New-York tribune., 1890-06-19
A SURPRISE FOR BELKNAP
TESTIMONY THAT INDICATES PERJURY AND
FORGERY.
MEMBERS OF COMPANY b. list REGIMENT, PER.
sONATED AT THE STATE CAMP BY MEN
WHO LIEUTENANT SMITH SAYS, FORGED
THEIR NAMEs-DID THE CAPTAIN
KNOW THIS 1.-THE COURT-MAR-
TIAL ASTONISHED.
TIAL ASTONISHED.

The Court of Inquiry which is investigating the
internal trouble in the list Regiment struck an
unexpected snag at the session last night, which
almost took the breath away from some members
Of the court at least The first really sensa-
tonal testimony of the inquiry was brought out
when Lieutenant Clinton H. Smith took the
witness stand and told the court about transac-
tons which clearly constituted forgery on the
part of men who were taken to camp as members
of Company b in 1887, and perjury on the part
OF Captain Belknap, if he knew that the state
Of affairs existed which Lieutenant Smith swore
was the fact When the court was called TO
order Captain Belknap finished his testimony
and the coming sensational features cast their
shadows before when Captain Belknap toia the
court that Colonel Hopper had threatened to
bring the Captains actions to the attention OF the
Grand Jury.
After that, however, the proceedings dragged
along monotonously until nearly midnight, when
the mine was fired which awakened every one In
short order Philip s. Tildcn, the former adjutanr
of the list Regiment, was called and told about
how Colonel Hopper had been ont Of the State for
months at a time. Then Lieutenant Smith was
called and went all over the trouble In Company
T. Every one began to grow tired when Colonel
Koppers counsel handed Lieutenant Smith
paper. and the latter recognized it as pay roll
Of Company B for the time while the company was
IN camp in the summer of 1887.
The deeper they got into that document the
more complicated matters became. Lieutenant
Smith said that he knew that a number oil the
names which appc3rcd on the pay roll
were of men who had not been In
camp at all. bat that substitutes, who were not
members of the National Guard at all, had gone
in the places Of those whose names appeared,
and these substitutes had forged the names OF the
members Of the company who were not present
and had drawn their pay lie named the cases
specifically and pointed out the names on the pay
roll.
Lester Blannett jr, had not been in the regl-
mcnt sixty days; so he was not eligible for camp
duty but he went nevertheless, Under the name
of Charles w Weeks answered to Weekss name
AZ roll-calls and signed Wccks's name on the pay
roll Frank Sherry, who was not a member OF the
National Guard at all, had gone under BlauVeItS
name, but he did not draw any money, althouSh
he was supported week at the States expense
Julius Amman, who was not n member oi ,ie
company. impersonated Thomas II. Nee, forsed MS
name 10 the payroll and drew his money. f. ~
Smith answered to the name OF Alred T. ic'"'
and also drew his money upon n forged Signature
". George was known III camp aS JosePh Ia op'"4'
forging the atter's name to the payroll and draw
ing his money. Paul llenchcy impersonatcd
Charles f. Taller and drew the latter money upon
a forged signature.
When he had told all this, Colonel Austen OF
the 18th Regiment of Brooklyn, who is member
of the court, asked in some surprise II Lieutenant
Smith had been cognizant Of all these facts Tor
three years without having made complaint
Lieutenant Smith said that he had been, that
the men were all personally known 10 him, and
that the facts which he had related
were gencraIy known to the members OF the COM
pany There seemed to be considerable surprise
felt by Captain Belknap's counsel about the new
testimony and as to how the evidence came into
thc possession of the counsel for Colonel hopper,
but there was the original payroll in BLACK and
white from General Headquarters, and captain
Ielknaps sworn statement attached TO IL
70 the effect that no mans name ap-
neaud on it who had not served at
ramp CAPTAIN Belknap's counsel wanted TIME
in which 10 prepare to refutr this testimony, Dut
General FitzgeTald did not seem inclined TO allow
H. so he began the crosscxaminaton OF Leu
tenant Smith. but he did not finish IT. The pro-
cccdings will be taken up again at this point at
the next hearing