St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-06-01
STORY OF THE TRAGEDY.
NANCY RELATES now He CAME TO
KILL CAPT. HED8ERG.
MEANT TO SHOOT HIS LEGS.

MEANT TO SHOOT HIS LEGS.
Lieut.. Nancy Makes Out That
Capt. Hedbcrg Was the Ag-
greSSor-The Two Became Ac-
quainted at Fort Duford When
HedberG Was Reinstated by
Congress.
The climax of attraction and interest
in the Nancy court martial was reached
yesterday when defendant was put on
The stand to tell his story. This lie did
in a straightforward manner. keeping
remarkably cool under the ordeaE and
when he came to the moment of the
tragedy all eyes were riveted upon him.
There was perhaps a Slight show of ami
nation III the eyes OF the witness, but
no outward signs betrayed whatever
might have passed in his mind.
lie carefully reviewed all the. Incl
dents of his acquaintance with Capt.
Hedberg from the time he first met him
at Fort Buford until the fatal day.
The morning session opened in the
usual manner, aud Private Eyten, now
a prisoner at Fort Leavenworth, was
placed In the witness stand. He was
one of the men who were working at
the coal shed at the time of the shoot
ing. His description of the encounter
was graphic but not different from the
story already related by the other wit
nesses. He was positive that Capt.
Hedberg lost his temper and made a
rush for Lieut.. Nancy. He also saw Il
motion Of Hedberg's right hand towards
his hip pocket. and was under the i'm
preston at the time that he was going
to pull a pistol.
Sergeant Copeland was recalled by
the defense and asked to describe the
movements of the pistol in the hands of
the defendant during the
Attorney Blair then e some gen.
eral orders promulgated by Gen. Hatch
in which Lieut.. Nancy is commended
for gallant conduct in the wal against
Vlctorie i'll the st. AndreaS mountains,
New Mexico. After the reading coun-
sci stated that he had only one mere
NltLSoos OCoiuSo tHC 5CCuSSu, dilu llldl
was Lieut.. Maxwell, of Fort Sheridan.
He had not yet arrived. Counsel said
that he had decided to put the. defend
ant on the stand at once. and Informed
the court that Maxwell's testimony in
substance would be that Hedberg had
exhibited a pistol to him a night or two
before the shooting. saying that he
would kill Nancy ON sight.
Lieut.. Nancy was then sworn and
told the following story: 81 first be-
came acquainted with Capt. Hedberg in
the spring of 1889 at Fort Buford, a
short time after he rejoined the regi-
ment. l received him as l would any
other officer. His reception had been
discussed among the officers of the post.
My opinion on the subject was ex-
pressed. 1t was not entirely in accord
with the other officers. After a proper
time had elapsed. L called on him at his
quarters. he returned the call, and
social relations were established. He
came to me frequently for advice about
his duties, and [ always assisted him.
In 1890 [ was ordered to Fort Sheridan.
Capt. Hedberg came in 1891. We met
there on the same footing as before.
One day he came to my
quarters and said that he was
a member of a court martial
and that a private had challenged him
on the ground that he was a convicted
felon. | got out of bed and drafted a
reply, the substance of which was that
an enlisted man could not submit such
a challenge, attacking the integrity of
an officer. But he was excused from
the court on his WI request without
presenting any reply. l told him that
his action was practically a confession
of guilt to the assumption set up by the
challenge, and that these same condi-
lions might recur and result in his total
moral disqualification. He replied that
the action of congress was in effect
that he had been wrongfully convicted.
and it was the same as if the court mar
tial had found him not guilty.
Capt. Hedberg insisted that l should
express my opinion in the matter, but l
replied that he had better let sleeping
dogs alone. He had personally given
me a copy of the proceedings of the
court martial which tried him and [
was familiar with the case. Some time
later he came to my office and extending
his hand said: Let's forget what hap
pened.' L took his hand and called at
his residence. At that time the news
papers were making use of the incident
just related to attack him strongly, and
he asked me what he had better do. l
advised him to retire from the service.
He said he had some friends in Wash
ington and he would go and consult
them. He applied for leave of absence
and went there. On his return he was
detailed on recruiting duty at Chicago
IL remained there about a year. He
did not come to the post during that
period. After his duties at Chicago ex-
PRED he came to Fort Sheridan. That
was in 1893. He came to my quarters
and remained a few days while his own
were under preparation.
"a month OF SO after his return Capt.
Hedberg again brought up the subject
of his retirement and said, The whole
kit of you are trying to get rid of me-
He retorted TO me that my advice about
his leaving the service was bad. He
seemed agitated about it and l said L
had no desire to discuss the matter any
further. Again. some time later he
brought the matter again to my notice,
and l said that he had gone to Washing
ton. leaving the impression at the post
that he was seeking retirement, and
thai on his arrival there he had misrep-
resented matters at the post, thereby
obtaining a recruiting detail. After
that l avoided him for the purpose of
seeing the subject drop. One day I
found some men working on his lawn,
contrary to my orders. and 1 told
him that NV ordarc ,nuot ba