Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-11-01
ARMY RED TAPE.
MILITARY JUSTICE AS DISPENSED ON
THE FRONTIER.
a Large Amount Of Ctreumlocntion in
Trying Drunken Prisate-Tho
Judge Advocates Task.
New York Timos.I

were consumed IN the same ratio IN civil
cases as on that. justice would always
mako pretty short nights Of it. Take
tins, for instance: Suppose a man Is
drunk on the streets Of New York
stretch your imagination that far, If you
can-the police run him In with little
ceremony. and the next morning. with q
dozen others, he stands before the Judge
and hears him say John Doe, you
are charged with being drunk what say
you? Guilty, your Honor. Five
dollars
THAT'S all there is 20 it. Isn't II de-
ightiully short and simple And are
not all parties satisfied? Now let John
enlist, and as soon rs he gets blue
blouse on he is a changed man he has
grown in importance, and it is almost
worth his whilo 20 get good and booty
gust for the fun of making the members
of his cOurt-martial work. Some sub
lieutenant is detailed az Judge-Adyocate
of tho tribunal. which Is composed OF
fhr0e other officers. Ihoy are not so
much to be excused as the young sprig
with the empty field on his shoulder
straps - the aforementioned Judge
Advocate At every new caee he has TO
seurry around the post and personally
inform the members Of the court that
case is ready for trial, and when will they
meet Tomorrow morning at lO O'Clock
generally.
QUEER DISCIPLINE.
"When tomorrow morning at 10
o'clock comes one member turns up (;
the Others have forgotten the duty md
gone 20 town, so the court must adjourn
until thoy return. John Doe is remand
cd 10 the guard-housc, and several hours
Inter. when the court has assembled, he
is sent for, and word cones back that he
IL working under charge of the guard Mt
The furtheF limit Of the reservation.
Mark YOU, this work and this sojourn in
the guard-h are all punishment for
ihe offence for which he has not yet been
tried.
can hour olapsCs md John Doe is
produced. and, standing before the
court, pleads not guilty to the charge Of
drunkenness. He may admit that he
lad been drinking, but hewas not drunk,
oh, no He could do IBIS duty. No sol
der will admit that he is too drunk to do
his duty unless lac is lying paralyzcd in
tho gutter.
"Tbe oath is then administered by
tho Judge Advocate 10 tine members Of
the court and the taking Of testimony
begins Each witness sWcars ne knows
Tho prisoner and tells who he IS, and
then proceeds with ON account of the
whiekcy John had guzzled. Every ques-
tionand every reply must berecordcd by
the Judge Advocate exactly as 1t Is ut
tered. Every side play must also be
spread upon The minutes. Half dozen
witnesses are produced 10y the prosecu-
ton and as many more 10y the defence.
The trial closes, the Court renders a YER
diet. and in case Of proved guilt, pro-
nounces the sentence. The Judge Ad-
vocate carries home his pile OF notes, for
ne must spend the evening aud part OF
The night in transcribng tho mass of tes-
tinony IN long-drawn-out legal form.
CORRECT As INDICATED.
"The next day he submits the pro-
ceedincs of the court to the post adiu-
tant. who checks ms work. The slight
ost error is sufficient 10 cause IT all to be
returned. with the caustic command,
correct ms Indicated Finally the post
commander gets the proceedings and APP
proves or disapprogcs them. If the
trial resulted ia an acquittal, not uncom-
monty the Judge Advocate gets rap for
dercllct of his duty, but why / cant IN
iustic. say. for hc is bound 10 conduct
with equal fuirncss both the prosecution
and the defence. The result OF the post
commanders deliberations IS published
nj parnde. aud the world Is informed that
John Doe is fined s. for being drunk.
That's the substance of 1t, but the way
the admtaut reads it from the orders is
somothinghko this:
Fort Blank, such and such date.
1890 Special Orders No. so and so.
''' Before garrison court martial,
convened at this post by orders from
these headquarters. OF which Captain 30
and So is president, was arraigned and
tried Private John Doe, Eleventh
cavalry. Charge Conduct to the proju-
dice of good order and military dis
ciphne. Specification In that he,
Private John Doe. Eleventh cavalry, was
so much under the influence of lntoM-
eating hauor as 20 be unable properly to
perform his duties as a soldier. This at
or near Fort Blank. on or about such
and such date. To which the accused
pleaded as follows To the specification,
not guilty 70 the charge. not guilty.
"'Tho Court having maturely con
sidered the evidence adduced, finds hun,
Private John Doe, Eleventh cavalry
OF the specification. guilty; of the
charge, guilty. And the court does,
Therefore. sentence him, Private John
Doe, Eleventh cavalry, to forfeit to the
Unitod States s. OF ms pay.
"All this time, for a week, perhaps
John has been confined in the guard
house and kept coustantlyat work about
tho post. Doesn't 1t all seem absurd
That the way it is done in the army
Il ia only one instance, bat II shows the
tendency of the whole institutlon-tC
pile on the agony, TO wind on the rec
tape. and why is that? 1t is because
tho army has SO little to do.
ain time Of war, with an army OF more
than l.00u, 600 men, red tape was not 81
great q scourge as il Is now in peace
with a force of less than $4,000 Do
sou know the army regulations fill
book az thick rs the dictionary The.
do. The rules are strung together
hinge upon one another and are bull
MP TIL a man can hardly stir withou
the,r authority The army has practi
cally nothing 10 do. and 1t sets abou
dong il IN way that will kill the mos
time Army officers are educated mel
and they cannot sit down, twiddle thei
thumbs, draw their pay, and remain con
tented. They have TO do something
the gray matter of tho brain demand
exercise they are restricted IN thei
sphere, and their talents are applied M
worthily in building up the regulation
for the army. II is as bad as utii2in
an elephant as motiye-powor for TOY
wagon.
HOW THY KILL TIME
"But what will they do? There's II
rub. / have known officers who put
their time al various pursuits-photogr