Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1891-05-19


\ few ~ your reader. arr now Twins
" ho innhtless remember the grand old
"musters" that usci "a come ~ at Souil
Psri. AMI other portions ~ OXFORD
County. They were connected With the
oll organizations ~ the Mslue Militia
rrgimrnts. brigade. and divisions. Mus
ter Was always great day with th,
bovs ani girls too. Who always attended
mprr or lcs. These big occasions cam
regularly oure a year; but not so Will
",ouri. marital" for the trial ~ comls
.lpncd ofllc,r., for those were III,
angels ,l.lis, few and FAR between.
one ~ these lat n,mc,l occasion.
came % at IIethel lllll In Msrrh, lsii
The court room vas the hall ~ the vi
hgr hotel. then kept by forlyce 4. llur
hank, ani the hearing was . ptotracted
One anil Nas largely attended by spec
btor. snl Visltor.. II ~. one ~ th'
"big times" that nos and then turn az
w country village.
The court Nas compo.cd 10 John =.
Perry. Maipr-Gencral IL the 9Th Division
~ the Mlllii, - Maine, President; Jas,
lIrr.cy, Colonel ~ the 90 Regiment, 1t
Bdg,ic ani Gth Division; anh william
Trip, Colonel II the ith Regiment, 1T
Bhg, ,dc u the 9Th Division. associate
msmber.. Nal. Isaac Randall va. hi
vision advocate. ,htrles ". Walton.
nov Judge ~ the SUPREME Judicial
Court, was hy the court appolntci Mar
shil and Orirrly officer. MAJ. Randall
spp-arri q. prosecuting officer. ani th"
r-sponieut Was defended by Mo.s. H.
I,sftlrtt. Esq., aud John VI. Eu.ti., Esg.,
Nho held a special poScr ot attorney
frum the respondent for that purpose.
rhls court vs. couVrn~,l a. try Jamc'
4. Brtn, Colonel of 10. 1T Regiment, 81
brigade ln the 6th Division ~ the Mlliti'
~ Maine. on charges ~ neglect II duty
and unmilItary conduct" lhese charg.
.. we're made "n the complaint of t."org'
I,uruhsm aud ChtTlr. Grover, IT., I'm,
Ign. ln sti regiment. IN. trial va.
conducted und"f military ful-., without
reference a. the civil cuir. ani a. q mat
ter uf rour.r, many sharp question. Ner,
rtisvl hy cuuns.l ou bath .ii-..
One little Incident u we'll remembered
hy The writer. Mtrshtl Walton, then a
Young man, Whilr listening tn .ome ~
ii.- lively tilt. hgtsr-n Randall anil
lttrtlrtt uIpn question. ~ Law, felt that
BE- cuuli ali Ma. l,,ni,ll by pitching IN
himself. ind without objection from ih'
other siir. h. was permitted by ia" coufi
a. do Il during nearly III Que forenoon
i.fo. ntulgtt .ppn found he va. b"ing
sor.trI by Nal Randall. s.soyiti'
counsel and At the comiug in 10 the uoufi
in the afternoon obj",tc,l to the MIR.
s'nf. fuuh"r appearance as council,
The ruurt, much against ". in,liniilon,
.u.tsinrl the objection a. sound military
aN, sni M-..r. Bartlett aud Eu.,i. frli
they had got rid of q troublesome l"gal
ad,-rsary,
\ large numl-r ~ wiin-..c. were eN-
amin-,i, anl the trial lasted se-k and
~. Waited hy rroad. II spectator. frum
Bethel nni adjolning town.. Able argu'
mcuts we're prrssu,r'l by Maj. Randall,
Tor the prosecution, aud by Nr. Bartlett,
fur ~" respondent.
The couTt found col. Ran guilty II
The nr.t aud second specifications of ih'
fr.t charge and net guilty ~ the third,
anl guilty 81 the fret ani thlri sp-rih-
rsiinn. ~ The SECOND charge and not
guilty ~ the .rcond The charge. .u.'
hinci wrfr for not notifying . .uborii-
nate lieutenant II the di.,hkrge Of the
captain ~ hi. company, not furnishing
IN. proper oflicrr. with blanks, carrying
hi. rrgimentil review aud muster away
from the central point, and selllng oul
The right. ~ hl. soldier. aud ordering
them Ia meet ~ . place Whs~e b" could
obtain the hlghr.t price. For thc.c OF
f.n.e. the court ordered the respondent
a. b. removed frpm ofiicr. Thus com
menccd aui ended thl. exciting military
trial.
\ great deal hi. been said AMI written
against the military organizations oi
Malnc a.. they cNi.t-i half century agn
New schsms. aud system. have been
introduced ani put In prctlc" slncr,
Yet believe an impartial lnSe,iigitiur
viii sustain this assumption that th'
ndiilry spirii aa,Hg ils Tsopls has never
lp-,n kept up a. lt was Ia ''yc Oldci
tunes" The abolition of the mlliii
muster. and training. has taken FROM
the m,s.e. some ot their beat prlIei hol'
I, ay. and tended to Kill out that .plri'
~ Independence 40 necessary "a th"
miiuirnlncc ot free government, sus'
tiinci by the vote. 10 frc. people.
J. T..