St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-06-02
Nancy BECAME EXCITED
DURA G THE cR0SS-EXAMLWA7I ON or
LIEUT.. MAXWELL.
BARR sCoacHEs MAXWELL.

cuSC Been lrleO Dy court
Martial on the Charges of
Disobedience .'"Absent With
ont Leave," and,,"D uplication."
So far as the public sessions are con-
cerned. the Nancy court martial IS fast
drawing to a close. But with the fleet
ing hours the interest of the sessions
has increased in intensity, and yester-
day afternoon. for the first time since
the beginning occurred, there was a
legal Squabble between counsel on both
sides.
The long.eXpected witness, Lieut..
Maxwell. arrived, and was on hand at
the opening of court. He was a much
wanted witness by the defense. and had
examination. Judge Advocate Barr did
not Spare him in the course of his aues-
tloniug, but failed to materially alter
the result of the testimony.
AT the opening of court Nancy was
called to the stand to listen TO the read
ing of his testimony of the previous day.
This consumed the greater part of the
forenoon hours. AS oon as the reading
was finished Nancy requested that a
number of minor changes be made in
the notes of the stenographer, which
was done.
Col. Barr then put a few more ques-
ions to the defendant for the purpose
of bringing out the fact why he did not
report the threats made by Capt. He'd
berg to his commanding officer. 10 this
the witness replied that he did intend
to do so as soon as he could have gath
cred sufficient evidence To sustain them
before a court martial. 1t had occurred
to him that a partial report would ap-
pear as exaggerated in view Of possible
denials and statements which the de-
ceased might make, and the matter
would resolve itself INTO a question be-
tween them. A partial measure of dis
cipline would only have made matters
worse, and a compromise settlement
would have been of no avail. In the
condition OF mind in which Hedberg
was at that time he would have been a
more dangerous man than ever, so far
as defendant wa concerned.
On question by the court why he
did uot report the threats of which he
had been informed by Lieut.. Maxwell
OH the morning Of Oct. 81 TO Col. Croft
ton, Nancy replied: Il desired to
further see Lieut.. Maxwell and obtain
all the information possible to substan-
tiate any charges l desired to prefer.
No opportunity had offered itself to do
so between morning and the time that
the fatal meeting took place. l had in
mind to seek Lieut.. Maxwell, and did
not anticipate any meeting with Capt.
Hedberg that day."
After the noon recess Nancy was
again questioned by the court on the
matter of failing to report the circum-
stances TO his post commander, He re-
piled: 1.-The fact OF Capt. Hedberg's
trial and reinstatement into the army
had assured him of a belief that he was
a victim of persecution. l was averse
to bringing any charges unless accom-
panied by in~controvertible evidence
and proofs to sustain them. as other
wise that belief would have been
strengthened, and another trial would
have been so construed by himself and
his friends"
Lieut.. Maxwell was then called as a
witness. On direct examination he re-
lated his meeting with Capt. Hedberg.
and how lie afterward Informed the &C
cused of the statements made by the
deceased. Nancy was very busy that
morning and in a hurry, and he desired
to see him again on the subject, so he
left the Office and expected to take up
the matter again later. No time had
been agreed upon for a future meeting.
Maxwell was put under a severe cross
fire. Judge Advocate Barr asked him:
.'Knowing the seriousness of the matter,
why did you not remain and tell the
accused all the details of the AFFAIR.""
To this witness replied: 81 believe |
| had some particular business that called
me away. Lieut.. Nancy, who was act
ing adjutant, was very busy, and there
were a large number Of officers in the
room. l did not wish to discuss the
matter too publicly. Hedberg had
made his threats about six days before.
l did not at first place much reliance
upon them, but. after thinking the mat
ter over, concluded that Nancy had
better be Informed. l believed the men
werc friends, and did moi wish to be.
mixed up in the affair. Did not discuss
| the subject with any of the officers"
"How did Capt. Hedberg ONE to
make his statements to you"
"The conversation began by a remark
of mine III which l said to Hedberg that
he had an easy time of it, having moth
ing to do but act as officer of the day
once in a while. He became very angry
at this, and said that he was as able an
officer as any at the post. He had
thought that Capt. Chaplin and Lieut..
Nancy were his friends, but had found
down him right along and-he'd kill
that Nancy yet. He pulled a revolver
from his pocket and put it on the desk.
l took 1t up and said it was a pretty
good gun and rather dangerous. He re-
piled, Yes, and l know how to use it.
And what's more, I've got a knife up
home, and Tll cut his liver OUT"
The Judge advocate then asked wit.
ness if the shooting had been discussed
by the officers at the table of the mess.
Witness replied that all seemed anXIons
to avoid the subject. 1t might have
been casually referred to, but was not
He had said to Lieut.. Blow that he be.
lieved the1e was strong reasons why
Nancy killed the captain at the time he
did. The accused had told him on the
evening of the homicide not to. say
anything about it to any one. That was
at Mauey's quarters. There was no
one present at the interview, and Nancy
seemed excited.
Col. Barr questioned the witness
about his trial by court martial, which
has just been concluded, and he ad-
mitted that he had been tried under the
t%wenty-hrst, sixty-frst and sixty-second
artioIao nf War TIM qualification
were: Disobedience to orders, absent
without leave and duplication of his
pay accounts. This line of examina-
finE WAS carried ON to soma extant for