New-York tribune., 1890-07-01
OTHER CASES on HAND.

The court of inquiry appointed by Adjutant-
General Porter to investigate the trouble in tha
eth Regiment has made its report, and not only
fully eXoneratcs Captain Allen, but recommends
that charges he preferred against Lieutenant Pat
terSon, of Company d. The Pattcrson-Allen quar-
rel was the first scandal which has appeared in the
eth Regiment in long time, and Intellectual
efforts were made to prevent court being or
dered. The charges were of such grave nature.
however, and Lieutenant Patterson forced his
case with such persstency, that court was
finally ordered to investigate them. They have
proved a boomerang TO the doughty Lieutenant.
however, and they are liable TO he as dangerous
d weapon for Lieutenant Patterson on the back
ward stroke as he could have wished TO have them
for Captain Allen when he first hurled them az
the atter'S reputation
Lieutenant Patterson charged Captain Allen
with stealing from the pocket of coat hanging
IA his locker in Company DIS room in the eth
Re-irent Armory certain papers, the contents OF
which, if made public, would be exceedingly de-
rpeat0ry 20 Captain Aliens reputation The
tlcft was aeged to have been committed on
a drill night last fall. Lieutenant Pat
terson departed from the armory before
Captain Allen did, forgetting TO return
10 the latter a book on riot drill tactics which,
early in the evening. After Patterson had gone
Allen searched for the book, and looked for IL
in the lieutcnants locker to which he had
key, as he had to all the other lockers in the
company room. dozen men We're looking on
the time, and all but the coiOred porter told
the same story as to what Captain Allen did
while searching in the locker. The porter said
that the captain put his hand in the pocket Of
the lieutenants coat, raised some papers less than
an inch, dropped them back again and then locked
the door lie distinctly declared that Captain
Allen did not take any papers out Of the pocket.
The other witnesses swore that Captain Allen
did not put his hand in the coat pocket, buu
simply looked through the locker, and not finding
the book, closed the door and locked IL. Then, in
company with three or four officers and men, mem-
bcrS of the company, he departed FROM the armory,
and the men we've all together until 80 o'clock
tho next morning. Meantime, according to his
own story. Lieutenant Patterson mad returned
10 the armory at midnight 10 look for the missing
papers, but they were not TO be found. Ihe
testimony Of the colored porter constituted tho
foundation Of Lieutenant PattersOns case when
H. came before tie court OF inquiry, and conSe-
Quenty 1t fell 70 the ground, because his only
witness testified distinctly to just eAacty the con-
trary to what Lieutenant Patterson wished to
prove His counsel then tried TO prove that
Captain Allen had taken the papers for the reason,
as ne alleged, that he had motive for doing so,
ana consequently, he c0utended, II was Simply an
impossibiity for any else 20 have u ken them.
The court which listened 70 this evidence was
composed OF Blcadler-General Louis Fitzgerald,
Colonel d. F.. Austen, of the 18th Regiment, and
Major +. Duffy, Of the 69ih Regiment After
hearing tie testimony il did hot take lon9 for
them To- reach the decision now in the Adutant-
Generals hands, which fully eXonerates Captain
Allen and recommends that charges be preferred
against Lieutenaut Patterson. just what tho
uature of these charges will be he's not yct been
decided upon, b'r they are PROBABLY embraced
IN paragraphs one and eighteen OF section - Of
the Military Code. which treats ot making false
charges against an officer.
Upon conviction under these sections the pens
atty is that thc guilty one may be cashiered. in
appreciated from holding any military commission,
fined to any amount not exceeding 500, or repri-
mandcd. or all or either. in the discretion OF the
court before whom he is tried
1t is the present intention Of General Head
quarters 10 continue the court which is al present.
trying Captain Ryan. of the Goth Regiment. and
of which Colonel fIcman Dowd, Of the 9TH Regi-
ment is president until all the difficulties in The
First Brigade are settled The troubles seem 10 be
arising al present faster than that court Is dis
posiug of them and unless o:l IS thrown on the
troubled waters The court will have 10 be made
a permanent Institution.