The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-10-18
Result of the Trial at Last rIade
Public.
THE CHARGES EXPLAINED.
NO CRIMINALITY IN THE ACTS OF
THE OFFICER.
But There Was Great CareIessness,
and the Lieutenant is Sentenced
to De Confined to the Limits of
the Post For Three MOnths-Gen-
ernl WheatOn's Reprimand.


No court martial that has been held at
Fort Douglas in a long time has awaken
ed so much interest as the recent trial
of First Lieutenant W. H. Cowles, for
merly acting assistant quartermaster
History of the Case.
The investigation arose over alleged
irregularities in the quartermaster' de-
partment, through which the government
paid out large sums of money for coal
that was never delivered. The Cowles
case was preceded by the trial of quar-
termaster Sergeant Grandee, whose coIlu-
sion with those who defrauded the gov
eminent cost him term of years in prt-
son and other penalties.
The Cowles court martial convened
afterwards. with Colonel Jacob f. Kent,
Twenty-fourth infantry president, and
Lieutenant z. D. Lochridge, Second cav
airy, judge advocate.
The First CHARGE.
There We're two charges against Lieu
tenant Cowles the first being neglect
OF duty, to the prejudice of good order
and military discipline" Under this came
fifteen specifications. of which the fol-
lowing will serve as an illustrations
Specification 1st.-In that First Lieu
tenant Warren H. Cowles, Sixteenth reg
lment, United States infantry, being on
duty as acting assistant quartermaster
at Fort Douglas. Utah, ana it being mis-
duty as such to receive, inspect, weigh
and account for coal delivered at SAID
post during the month of August 1893
by W. A. Cooper, of Salt Lake City, un-
der contract with the United States
did fail and neglect to ascertain the
amount of coal so delivered, but did with
out taking proper steps to ascertain the
TO
wit. Voucher No. l, to Abstract A. for
the month of August, 1898, il favor Of
SAID w. a. Cooper, as follows, to-wit:
Fort Douglas, Utah Territory,
August 81, 1893.
I hereby certify that in ACCORDANCE
with the requirements of paragraph 1l54
regulations of the army of 1889 [ have
this day inspected and weighed So, sou
place by w. a. Cooper Salt Lake City,
Titan territory, w. H. COWLES,
First Lieutenant, Sixteenth Infantry, a.
y. Q. M
he had failed and neglected to inspect
and weigh the coal delivered at Fort
Douglas in the month of g gust 1893.
under said contract, and the amount SO
certified to have been delivered being
largely in excess of the amount actually
delivered, the amount actually delivered
being about 1850 pounds. BY which said
oVer-estimate Of coal certified to have
been delivered, and which was paid for
by the United States as though delivered.
the United States was defrauded TO that
extent.
This at Fort Douglas, Utah, on or about
August 81, 1893.
The Second Charge.
The second charge was conduct unbe-
coming an officer and a gentleman" fol-
lowed by eleven specifications alike, ex-
cept as to amount and date. The first
SpGcIlcatlOn was follows:
Specification 1st.-In that First Lieu
tenant Warren ii. Cowles Sixteenth reg
iment. United States infantry, being on
duty as acting assistant qudCtefuiasUer
at Fort Douglas Utah, and it being his
duty as such to certify on an ofiicial
voucher the number OF pounds OF coal
actually delivered at SAID post in the
month of August, 1899 nd certify on an
official voucher, to-Wit: Oucher No l. to
Abstract 4, for the month of August.
1888 in favor of said w. 4. Cooper. a.,
follows, to-wit
Fort Douglas, Utah Territory,
August 81, 1898.
1 hereby certify that IN ACCORDANCE
with the requirements of paragr2 phi II5l,
regulations OF the army of 1855 / have
this day inspected ana weighed SO 500
pounds, bituminous Goa: delivered at this
place by W. A. Cooper, Salt Lake CITY,
First Lieutenant, Sixteenth Infantry A
A. q. NJ"
which said certificate was false. in that
the amount Of coal so certified to have
been delivered was largely in excess Of
the amount actually delivered beng about
I30,36O pounds; ana which said certificate
was false and known by said Lieutenant
Cowies to be false, in that he mad not
inspected and weighed the coal delivered
at Fort Douglas in the month of August,
under SAID contract and in that ii was
intended 10 mean that he had personally
verified the amount of coal claimed 10
hnN al
dOre.
This at Fort Douglas, Utah, August
81. 1893.
Pleaded Not Guilty.
To each charge and specification the
lieutenant pleaded not guilty, and the
court found him guilty of the first charg.
and eleven OF the specifications under II
on the second charge he was found not
guilty and on the specifications under II
the court as TO each Find facts as stated
except the words, and in that it was in
tended TO mean and did mean that he had
personally verified the amount of coal
claimed to have been delivered which
he had not done and attach no crim1-
naljty thereto"
The Sentence.
The most important part of it all. is
| the sentence, which is as follows:
And the court does therefore sentence
him, First Lieutenant Warren III.
| CoWles, Sixteenth regiment, United
States infantry, to be confined to the
! limits of the post at which he may be
serving for the period of three months
, and to be reprimanded in general or
ders."
Severe Reprimand.
General orders No. /, disposes of the
case in the following language
The finding and sentence of the gen
eral court-martial in the foregoing case
of First Lieutenant Warren H Cowies.
Sixteenth infantry, are approved. AL
! though disposed to yield to the court
unanimous recommendation to Glenn
a1cy, the reviewing authority recog-
nizes the propriety of the sentence in
this case and that Lieutenant Cowles'
| methods in the discharge of the respon-
sible Office confided to him, merit severe
cepted or are supposed to prevail else
where. should ever be appealed to in
extenuation of perfunctory perform
| ance of duty The signing of an official
certificate must mean more than a
! formal compliance with regula tons
| That grossly corrupt practices Whereby
| the government was systematically de-
frauded month after month, could 90
undetected for an entire year. must seri-
ously reflect upon this officer, whose
duty it was to supervise the business
| and to frequently certify to the Correct
ness of it's transactions. It is hoped that
! the lenient judgment of his brother Of
! ficers in this instance will prove a sIIf-
| ficient warning to Lieutenant Cowles
! The confinement will be duly executed
! By command of Brigadier General
| Wheaton: THOMAS WARD