Evening journal., 1892-07-26
TIE PUNISHMENT OF IAMs.
70 Raises storm of Indignation and
Assumes "a National Aspect.

Assumes "a NntluuNl Aspect.
HOMESTEAD, Pa, July 2G-An indirect
result Of the shooting of Mr.. FriclS has
given Homestead it's one existing topic 1t
is the case OF W. t. lams the private officer
Of Company X, Tenth regiment, who
shouted, "Hurruh for the man that did itn
when told of the act of Berlman, and as a
punishment was strung up by his thumbs,
bad one side of his head and half his mus
tache shaved and was drummed ont Of
camp Ia addition 20 this disgrace the sem
tence carries with IL dishonorahle discharge
from the National guard and denial Of the
fright 20 enlist ia the federal army and the
rights of citizenship The lnms case threat
ems 20 become national Homestead people
talkcd of nothing else. Even the return OF
Hugh ODonnell after his release from
prison on $4,000 bail was snbordinated by
this topic
a perfect storm Of indignation has been
raised by the treatment of Iams ana letters
md kilograms donouncing the treatment of
the young man have been received in Home
stead, IN Pittshuig and by the governor of
Pennsylvania. One of the protests to Gov
ernor Pattison was from the Washington
correspondents Of Pennsylvania asking for
the removal Of Lieutenant Colonel Sueator,
who ordered the punishment of Iums. When
Colonel Streator was told Of this he said 1T
these correspondents came over 90 his camp
and made any such reasonable remarks as
those made by lams he would treat them
in the way he had treated Inms
National Gunrdsmen Indignant.
Young lams threatens TO bring suit
against Colonel strcator and Major General
Snowden, but tins is by no means the most
uapfat4a nust.ttN .r 4lt. ..u.a ,.I-.t l 49,.
It has caused much feeling in the National
guard, particularly among the rank and file.
and members of the Tenth regiment are nu-
thority for the statement that Company X,
to which lams belonged, will have 10 be dis
banded, because It's men do not intend TO
re-enlist after their present terms of enlist
ment have expired Several Tenth regi-
ment men made this statement TO United
Press reporter
Officers Of the troops almost generally ap-
prove Colonel Streators action. Colonel
Case, of the Fourth regiment, told his men
that il any of them indulged in any iuhila-
tion over BerSman's crime he would trent
them the same way. But IL Colonel Case
had heard the expressions of some Of his
soldiers to a United Press reporter he would
have discovered that they did not share bis
opinion approving the humiliating punish-
ment accorded Private lams. They con-
demned lams remarks, but thought his
punishment brutal and outrageous
Officers OF lams regment-the Tenth
were seemingly unit in upholdng Colonel
streator They grew heated In their con-
demnaton Of the disgruced private and
lauded their commander for his action II
many OF the officers think lams was treated
harshly they failed to say 80. A few OF
them, however, made comments not fat
tering 90 Streator's nction
lalns, the disgraced man. came to Home
stead from Pittsburg whore ne spent the
sight He was looking for Colonel Slroator
He crossed the river to the camp of the
Ionth and was told that Colonel Streator
had crossed TO the other side. Iams came
back but did not find the colonel He then
went back TO pittshurg.
No Court Martial WAS Held.
81 was lying in front of Colonel Streator's
tent, said lams, "whon the news came that
Fncll had been shot / shouted out. 'Hur-
rah for the man that shot him ? in q Thought
loss manner"
lams said he did not like Frick but that
he would have retIacted what be said had
he been asked TO do so in q geutlemanly
manner. 81 am an American citizen and i
] propose to take civil action to have this
outrage nghted. Nearly an the men aud
many of the officers sympothize with me.
/ While was in the gumdhouse some OF the
officers sent me beer and lunch The
+ boys of my own company sent more beer
and an offer OF financial assistance in prose-
cutng sroator"
The most interesting question i'm the case
Is whether corporal punishment can be in-
hicted on a soldier in militia camp under
any circumstance, even when martial law
is IN force, and whether sentence such as
that passed on lams could be legally exc
cuted without the forma.ity of a court mar
tial, for it is certain that If a court martial
was held it was not regular, for Iams was
not brought before it and had no chance to
mako a defense.
General SnowdCn was asked by the re.
porter whether court martial had been
held. He said that bis understanding was
that lams had been convicted by such a
tribunal. He would not express an opinion
as to the lustness of the punishment That
WIS "A matter, ne said, within Colone
Sueator's jurisdiction Colonel Hawkins
the provisional hrigadier, said that no courl
martial was held because Iams had acknowi
edged his guilt