The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-11-02
Az rNsANONY RECORD.

Army Career OF Captain Hedherg, Who
Was Shot by Lieutenant Mnhey ut Fort
sheridan Monday.
FoRr SHERIDAN, Ills, Now l.-Capt
Alfred He1berg, OF Company |, Fifteenth
United States Infantry, stationed here,
who was shot and kiifed by Lieutenant
Nancy, ouartermaster OF the regiment,
on Monday, had an unsavory record.
lie was verv unpopular officer Eand
had but few friends.
Captain lledDerg was tried by gem
erQl court marital at Santa te, n, NJ,
on August s, 1873, on the charge oil sell
ing government property and convert
ing the money to his own use. a sec
ond charge against him was Conduct
unbecomingan otliceraud gentleman"
The first aud second specifications I'M
der this charge are not published in the
official record. for certain reasons. The
third specification was lying. Back OF
this charge was Second Lieut. H. L.
Ryan. Another charge was Conduct
to the prejudice and good order of mil
itary discipline" 1t was charged that
the captain absented himself from his
post and by neglect OF duty allowed two
privates TO desert. Robbing his COM
pany oil SO and his regiment OF $3.50
we're the other charges. He pleaded
not guilty.
The court found him guilty and sem
fenced him to be dismissed from the
service, to refund the money, and to be
confined one year in the penitentiary.
The sentence OF imprisonment was re-
mitted by the President, and as the SEN
tence to refund Twas unauthorized by
law it was stricken out. The dishonora-
Bile dismissal sentence stood, and He'd
berg ceased TO be an officer vi the army.
During President CleveIand's first ad-
ADMINISTRATION Captain Hedberg was rein
stated.
In March, 1892, Captain Hedberg was
rescued from drowning in the lake by
private. Afterwards he prepared
charges against the private Tor not ef-
fecting the rescue in manner BETTING
the officers dignity. The charges were
dismissed.
On March % he preferred charges
against James Hanson, u private in
company +, for absence from two calls.
1t is the usual custom to take the off nd
or before what is known as 'sun-
ond ranking officer OF the post. The
officer has power OF inhicting light fines
and guard-house duty for short time.
Instead OF bringing Hanson before the
Summary" court Hedberg preferred
general charges and he was brought be-
fore court-martial. When Hanson
appeared he was surprised to find Capt.
Hedberg sitting as president OF the
court.
Private Driscoii, shrewd Irishman,
acted as counsel Tor the prisoner, When
asked II lie objected TO any member Of
the counsel, he said:
~ object to the presence in court Of
Capt. Alfred HsdberC, on the ground
that he has been convicted by a military
court OF lying and theft, and that on
these charges he was dishonorably dis
missed IRON the service and sentenced
to one year in the penientiary. 10
eoTroborate would submit to the court
copy OF general court martial No. 4, OF
series OF 1879, While EIedberg was
captain at Fort Cummings, n NJ, in
1878, he embezzled 5000 OF his COM
pany's money, and at the same time,
by conspiring with u contractor. he de-
frauded the government of $500 On
both these charges he was convicted.
He was dismissed from the service in
disgrace, but his penitentiary sentence
was cancelled. jecs to having my
client tried by court OF which u man
Of such character is member"
Whom Drlscoll finished Captain He'd
berg was allowed two days to answer
the charges. Then he preferred a
charge OF libel against Driscoll. He'd
berg did notattemptto deny the charges,
but asked that Driscoll be disbarred as
attorney. Hedberg was successful, and
DriscolI was disbarred. Hanson was
then tried and sentenced 10 the guard
house. So much feeling was aroused by
the charges against Driscoll that the
matter was finally dropped.