The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-11-02
THE LAWS CASE.
Testimony as to Inins' ORenso-CoIonsl
lHnWkinA on she $ and.


lHnWkInA on ths and.
PlrrsBuRoH, Nov. l.-When court con-
vened to-day in the Iams case Lieuten-
ant Colonel j. b, X. streator, one Of the
defendants, was called to the stand.
He stated that the Tenth regiment, of
which he was in command on tho 2Srd
of last July, maintained guards and
pickets as in case of war. An aide
came to his tent on the afternoon OF
that day and announced that Mr. Prick
had been shot. The witness then gave
orders that the regiment be got in read
mess to move If necessary, and informed
some of his soldiers nearby OF what had
occurred. Shortly afterwards he heard
some one cry three cheers for the man
who shot Prick" The witness sent for
three members OF his regiment who
were close at hand, and asked them who
had cheered the assassin of Mr.. Prick.
They said it was the man who on the
day previous had been carrying log"
The witness then ordered the COM
panies assembled, and on the troops
falling in he said to them that he
thought he knew the guilty person, but
he wanted the man to speak for him
self, as he did. not think he meant it.
Iams then confessed that ne did it.
Witness asked Iams why he had said
such thing, and said that surely he
did not want TO voice the sentiments
OF an assassin. lams replied, II did it
because did not like Prick" He was
then sent to the guard house. lams
a 4 Il 20
a log as punishment for desertion from
guard duty. Witness then conferred
with Colonel Hawkins as to the punish-
ment to be inflicted, and the hanging
by the thumbs was then decided on.
Witness instructed DR.. Nef that lams
was to be cut down whenever the ply
sicians directed, and he especially said
that no physical injury was to be per-
mitted The doctor said that Iams was
sick from chewing tobacco, .whereupon
he was cut down. The case was then
formally reported to Colonel Hawkins,
brigade commander. Witness ordered
Iams head shaved and that lie be
drummed out of camp. The purpose
OF the punishment, witnesa said, was
to prevent the recurrence OF such
breach of discipline.
Attorney Iams conducted the cross.
examination but nothing additional was
brought out.
Col. Hawkins was then called to the
stand. His version OF the occurrences
on July % and "a did not differ materi-
ally from Col. Streator's. The latter
had said to witness that he was sorry
the trouble had occurred in company
Ak" owing to former difficulty in that
company. In witnesses opinion the
mode OF punishment was proper In
the late war, he said, he had seen such
more severe punishment for lighter Of
fences. Iams' offence, he said, was
mutiny, and he had seen men shot dead
for that Col. Streator's action was in
accordance with United States army
customs. Attorney Iams in cross-ex-
animation, "Why was ex-Private lams
not given discharge paper2"
Colonel Hawkins-It was not needed. 4
The official order was all that was ne
cessary.
Attorney Iams-The national guard
act provides for a discharge and this
question is to show malice in not giving
him one.
Attorney Iams then said: "Tsee in one
OF your reports you call Mr.. Frick a
law-abiding citizen. Where did you get
that information?"
81 knew that he vas not in Jail or
locked up, and that was my reason for
so stating"
Court here adjourned.