The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1892-07-07
KOONS VS. CLARK.
MRS. ADA = =. CLARK GETS HER FINAL
SENTENCE IN THE FAMOUS COURT
MARTIAL CASE.

It Is to Pay over the Money Taken for
Advertising in the Roster. $37 --and
to Stand Suspended for Five Years.
Observations on the verdiot-This is
the Probable End.
On Saturday the Evening Rep. took In
a big dish of crow, aud published dis
patch from Delevan, H., giving the
verdict of the Court M irtial in the famous
case of Koons VS. Clark. This was q big
scoop on the News DEMOCRAT, and we
acknowledge 1t in humiliation, not
unmixed with envy. Still we shall not
weep. II must have been n blooming
surprise to that small circle of Repository
readers, who have never believed the
various state ments touching this remark
able case. as published from time TO time
in the NEWS DEMoCRAT. For this and
other reasons we are glad the Evening
Rep, first published the Anal verdict In
this remarkable case. Less than two
months ago we gave statement to the
public that Mrs. Clark had been found
guilty as charged, but we did not then
print all the information at hand, as IL
might have embarrassed Mrs. Sue Pike
Sanders, the National President In her
official duties, as the reviewing officer OF
the Court. We knew from q conversation
held in the hearing OF one OF our reporters,
that the Court that tried Mrs. Clark
were unanimous in holding that the
charges were all sustained, but we're di.
vided on the question OF penalty, or pun
ishment.
In the s.DEMooRAT Of May %, 1892,
we published the true verdict of the
Court, under the heading, "Guilty as
Charged" Iu giving our basis for this
statement we said:
"Our reporter gathered from the con-
(Uh oh In In
some OF which he did not hear), that all
the members of the Court found Mrs.
Clark guilty as charged, but there was u
diversiIy OF opinion as TO the sentence. 1t
is unnecessary to print all eur reporter
caught, on the fly as IL were, but we feel
warranted in saying that the Court of In
quiry found Mrs. Clark guilty as charged.
Il is not material what the sentence Is, so
that the principle is established that no
member OF the W. II. G. has any right to
use soldier charity money for personal
gain.n
In the Repository on the evening preyi-
GUS Mrs. Clark appeared In an interview,
In which she appeared to labor under the
impression that she had been acquitted.
0t the Court she said. (See Repository
MayN
II was favorably impressed with the la :
dies who came here and conducted the
N quiry, l feel that the case was as fairly
conducted as the time and circumstances
would permit. Had the time been longer
the testimony might have been fuller and
m msre complete, but am satisfied with the
manner In which it was conducted. The
ladies who assisted me left last evening.
They were satisfied with the Court of In
quiry, and are very sanguine OF the final
outcome"
It may be interesting now to add few
Of tbs pointers gathered by our reporter,
from the conversation of the two members
of the Court, who left Canton on the same
tial adjourned. Our reporter learned on
this occasion. ~ That the Court unami-
mously found Mrs. Clark guilty. (2). On
punishment two members Of
the Court voted for dis.
honorable discharge, two voted
for five years suspension and one mem
Der voted for two years. The verdict
five years suspensioD) was finally agreed
to, UNANIMOUSLY as q compromise, after
much discussion.
We hear different views expressed on
the verdict. The Canton organ of Mrs.
Clark will doubtless give an editorial
opinion on the verdict very soon. This
should be done in justice to the readers of
that paper, as none OF the proceedings in
the case, not even the resolutions adopted
at the State convention at Piqua, have
ever been printed in the Rep. rhe Rep
also suppressed the news Of Mrs. Clark's
suspension as State Counselor al Piuua,
and all the other important facts in this
very remarkable case.
We see, however, by n Canton special
printed in the Cleveland Leader (which
was sent from the Rep ofRce) that the
sentence of Mrs. Clark is regarded in
Canton as entirely too severe, and that IL
was great surprise.
This indicates that the editor of the Rep
did not read the NEWS DEMoCBAT of May
49, 1892, in which we gave the true verdict
of the court, "Guilty as charged" Boa on
the question of public opinion, the state
ment has value, as indicating the
feelings of Mrs. Clarks closest
friends, on the justice OF the
verdict. They undouotedly think the
sentence 10 too severe. The NBWs.DET
oCRAT has only endeavored TO print the
facts in this celebrated case, without any
TO prejudice public opinion
either way. The public will now see that
we have only published the facts and that
. court OF the most eminent women in
the Woman's Relief Corps in the United
States,a court entirely satisfactory 10 Mrs.
Clark, has fully viDdicated our Judgment
Iu the case. Mrs. Clark now has an ap-
peal so the National Convention, which
meets in Washington, ID. o., early in Sep
.ember. We express the opinion thar she
will not appeal, as the National Couven-
hon will never take up the case, after 1t
has been heard by a competent court,
made up Of the m ,st eminont women of
he order.
We yisk nothing, however, in the opin-
on that the case ia ended.
The next question is, what will become
, The remnants OF the w. r. C. of Canton.