during which time ne had spent
1916 days in the guard house,
had been court martialed six times,
imprisoned once for diSObedience of
orders, another time for quitting his
post of duty. and four other times for
different offenses. The record of his
connection with the Fifteenth infantry
at Columbus, O., from which he was
finally discharged for physical disabil-
ity, showed that in the period of eight
cen months he had been confined eleven
times in the guard house. A third
martialed at Jefferson Barracks, Mo-,
while awaiting assignment to duty at
the recruiting station. The judge adj
vocate formally objected to the admis-
sion of this testimony, and Lieut..
Crowder responded: "This man Wild
has been lauded all over this country as
a martyr and the victim of
An Officers Brutality,
by everybody, from the highest military
authority to the dime museum. The
press. imposed On Oy men OF tne same
stamp as Wild, lauded Wild as brave
defender of his country. and the same
articles depicted Lieut.. Steele as mon
ster of brutality not fit for the company
of decent men or women. Therefore,
we think that everything pertaining to
.Wild's military record should be brought
out" The court retired. and, after de-
batting the question, decided unani-
meusly to admit the records. Several
members of Lieut.. Steele's company
testified regarding the latter's cOurte-
Gus bearing toward and humane treat
ment of the enlisted men. An offer
being made to present twenty more
witnesses OH the same point, the judge
advocate decided to admit the points
urged without further controversy. By
majority vote the court at this point
decided to adjourn until tomorrow,
when Col. TOwnShend, CaptS. Phelps
ond Woako aud iput Staaia bimcaIf