New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-06-10
THE CHARGES NOT PROVED.
LIEUTENANT PATTERSON'S CASE FALLS
FLAT
NO TESTIMONY INTRODUCED TO SHOW THAT
CAPTAIN ALLEN TOOK PAPERS FROM
a COAT POCKET.

COAT POCKET.
The court Of inquiry appointed to investigate inc
Charges made by Lieutenant Patterson. Of Company d.
'lh Regiment, against Captain Allen, Of the same
company met at the list Regiment Armory last even
Ing and took all the testimony offered by both sides
Lieutenant Patterson charged Captain Allen with hav
ing taken from his tpatesons closet on the night OF
December last certain letters and papers. the con
tents Of which, If made public would be exceedingly
detrimental 10 Captain Aliens reputation.
Lieutenant Patterson called upon 10 prove these
charges and he did not do it, lie took the witness
stand and told his story on the evening In question
he had gone 10 the armory to attend drill OF the
company. When he put on his uniform he had taken
the papers In question from the pocket Of his citizen
coat and put them In the coat of his uniform when
returning from the drr room TO the company quarters
he again changed his clothes. leaving the papers In
the pocket Of the coat Of his uniform. lie departed
from the armory and went with some companions TO a
restaurant near by At about II O'Clock lie dis
covered that he had left the papers at The
ar1nory, and went back after them. lie aroused
the night Waterman gained access TO the company
room and TO his closet, but the papers we're gone
lie then wanted TO tell the court the contents OF
the papers: his counsel, Assistant District Attorney
Dos PaSOs asserted that the contents reflected upon
the character of Captain Allen officer and GEN
tcman. The court ruled out such testimony on tho
ground that connection had been. a. set. shown
between Captain Allen and Tie papers.
The coorcd servant, william Ringsold whose prcs
encc had been anXiousy looked for, arrived al this
point and he put the witness stand. lie was
Lieutenant Patterson's main stay according 10 inc
lattcr's own dcclaraion but his testimony proved to
be but poor support for Lieutenant Patterson. lie
had been the armOIy At the time In question and had
heard Captain Allen inquire of several men about
book on riot drill tactics which he had loaned To-
Lieutenant Patterson earlier in the evening search
made for II. bit ID could not be found. The ser
want suggested that 1t might be In Lieutenant Pdter
sons closet Captain Allen opened the closet with
skeleton key. which fitted all the closets aud which
as was aftcrward shown he was required 10 carry a.
commander Of the company. and looked for the book
IN the closet.
II could not be found. and the servant said that
Captain Allen put his hand into the pocket OF the
coat hanging in the closet. raised mp some papers
about All inch. but did not take them out of the
pocket. then showed them back and closed the door
That was all. There from dozen to a score
Of men In the at the time. Tho servant then l~tt
the armory and did not hear anything about the lost
papcrs until the next morning. when Lieutenant Fat
t,r,on called at hi, house and asked HIN II h" hal
seen them.
That finished hi- testimony. Lieutenant Patterson
was recalled and tried Ia tell the court again aOo"
the contents Of the paper. The court oljeci'o agar"
Mr. Dos Passo, then laid that HI, chcni could not
prove directly that Captain Allen tooh the pApers'
there Wa n motive for Captain Alien % tdhc them
and c0u-rqucuily. be clutcudcd, II wa> SIMPLY al H''I
upos,ihliy for any else 10 take them me court
would not take that the r'.i-On thai a ''h
erd Fitzgerald stated. Their WAS not sufficient p'''i
hat Lieutenant Patterson had any paprre. ana .'.'
va. absolutely me- prof that Captain Ah"n TOO" "''
T...c Wa a great deal ~ quauelIns over 'i.'
point and tneu captain Allen took The "itac~@ 'hir'
Ills ,inr, similar 10 tat ~ the fol"icu 'IN"''
except that he denied having put h.' hAHd H. ,"r
i.ci Il Of the irutrIauf'- coat. Ire seq AZ -'r
.,.s,~. nat De- do 80. but D." hAd nh -Nhi tF ''''
The servant that he wa not gong 10 pui hs NJ ."
In IN. Lieutenant, pockets. second Lieutenant 90 d"
Nu.sInnn IT,. stood by h, ldc AID saw every 'h.HS
he DID lie LETT the annoy In company WIN N"'-
nan and did not bid him good nlghi untl 90 h"N'
morning. AT Twenty third II. and Ih,rn ave. l"'''
wer. csht or ten other members VI the COMPANY
with them all the time. ,....,..
The other Uitnessc. were called from an ADJOINING
room none Of them having heard IN e.
u,nuV which ha. gone before. They all '"rI"hpifi''
Gania.n Aliens story f. every particular. ihri rrr
@,rnud Lieutenant oscar Mu.,nau. r. sergeant l"ir
G. Connolly and Corporal Jamco Doughcity, Ilr'
All saw captain Allen 20 10 the rIo-ci al cIl IN"
Armory win him and went 20 r'.ialrAnt' Wn'i"
thrv remained until long after me time ll,ut"hAn
patterson disco, cred Ms loss. aud Then pirl~l Tor th'
night The court viii meet to- moro" night 10 nave
the testimony sworn 10.