Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1894-12-13

the soldier quarters, glad smile spread
over his erstwhile troubled face, for he
knew 1t must have come from Alice.
Raising a slice of cake from the bottom
Of the dish he discovered that it had
been concealing a folded piece of pa
per, and eagerly seizing 1t he ran to
the dim light of the grated window
and read these words:
you would have been less man in my eyes
had you acted otherwise admire you for re-
senting an insult from one lacking In manhood.
"A. s."
His heart throbbed with delight, and
he pressed the precious missive to his
lips again and again. Alice approved
his action, and he did not now fear any
punishment that might be for his Of
fensc. His one overshadowing fear
had vanished through the iron CRATES
of his prison window as he read the
blessed words traced by her beloved
hand, and the sentinel at the door was
astonished to hear him whistling n
merry air.
The proceedings of a court-martial
are always tedious, and the details in
the case of Private Brown will not be
here given. Every whit of available evil
dence was produced both by the prosccu-
tion and defense, the lieutenant's words
to Brown were testified to by the stable
attaches who heard them. and the ac-
cused was permitted to make n state
ment of the affair. His manly bearing
and straightforward testimony coupled
oil nd 10
manly attitude throughout the trial,
made great impression on the Judges,
and won for him many an approving
glance from the digniflcd officers who
composed the court Capt. Colby was
summoned to testify to the previous
character of the accused, and he grew
almost eloquent in his commendation
of Browns soldierly conduct since he
Joined the troop.
The findings of the court-martial
were duly made out, and sent to the
commander of the post for his APP
proval. Brown was found guilty OF
striking an officer, there was reference
to aggravating circumstances, and his
punishment was fixed at thirty days
confinement in the post guard house.
That love Of justice, which was a
marked characteristic of Col. Sanford's
nature, asserted itself while he had
the findings of the court under con-
sidcration. 1t is true that some out
side influences had been at work, but it
must not he assumed that they could
sway the stern old man in the enforce
ment of his strict ideas of military dis
cipline. Capt Colby had taken the
liberty to tell Of the faithful service OF
the private soldier, and several officers
of the post had freely aired their
views of Browns action in the colonel's
presence. and Alice, after speaking of
Vandever's attitude toward herself
and of the views she had heard him
express regarding the men of the
ranks, so warmly approved the pun
ishment that the lieutenant had re-
ceived that the commander gave the
matter n great deal of thought. Ho
had not by any means forgotten Van
dever's treatment Of old Scrgt. Bar
rett, and when at last the findings OF
the court-martial were published, they
bore this Endorsement over the sigma
ture of the post commander:
1.-THE findings and sentence Of the
special court-martial in the case of
Private Richard Brown, B troop, Sixth
cavalry, charged with committing an
assault on the person Of Second
Lieutenant Alfred Talbot Vandever,
j troop, Sixth cavalry, are approved.
In consideration OF the aggrevating
provocation which led to the assault
and Of the blameless previous record as
Brown, twenty days of the sem
one days confinement in the post
guardhouse said Private Richard
Brown will be released and win report
TO the commander of his troop for duty"