The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-03-13
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
The Weeks DOings at The Ma
tiOnal Capital


-
case Of Private Dell T. Wild, Troop +, Sth Cav,
who was dishonorably discharged the service
and sent TO the Fort Smelling Military Prison
at hard labor for disobeyinE the order of Lieut..
Steele 10 perform mental service.
Last week Maj.-Gen. Crook ordered gen.
eral court martial TO convene at Chicago March
is to try Lieut.. Steele for having cursed, struck
and kicked Private Wild because the latter re-
fused 20 do monial service that is forbidden by
the Statutes aud Army Regulations.
The following is the detail for the court;
Col. James i. Wade, 5th Cav, President; MAJ
VIM. J. I.ySter. 9th Inf; Capts Camille Z: Y.
Carr LIST Cav; earle A. Woodruff, I'd Art; Jas.
NJ J. Sanno. eth Inf; Francis Moore, 9Th Cav;
John u. Babcock 9Th Cav; Jacob +. Munson'
9th Inf Samuel NJ. Swigert. ID Cav, aud Chas.
C. Penny. 9th Inf; First Bieuts. Edgar ).
Dudley, "a Art, and Thomas q. Townsend,
9Th InE and Second Lieut.. Elmore i. Taggart,
9th Inf. members. with Capt. Arthur Murray
First Lieutenant, ID Art Acting Judge d-
vocate on Gen. MerriJt's staff, as Judge Advo-
cate of the court.
] have an idea that the President, in en-
deav0rug TO right the gross injustice done TO
Private Wild, overlooked one very serious
Manifestations TO the victim. The Iresi-
dental action RENTED the unexccuted por-
ton OF tho sentence" etc, which released him
from confinement and labor at the military
prison: but IL did not 90 far enough, and the
victim is still "dishonorably discharged
soldier. with loss OF all pay and allowances now
due or 20 become due" The man not only loses
ali the pay that may be due him. or that he might
have drawn and then deposited with the United
States through the Paymastcr, but also, by
virtue OF his dishonorabe discharge under
sentence Of a general court-martial, he Is pre-
vented from ever re-en!isting IN the Army.
IL he should conceal his identity and enlist
again, even under an assumed name, he would
at once. upon Identification, be ANONYMOUSLY
Of all revRan
whether lie was il or l,4O0 miles away from
his home.
If the case was deemed worthy Of such
promD: action By the President. ! fancy that 10
was an oversight no. 10 have revoked the ass
honorable discharge rs well, IS that would re-
habilitate him Is entitled 10 his pay, and also
for eligibility lor re-eniIstment if hC should so
desire.
However, do not think that Mr. Steele is
feeling az all comfortable. un,Css he takes the
philosophical view that has confTere Command
er McCalla) OF the Navy does. viz, On, 20 he'll
with the papers They must have something
TO talk about and galley yarns are as good for
them anything else bu, nobody cares a dab
Of slush what they may say
COMMANDER M'CALLA's BRUTALITY.
The case 81 Commander McCaIla's treatment
OF the men on board the 4. s steamer Enter
prise loses nothing IN interest as the New York
newspaper men gather bit by bit the story Of
the cruise from the men before the mast.
At the Navy Department. q number Of OIL
GERS have had letters from brother officers
on board. aad although they Will not talk
much on Tie matter. enough is known to thc
writer tn show that the widest stories already
published l.il even 10 tell tie whole story.
j seems 90 have been hell afoat." 10 use a
sailor mans phrase, from the time the Enter
prise sailas away on her cruise Hntil she m0ofed
at the Mushroom buoy az the Brooklyn Navy
Yard
"Whatthe DEVILS business had Bow McCalla
20 bucsie on his sword and take a hand IN that
AFFAIR." said an old oGirer, referring to the
case OF Commander McCalla eating down the
drunken seaman, Walker. 4" It's a pretty how
dye Do fora commanding officer 10 put his nose
into % matter like that il the officer Of the
deck can't handle drunken man coming on
board from liberty list with the aid Of the Mas
tcT-at-Artns and the Ships Corporal. be can call
Oh The Executive Officer and 50 get the whole
Of the guard d marines. There didn't seem 10
be any TuatiEy. aud IL IS only IN such ease that
acUHiEai.4lu officer should feel called upon 10
buckle or lil- belt and do the First Lieutenant S
work. ] bagc IN idea that IcCalla must have
been lltiis BIT aiaicted-fr0m different bot
tle-in the same way that the man Walker
wag"
IN talking 10 almost a score OF Navy men,
could 81 40 one 10 talk out as plainly As The
one have quoted, bHt a word here and there
from those WHO have received letters goes Ear
70 show iIat Commander McCaila is ia grave
danger oi s@verIng his connection with the
naFai service as an officer.
One officer. Of much higher rank than Com
maudcT Aclalla said, IN reference to the court
81 Inquiry ordered upon Mclaila's written re-
guest. that It's mere hiHf, but it's a good
one. You see. Il viii be fully six weeks before
the finding Of that court will be acted upon
and thea Is VIII be from three weeks 70 three
months more before the rcsultiug court martial
viii BE- GHal.y acted upon. IN shat way he viii
hang On 70. a. the least. three months Of sea
pay. and II be manage O. skin through by
withdrawing or coDurgiBg,' will be that much
ahead before he j. put on fur.ough pay
don't see bow be is 20 get through from what
be told me himself Of bis troubles and / really
tAiuk there 8 3 vacancy IN sight ior a Leuten
Hut-COBmaHler's promotion"
The cngrt 81 inquiry. that the newspaper
forced Commander McC ala 70 ask for is IN
session ~ shc Brooklyn Navy Yard. where th,
Enterprise is moDred. The man Walker, wb,
was sa5efea ~ Commander IcCaia deserted
the ship q southampton, LBglaud, after par
italy recovering from his Injuries but 3
known o. BE- 30 this country now, and Effort
are being made 10 have h3m amuestied, 30 tia
be may appear safely before tie court Of in
curry.
VETERAN IL LUCK.
4 political appointment In New York caf
hardly come within the scope OF topics IL
d" Washington Gossip" but Gen. Theophiius ?
E0deBbDGaG. WHO Is q retired Colonel on th
Army l.sf. is 50 well and pleasantly known
here. t-at j fancy IHE SATIOSAL TRfBrsl
reader 1911 pardon THe for his little sketch
In New York City they have Department
Of TIE Municipal Government that l. know
as the Bureau Of Elections aud 10 the head q
that Bureau tbe Mayor Of the city last ,gcel
aPpDIHte3 Gen. EgdenbOugh. at the rather CON
Portable salary 81 about 81. 900 year. wLic
D. pleasant addition ~ has army pay Of 81 gg(
There are z good many officers on the r.
tired List - the several branches u the iaiIi
tary service that hold lucrative civic posi- ions
bot Gen. AydsAb0uph holds The highest RAM
81 al. tIal know II 10 point Of salary. ,yhlc
D. the main point, not even excepting Ger
E5secraus, WHO is still Register Of the q.
Treasury.
When tie ~ar Of the rebellion began Ger
Rodeul98pH was a boy yet aud in n class !
Dickinson College, az Carlisle, Pa Like thgu
sand. 81 others throughout the North. n
abandoned his books aud dOnncd a uniform
lie bad prophetic mind, and saw As soon q
Sumter Has b-eagucred that war was sure
come; aud when that great Pennsylvaui
siate-ila1l, Simon Cameron, was made Mr. Lin
c0lu's f-st Secretary If War, be was at one
appointed Lieutenant iB the old "a Dragogu
now the - Cav.
When The actual outbreak came the ur
IneFygs equations Of the officers who We,
South ~ add ia the revolt UFofyofed Lf,.