The evening world., 1890-01-23
OESERTERS FROM THE ARMY.
A Visit to The Scene Of Their Trials
..:. and Sentences.
Functions and .Jur.s dtrtion of Cow
ernor's Island Tribunals.

Scblly uuuulhllhE mWnh, inc pillllllebs VI
row Of pretty cottages and the de-
quiet reigning I've all.
A bluc.c. nted. blue.t.onScrod sergcan;
as stiff ns n gun barrel nj the door
OF IA little building on the wharf and
YOU where to 90 when you land.
Fort Columbus. the headquarters of the
Division OF tho Atlantic Of tho United
Army. occupies the crest of the
highest elevation of tho island. with Il
beautifully kept parade ground stretch
ing between ns non and the official
dwellings o, the heHduiar. crS htal.
Down ut the wnt.r's edge. On the north.
west corper of the island. stands that
venerable old castellated landmark, Cas-.
tie William.
There urc three infantry companies
the garrison ut Fort Culum.
bus. with n dozen officers, under con
inand OF Major McCrea. The companies
are composed of picked men, and. Though
subjected to he most rigid military disci
pline, have ali ensy time VI it compared
with that of Uncle Sans regulars On the
Western frontier. They nrl permitted TO
visit the city occasionally. and they enjoy
other privileges which soldiers Ut utEcr
posts do not.
but here is II squad OF mtn who are
raking dead leaves, Wheeling barrow and
uO NJ llc WOik OF gatuenttS.
- lLat IL hardly u duty Ibid down III
the Articles ut War. L!cutenant. " SAYS
tue re porter IT, tho tall. genial officer who
accompanies him in his round.
No. replies Lieut.. Mcclellan. Smil.
ing; and II is not usual for n sergeant
to htanu guard over n squad OF soldiers.
lhoy are prisoners, serving small hen-
fences or MINOR u1enscs."
III tho "clleesC-boX FORT On the OK
tTnI..A 4. ttInN .t..l sc IA. fulnt,.l EUn.,NN. V.,r
n hundred years or mCrn ns Castle
Mllilnni, is the mi itary prison of The
Division Of the Atlantic.
ou the second floor Of this norma
mental old structure IN too COURTROOM.
where courts iuar,iul are held. IL u II
ri.id!y plain. low. cell ngcd room. with
the simplest of chairs aud tables Tor
furnishings.
Col. Curtis is the Judge Advocate
General OF tho Department, and Lieut..
;. L.. Allen was the Jalgu Advocate nj
the last session of II court martial here
Gen, -. q. Howard appoints all general
courts martial Tor the triul of offenders
charged with seriOuI violations of military
law, while MAJOR Met reu names the mem.
hers If the court for u garrison court
martial. which las jurisdiction If minor
s.
Minor otTcnses. such rs intempcrance,
absence without leave, h! caches of order.
neglect OF duty and the like, nrc usually
punished by impris1 nment IN The guard
house for from ten days 10 wv months
aud fines of from ono to three months
pay. 'DesGrtion, tho I. insuborlina;inn
and violations of the Ant cles Of Wal nre
punished more severely. Probably the
most severe sentences III time OF peace
are inflicted tor theft, especially II 1t be
from n cOinrade.
There are ut present confined i'll Caste
Wilhnm twenty seven desertcrs awaiting
orders transferring them TO the miii'ary
prison ut Fort Lenvenworth, Kan.
Nine alleged desertcrs are now awaiting
trini here. ID
An average of about n hundred de
serters cross the river ANNUALLY from New
York TO Governors island. Most of
them surrender themselves. INT many are
delivered up 10 the authoritie7 u. Fort
Columbus by. people who have appre
henicd them in this city and VINO receive
u money rewaId tllrelor o: 80 III cscu
case.
Their rcgimcntal commanders me nt
once notified hat they a'r IN custody on
Governors Island, and If the men insist
on : eng IT ell hr court MARTA, witncSSc>
nre sent here from the uUsis or companies
IL, III watch tliev had deserted. /
I he penalty FOR desertlon in cOn.ine-
mo:t from two 10 five wears. ac,or ling 70
the fiagrancv of the oiense. ut For Lcav.
cnwOrth, in time of peace; bat he I l.
the penalty prescribed IN tim" of " r.
At Fort +! enNenwoTth the prisoners are
obliged to work NJ Inn ng army Shoes.
clothing md other things.
a large prOpOrt OF ut deSCrtionS como
about through the bad habits of the sol
dl,rs. 1t often happens that when away
IN leave of absence the soldier get drunk.
and when he retoNerS his senses imd TINT
he has long overs Rvcd his lave. Then
hc is afraid Ia he punished il he returns
to his pos. aud he runs away.
Nearly every man nrlnigncd for dcser,
ton who pleads guilty oticra an exp Rna,
/ "a II tins KIND. there are n grca, ur.ry
nsn Assigned, however, tor Ic,rr-
tons, winch, rs seen ~ iuc =, pYr, III
80 rc'Rry Proctor, subIuittc lnt the uI'sI,.
ing ~ tUngr, ~, nave increased III 'Uct
pIuIOitIou as tu hV u serious menace t.
the Welfare ~ the 'erVicc.
The soldiers pa ~ Il,liCuluuslr mall:
the rIgOTunSd Isc pin q IS applied through
d'ctntuT!Rl. over. ,aii.g. often iguuru4i
mud brutal pc ~ OH oars the mclSrr anu
often IepulsIye fool SerYeG nj some pOs =.
aud ItIr tyranny of some mar,inct of the
lin" cause u man OF sensitive tenn era
mrnt TO rebel and seek the only aNeEU
of escape, by drsest ON,
Ouc Imn wun Surrendered himself nj
GuyrinIr's Island recently had been
800. hhfh A"'' 49, o. 49, on ~ NaAAhaA
story when he cNpiainel ttmt Viii e ON
leGN' nj absence ir NlSit"u ms brother,
IN officer On I'm ocean 3-caucr, ItC = ~ yea
with ms lruthOr over llphI, Int tie
hro,her iai!ed To AWAKE en- Inn nest morn
ms tll th" ship Was tar ont IA SET. Then
lie had tn - ON t. Europe.
tad he returned Immediately on
landing in this country, or no med MS.
this excuse ", MD have been a 20 DONE
stid an officer of the court martial which
tried him. hut he returned iu Amer
lea. aud II was several weeks before he
returned Ia the post, and he got two
years ut Font IeAyenwnrth."
4 CONVICTION OF deseTtInn carries with
il dishonorahlo dismissal from the ser
wee.
4 general cJurt-martia hRs the author
ity Ia Try men charged with larceny, muir
the jurisdiction OF tue military post: but
defendants IN the biFher crimes are
usually surrendered mn 10 The nearest
slYil court. No commissioned officer eau
Ice uied by any tribunal lower than a full
general c~Ourt-wartial of thirteen officers.
The President ar the United states and
the Administered of the Army alone
have the power TO pardon or commute
the sentences of military prisoners; but
as q rule they serve out their terms of
punishment.
Caste William was abandoned as q for
tihCauon years ngo. Under tie cannon
who.e muZZles look out upon the waters
OF the lay are quilt classmates in winch
the prisoners are confined. These case