The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1892-08-03
The Other Side of the Iams case

]
The stories that have come from Home
stead have all represented Private Iams as
the victim of extreme cruelty. 1t is but
fair to give the other side of the case, which
is done by Adjutant Sheldon B. Hayes, of
Iams' regiment. Adjutant Hayes witnessed
the punishment from beginning to end.
Says he:
When news of the attempted assassina-
ton reached camp, the men were lounging
in front of provisional headquarters and
Colonel Streator was sitting in front of his
tent. Some one told the news to the group
under the tree and Iams, throwing up his
hands, shouted, Boys, three cheers for the
man who shot Fnck"
The Colonel heard him and ordered the
whole regiment into line and said: Some
one thoughtlessly uttered reasonable words
few moments ago. / am 10th to think
that there is one man in the Tenth Regi-
ment who would give expression TO such
sentiments, knowing the consequences.
Now want the man who said, Three cheers
for the man who shot Frick, to step to the
front"
With an air of brayado and defiant
smile on his face Iams stepped out and said,
Colonel, did it,
Certainly, Iams, you said it in a joke,
did you not ?'
No, sir, did not"
Why did you say it,
Because hate Frick."
He was then ordered TO the guard house,
and after a consultation with his officers he
was ordered by Colonel Streator to be tied
up by the thumbs, under the direction of
Major Surgeon Neff and Doctors Ullom and
Grim. The order from Colonel Streator was
that he was to be m ade to suffer, but that
no physical injury was to be done him. He
was tied up, but was not lifted off the
ground he was able at any time, so loosely
was he suspended, that he could have borne
his full weight upon the ground. He, how
ever. shifted his weight from one foot to the
other and the punishment simply consisted
Of the culprit's having to keep his arms sus-
pended, which, Of course, was rather pain
ful. After being strung up he asked one of
the surgeons for chew oftobacco which re-
quest was granted, and at the end of nine
teen minutes, when released, said, - wish
l had not swallowed that tobacco juice, it
has made me somewha; sick
At no time, reports 10 the contrary not
withstapding, was Iams unconscious.
Every member of the National Guard
takes solemn oath to uphold the Constitu-
ton Of the Nation and State and that he
will not give aid or comfort to the enemies
of either. Iams became a traitor when he
sought TO breed a spirit Of mutiny among
those who were called into camp to sup
press crime. He was a fit subject for Sc
we're punishment. The only question has
been as to the manner in which that pun
ishment should have been inflicted. So far
as the man himself is concerned he is not TO
But had the colonel OF the regiment the
right to string him up by the thumbs and
pass summary judgment without the form
ality Of trial That is the contention. and
an official investigation should be held TO
establish that point for all future occasions.
Il IS not pleasing TO contemplate that in
these enlightened days it is possible for an
officer of the National Guard to take sum-
mary action and TO mete out brutal punish
ments, although in this case, if Adjutant
Hayes is to be believed, there was no bra
ialiiy to speak of. Still, it is Just as well to
have all such questions settled for all time.
Was Colonel StreatOr right or was he
wrong2 This is the whole question at issue.
We do not believe that he-had the authority
to take such summary action. But that is q
matter to be settle only after an official in
quiry. Meanwhile, no one need waste the
slightest sympathy on Private Iams. who.
had he belonged to the army in war times.
would have been shot for sleeping at his
post when en- guard daty. He is not the
kind Of material that the National Guard of
Pennsylvania cares 10 have within It's ranks.