St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-03-19
The Trooper Pardoned by the
President Appears Before
a Court Martial.
This Time He Figures as a
Witness Against a Brutal
Officer.
Lieut.. Steele Pleads "Not
Guilty" to the Charges
Against Him.
Still He Admits Having Struck
Wild for the Army's
Welfare.

CHICAGO, March lS.-Ihe court mar
tial for the trial of Second Lieut.. M. f.
Steele, Eighth cavalry. q. S. A., con-
vened to-day in Battery D armory. The
members of the court martial were in
full-dress uniform. and wore their side
arms. Capt. Arthur Murray, acting
judge:advocate department OF the Mis-
souri,, acted as judge advocate. Lieut..
Steele appeared in fatigue uniform,
without his sword, and sat beside his
counsel, Lieut. E. H. CrOwder, of the
Eighth cavalry. Capt. Murray having
having administered the usual oath to
the members of the court, the judge adj
vOcate read the formal charge. 1t is al
legged in one charge and two specifica.
tions that on Oct. "a last Lieut.. Steele
used insulting language to Private Dell
P. Wild, and afterward struck him, all
of which was prejudicial to good dis
cipline and contrary to the proper con-
duct of an officer. TO this charge Lieut..
Steele. who had remained standing
while the charge was being read, pleaded
not guilty, both as to the charge and the
specifications. Lieut.. Crowder here
arose and said: IL wish to say a few
words as to our plea. We plead not
guilty, not because we deny the facts
alleged, but in order to facilitate the
fullest inquiry into this matter. Our
defense will be that whatever was done
Was Necessary Act,
and was necessary for the maintenance
of good discipline, and for the good of
the service" Private Dell P. Wild, the
complainant. was then brought into
court and sworn. In low voice he told
h 10 Iloa nr6n ha
said, to carry piece Of canvas to Lieut..
Steele's headquarters. He was told to
take it to the back yard. where he was
met by Lieut.. Steele, who requested him
to assist in placing the canvas OIL
storm roof leading from Steele's back
door to an, clubhouse. 81 didn't think he
had any right to ask me to do that"
continued Wild, land so l says: Lieu
tenant, refuse to do that work BECAUSE
/ don't have to act as servant to no
officer. If you ask me to split or carry
in wood, I'll do it, but l wont do moth
ing of this kind. | think it is menial
work. He then called me deSerter
and swore at me, and finally struck me
in the face, knocking my hat into tub
of water. | then started out. of his yard,
when he ordered me to halt, and had me
placed under arrest. Twas taken to the
quarters and then got permission to go
back and get my cap, which was still i'll
a bucket in the lieutenant's yard. Cor
poral Scout took me back.and when got
to the gate Steele says: What do
you wantP and said, i want my cap,
sir;' and he says, Get it and get out of
here.' l went back to quarters, where
was imprisoned from the 24th of Oc-
tober until the trial" The defense then
examined Wild. and attempted to prove
that he had frequently expressed the
wish that he had killed Lieut.. Steele.
In reply to a question as to the truth of
this statement. Wild replied: "Irefuse
to,answer that question; ltaln't got moth
ing TO do with this case. ain't on trial
here" He finally admitted that he had
said that he would have
Rather Killed Steele
than to have struck him. Because"
he said, IL could get justice in United
States court, but l can't get no justice
in a military court" "Did you ever
ioin the United States army under the
name of E. P. Ward?" asked the counsel
for the defendant. II object" said
the Judge advocate. ''on the ground
that that is irrelevant to this cast" ."The
spectators INDUCED in applause at this
position taken by the judge advocate.
After the attorneys argued the point,
the members of the court retired to an
ante-room to consider the question.
They returned after several minutes
absence and sustained the objection.
Lieut.. Crowder then asked permission
to bring into court one McComas, who
had known Wild under the alias of
N, ,rf r1afi To tIn
council chamber, and this time ruled in
favor of the defendant. MrComas was
then called in. and in his presence
Wild was asked if McComas was not his
(Wild's) sergeant in the Fifteenth in-
fantry. The question was not answered,
as the Judge advocate objected to the
question and the objection was sus-
tanned. Corporal Hiram Scott, who
had charge of Wild after his arrest, tes-
titled that he took Wild back to Steele's
house to obtain the missing cap. "What
was the prisoners demean0r at the
time?" asked the judge advocate.
"He Appeared Very Angry"
Cook replied. The witness was then
but was called back by the
Judge advocate, who inquired: ITO
whom did you refer when you said the
prisoner appeared angry?" 81 referred
to Lieut.. Steele; Wild seemed nervous:
that was all l noticed" The audience
again took occasion to applaud, show
ing their sympathy with the private.
The prosecution here rested the case,
and the defense asked for more time in
which to prepare for the presentation
of their case. The court was accord
ingly adjourned until tomorrow, when
it will meet at II a. ~, in the same
place.