Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-03-21

Or any lcvity at attempted witticisms on
the part of the accused will not be toll
Grated"
| But Hearn's face wore provokingiy
placid smile, and the president. rapping
on the table with the hilt of his sword,
called for silence and CURLY demanded
of the judge advocate that he proceed
with the case.
| Not ten feet from where Mr.. Hearn
sat by his little table. wherein were his
memoranda and few books, Georgia
Marshall, with sparkling eyes and flushed
cheeks, bent and whispered to Mrs.
Lane:
''One for our side"
And Mrs. Wharton, catching the eve
of some friends across the room, very
improperly tapped the back of her kid
! covered thumb nails together in mute
applause. The press and the populace
| might be with the prosecution. but it
was easy TO sec that there were loyal and
| lavish hearts there stanch for the de-
Tense
The court had not been authorized to
sit without regard to hours. Lawler
argued that in :. case of such widespread
interest the sessions should be held when
1t would be most convenient for the
world at large to attend. and by adjourn
ing at 3 p. m, the conventional hour.
all good citizens would be able to get
home In abundance of time. secure In
the belief that nothing would transpirc
before they could return to their post of
observation OF the morrow. Nothing of
?
IT, first day beyond the ceremony OF
swearing the court, which Lawler rem
deI'el IS Impressive as possible. the adj
taini5tering of the judge advocates oath.
Uaich Col. Grace ratified through in a
,Tt 1nctory style that robbed the legal
geltlclaIa of the dramatic effect he had
contemplated. and The reading of the
charges and specifications. which were
DreathlcSGly listened TO by the thronS
and most oratorically delivered by the
Judge advocate. There was something
especially fine in the air with which he
turned and faced the soldierly young of
i.cer. Who, il his trim fatigue uniform.
stood opposite 10 him 1T tho table.
TO the first specification Of the first
charge. how say you. sir-Euiltv o. not
guilty:
And. in tho simplest way in the world.
the answer came II tones sufficiently
clear ~ tr a-ilihio bcyoal the opea win
dow.
''Nc- r.--l-~."
AHI "" ID each &c. gva-. sa,.,ieGtioa
and to the charges ~ conduct unbccom.
lHS an Olicer and gentleman. and of
conduct prcJudicial II good order and
military discipline, Lieut.. Hcarn calmly
protested his entire innocence. and the
pleas Were duly recorded.
Then Col. Lawler announced that in
view of the Importance AMI probable
length Of the case he desired the services
OF stenoSrapher and requested the
authority of the court 10 call one il.
The president looked perturbed. stenog-
raphers We're expensive. and the last
court he was on had been raped over
the knuckles FOR employing one. al
though the record exceeded a hundred
and fifty pages IL length.
How long viii yC-I need one. and
how soon can you set him here" asked
Col. Grace
well, we can get through with the
case III q very short time with a stenog-
rapher. but it will take 4 week AZ least
without one" He did not say. however.
that he bad one already in the room. in
the shape of newspaper man from
Chicago. Some of the court began to
consult among themselves.
Make him write his own proceed
ings," whispered Col Maitland 10 the
president. BY CAD. he was probably
the man that raped your court for EN-
ploying one there at Omaha last month"
Then he scrubbed line and tossed the
scrap of paper over to Maj. Putnam ON
the other side. and passed word down to
Capt. Thorp, who had been judge advo-
cate OF the court il question. 1t was
evident the members thought that
here was an admirable chance to
work the luuge advocate. thing sell
dom enjoyed; and at last old Grace.
cumming and having a little said that
the court could not see the necessity, in
view of the remarks made by division
headquarters on recent case, and must
for the present decline the request.
Whereat Col. Lawler. in manifest i'll
humor. remarked that ne could be safely
would not he approved by the division
commander. and that, if the court would
not order it, he would get the order by
telegraph.
All right" said the president, and
mean time well proceed without one. /
suppose YOU are ready with your first
witness. Mr.. Judge Advocate:'
IF the court insists. yes hut | prefer
to wait until | hear from the telegram
which | am now writing"
I'VE had better so right ahead" ST..
Col. Grace.
And so, amid profound silence, the
name of the first witness was called. and
with the eyes of the entire room upon
him. neatly dressed. cleanly shaved, and
looking his very best. Trooper Welsh
was ushered in from the outer gallery.
was sworn impressively by Lawler, and
was asked for his name, rank and regi-
ment, and whether he knew the accused.