St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-03-20
DRAWS H LUNG BUW
Former Comrades Of Ex-
Trooper Dell Wild Impeaoh
His Veraeity.
Several Soldiers Swear They
Would Not Believe Him
Under Oath.
Wild Is Fo5itively identified
as a Deserter Called D.
P. Ward.
Politician Plummer, Friend
Of the President, Fails for
a Million.

Chicago, March 19.-The evidence
given to-day before the Steele court
martial was decidedly unfavorable to
eX-Priyate Wild. 1t was shown that he
had preiudiced himself before the court
martial by which he had been tried at
Fort Yates, while testimony was given
by his former comrades that he was
stranger to veracity, and could not be
believed under oath. 1t was shortly
after IL o'clock when the session
opened. and although the spectators
quarters were crowded to sufT0catiOu
fully 1000 men and boys beseiged the
outside of the hall. Considerable time
was occupied in reading the verbatim
report OF yesterdays proceedings, and
Wild was then recalled. In re-
ply to the questions of the Judge
advocate, he said that Steele
struck him with his clenched fist on
the side of the face, but did not knock
him down. CrOSS-eXamlned by the court
at the instance of Lieut.. Dudley. he
said that the blow only made red
mark He was asked by Lieut.. CrOWder,
counsel for Steele, how long lie had
been in the service and replied in an in
solent tone II won't answer" In re-
ply to other questions he said that he
did not know when he refused to aid in
placing the canvas on the roof whether
the building was private or government
property. He only knew that he
Considered 1t Mental Work.
The case for the defense was then
opened with the examination of John
Commas, post trader at Fort Pembina,
n. ID. His evidence being objected to
by the Judge advocate the court retired
and decided to admit the testimony.
Commas then swOre that he had known
Wild under the name of Daniel p.
Ward as d private in Company l. Fiji
teenth infantry, of which the witness
at the time in question was first SER
geant. The Judge advocate vainly OBJ
jected to the introduction of this teSti-
mOny. eliciting so much applause that
he threatened to clear the room. The
witness went on to testify that Wards,
alias Wild, reputation for truth and
veracity was very bad, and that he
would not believe him under oath.
Sergeant Jacob Shaw and Private
Wright, of the Eighth infantry, eX-cOm-
TadeS of Wild, both testified emphatic
ally that his reputation for truth and
veracity was very bad and that Lieut..
Steele mad always acted as perfect
Counsel CroWder then read an extract
from the official record of the proceed
ings of the court martial by which Wild
was tried and sentenced and in which
he had sworn that the present was his
first enlistment. The judge advocate
made strenuous objection, but the
court, after retiring for some time, de-
cided to admit the record. Private
Wild recalled, swore that Lieut.. Steele
had never acted in tyrannical manner
toward the privates, but treated them
in very courteous manner. He adj
United that he could not give the name
of any member of his troop who would
testify to his veracity. The defense
offered to produce twenty-five wit
nesses to testify to Wild's bad reputa-
ton, and all the soldiers or Lieut..
Steelc's company to testify to the lat
ter's humane rule as an officer. The
court retired to consider the PROPOSE
ton. and, after consultation, decided to
hold the matter under consideration till
tomorrow. Pending the arrival of two
witnesses now on their way to Chicago,
all adjournment till tomorrow at IL
O'Clock a. M. was then taken.