San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-01-31
Lawlerg Can in the first witness"


table. Private Goss. with untrimmed
beard and an air of general dilapidation,
was sworn by the judge advocate, gave
ms name, rank, regiment, ETC., and re-
sponded, IN answer to LAWYERS question,
that he did know the accused very well.
What do you want to ask the wit
ness?" said LAWYER in tone as much as
to say, What could you ask that would
be of any earthly account?
state where and how long YOU have
known Private Welsh, c troop, Eleventh
cavalry" We're the words on the pen
ciled slip. and Lawler read them grudg-
ingly.
1--WE known him six or eight years.
Knew him when he enlisted in the
Iwenty-third, where he went by the
name OF Webster. Served with him at
Fort Wayne until he got 'bobtair
discharge, and when | got mine went
TO ms home in Ohio and hunted him up.
He owed me money, but he was no
good-couldn't pay it. His people
wouldn't do anything more for him. He
was Mrs. Blauvelt's nephew, but she had
about got tired of trying to support him,
so we came away and enlisted again. in
the cavalry service this time, and then
he got things fixed to go into Blauvelt's
troop for both of US.
what was your reason for deserving
here while awaiting trial?" was the next
question.
"Well, both Welsh and Schonberg
told me / was bound to be convicted.
Everything pointed to my being Corp.
Brents slugger, though swear to God
| never left the barracks that night.
They said if didn't get away before the
court tried me l might get several years
in state prison at hard labor, and worse
still if he didn't recover. Welsh and
Schonberg both said that there was no
show for me. the evidence was so clear,
even to the red pepper in the pockets.
Some scoundrel put it there, and wore
my things. too. Welsh got put into the
guard room, purposely, opposite my cell,
and threw a stone with string through
the grating, and | hauled ON it and got
a letter from him and Schonberg telling
me how to escape. There were saws
and tallow in the package drew in, and
Schonberg was down in the bottom with
buggy after | got out, and he drove
me nearly all night around by way of
Barclay TO the other road, and sent me
by rail to Omaha, where he promised
that plenty of money would come to me;
but no money came at all, and | was
recognized and arrested by the police"
clad you any idea that there were
other reasons for getting you to desert
than the one given?"
Lawler bounced up and objected to
both question and answer; but both were
ordered recorded.
Il hadnt-then," was the sullen re-
ply; "Fm not so sure now. That Jew
got me to go because l accused him of
being a receiver of stolen property. 1t
was to him Welsh gave the papers he
took from the lieutenant's desk in Capt.
Blauvelt's quarters. | went there with
him one night after taps when the lieu
tenant was officer of the guard, and
Schonberg gave Welsh ten dollars and
me five to keep mum. After that Welsh
began to run with Schonberg entirely
and turn against me, and it was through
him that was always getting into trou-
ble."
in vain Lawler propounded questions
ss-,ding to show his witness, thus as
sailed, in better light; but the more he
examined the more damaging was Goss's
testimony. At last the witness slouched
a,,f ,,,,Ia,. acnnrk 20 n COS, final
But a greater sensation still was await
ing the patient listeners in the court
room. The next man to enter, leaning
heavily on the arm of the hospital stew
ard, and accompanied by DR.. ngersoll,
was Corp. Brent, looking white and
feeble, but very calm and self possessed.
"Give your full name, rank and regi-
ment," said the judge advocate, without
looking up.
"The name under which | enlisted is
Malcolm Brent, corporal Company c,
til Infantry"
1.-THE court will note, trust, the sim
gular character of the witnesses intro
duced by the accused" said Lawler
promptly The last, by his own ad-
mission, is a thief and a deserter whom
Welsh very properly essayed to cut loose
from on discovering his real character:
and now we have second who plainly
intimates that the name he gives is not
his own" .. ..r
at is the OLE by which he is known to
military law all the same, Col. LAWYER.
Please to proceed, said Col. Grace testify.
"You know the accused, presume, or
he would not have called upon your" was
LAWYERS swapping query of the witness.