The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-12-05
PRIZE DRILL BRIBERY.
THE COURT MARTIAL IN SESSION
AT ATLANTA.

I Captain.
ATLANTA, GA, Dec. A court-nartial,
composed of Col {. NJ Wiley Of the Second
Georgia Battalion as president. and CApbs.
Kenan OF the Macon Hnssars, Young OF the
Greensboro Rifles, Cobb Of the Piedmont
Rifles Of Gainesville aud Wcotea Of the
Albany Guards convened this morning at the
capitol. and sat the entire day on the trial
of Capt. A. C. Sneed, charged with conduct
unbecoming an officer and gentleman, in
attempting TO secure possession OF an ad-
vance copy Of the programme of the late
interstate drill, through bribery. The
| judges, The accused and all the military
attaches Of the court wore full
dress uniform. Col. Calhoun Of
the Fourth battalion was the prosecutor
and Col. John S. Gambler appeared as judge
advocate. Capt. Sneed was defended by j.
| II. Lumpkin and l.. j. Ripley. The court
room was packed with spectators. After
the order convening the court had been
read and the judges sworn in the charges
against Capt. Sneed were read. They accuse
| him, on about Oct. 1G OF attempting TO
| obtain from K. J. Rice, printer of Auburn.
| Ala, a programme for the prize drill III
which mis- company was to participate, and
| Furthermore of characterization, in having
| published the order for his company to meet
after he had been suspended by his superior
officer.
THE FIRST PLEA.
The first plea Of the defendant was that
the fac;s alleged constituted no offense over
which this court had jurisdiction; that in
tins of peece, when not acting under orders
from the state nor as q company, the acts OF
I'D h. AlaN n
stitute such a charge ss was cognizable by
this court. he denied any connection with
such acts, but said that no otfense was sat
out. THIS was overruled by the court, and
the defendant then entered his second plea,
not guilty.
Witnesses were then called for. Capt.
John A Miller Of the Governors Horse
Guard testified that he was chairman of
TIE Piedmont exposition military commit
tae, and as such secured Lieut.. j. A. Nc
Donald OF Auburn, Ala, TO act as one OF
the judges. and had written TO him to have
the programme for the drill printed in Au-
burn.
Benjamin Disky, Lieut. McDonald's ssrv-
ant, swore that last October q pretty
heavy-sst man, with a sandy mus
tsche, and wearing a snuff-colored hat.
came 70 min and tried to get him TO get one
Of the programmes from Lieut. Mcdonald.
The witness went to the printer to get one,
but failed. The wi ness was offered $40 for
one. He was told TO look at Mr.. Myers,
and on doing so denied that it was be- He
gave a rather vague description of the man
and did not state his name.
THE OFFER TO THE PRINTER.
r. j. Rice, the printer, Of Auburn, Ala,
testified that he pfiated the programme for
the drill for Lieut.. Mcdonald Mr.. Movers
came 70 him and asked for "a copy, saying
Nfasf I'D for
Washington. He offered S20, $50, 500,
$50, and even $3.50 for the programme,
but Mr.. Rice told him that he
could not get it at any price
Mr.. Rice saw tho man, who registered
as Spiilmau, talking TO the negro, Ben
Mr.. Rice saw a young man about the size
Of Mr.. Roberts get of the train. He reg
istere1 Is ltoberDs, from Cincinnati.
TELLrALE rELEGRAMs.
c. c. Witt of the Western Union Tele-
graph Company. on being introduced, pro-
duced copy of a message delivered by
cell boy No. l3. II read as follows:
4 c. Saeed, care j. H. Nigh:
Located. Hard 10 obtain. Shall I make
money consideration: B. P MYERS
Mr.. Witt also produced the following
telegram:
3. P. Mysrs, Auburn Aia.:
Secure at any reasonable cost. Don't fail.
a. C.S.
At the bottom was written, Capt. S., care
J. NJ. High.
Another message produced by Mr. Witt
was as follows:
To G. N. Roberts A,s5,rn Ala:
Have written you full particulars care hotel.
u. is at home.
OTHER TESTIMONY.
Charley Young, the negro telegraph boy,
testified that he delivered the telegram at
Mr., Highs store.
Capt. Calhoun testified that he, at the
instance of Adjt. Gen. Kell. suspended Capt.
SOeed because he saw the advertisement
calling the company together.
| Orderly Sergt. Marx Hightower stated
that he Inserted the advertisement TO which
| Capt. Snsed's name was signed as captain
commanding after his suspension by the
captains orders.
This concluded the evidence for the prose-
cution.
| The court ruled that the questions for
witnesses should be submitted bv the de-
Tense in acting through the judge ad vocate.
bnt the defense was allowed oral argument
| if desired.
| SNEED on THE STAND.
Capt. Sneed was sworn and said that no
| did not make any attempt TO obtain the
| programme through Messrs Roberts, Spell
man and Myers. and that he did not sane
! tion such an effort or know anything about
1T. He sent no telegram to any one in
Auburn he wrote none and had author
lied none. A telegram had coma
to him, which Mr.. Spellman
took from him. He asked what it meant.
Mr.. Spellman replied that that was his
matter. That was all he knew about il.
The kilograms bearing his apparent
signature he knsw nothing Of He ex-
planned the circumstance which gave rise
to the supplemental charge of insubordina-
ton. number Of members of the Guard
were together ons night discussing a little
spread they were to enjoy together. The
captain told the orderly to call the COM
pany together Tor this pur-
pose, and put the notice in q
prominent place in the paper. He did not
| think that ne had ordered his name rs can,
tain commanding TO be signed In big letters
| Ii be did it was with no iusubordinate in
tent He recognized the fact chat It looked
that way, and had written a note TO Col
Calhoun stating that he did not mean to ig-
more his authority. This letter he produced.
! Capt. S2eed was asked what good the pros
gramme would have done his comonny I'm
less it should have reached him before the
drilL He answered, none He had not
attempted to interfere when he saw the
telegram. II wss not worded
i'll such way AS to give
him any inGimation that any wrong was
gong on. He had learned something Of the
true import of the telegram before he W as
suspended. He heard it about the time of