The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-07-29
Long Cross-Examination of the
Accused Officer.
MR.. RHODES GIVES AN EXHIBITION
Removes and Returns Breech Block in
One Minute Not Shaken When
Called in RebuttaI-An Hour Used
in Argument-VerdictW Waited For.

Every chair in the great hall was
| filled last night and standing room
within ear shot of the witnesses was
at a premium. Major Mcleod was
absent and an argument between coun-
sci and the court as to the advisability
of going on without him tired the
audience and resulted in the court rul-
ing that the trial should proceed. Cap
tain Good was the first witness.
Cross Examined. Mr. Rhodes spoke
to me about the missing sight the last
of May subsequent to the inspection of
the guns on May D. Cannot fix the
date specifically. Cannot fix the date
of the finding of the sight by Sergeant
Carlyle. Would not have recalled
the circumstance but for the fact that
| was questioned regarding the matter
by Captain Mccarthy. Cannot say the
hour of the day when the sight was
handed me. Know nothing of Ser
geant TaylOr's connection with the
sight except as | was told that Taylor
had found it under or near the banyan
tree. Do not remember what time
of day l had a conversation with Tay-
lOr regarding it. Had no suspicion that
L would be tried for the loss of the
sight until the specifications were
amended by you. This was after Mr..
Robertson returned from Lanai After
| learned that this was one of the char
ges L puzzled my head to learn all /
could about the case. l knew there
were 16 sights originally. | have been
in close arrest since [ was charged and
have not been in position to do any
thing to clear up the sight matter /
have not been refused a visit from
witness but l have furnished names of
persons to my attorney who | thought
might know something and | have been
told by him that he had seen them
Don't remember telling my attorney
to see Taylor; told him | wanted Lieut.
Ludwig and eX-Sergeant McKeague.
Wanted the latter to be questioned as
to his knowledge of the sight. Have
made no other movement; have been
thinking rather than acting. In the
order of arrest / was forbidden to
speak to or communicate with any man
IN my command. | have observed the |
terms of my arrest most scrupulously. |
Do not recollect reporting the finding |
OF the sight to any other officer. |
was not officer of the day There |
were number of things | might have /
done in connection with the sight per-
haps the best thing to be done was to |
have given it TO the officer of the day.
1t was believed that Co L had cleaned /
the guns that day and there had been
a feeling on the part of the men Of .
Company E that the men in Company
f were careless. | do not think I ,
wanted to let il he seen that there was
any feeling from OUT side OF the house.
for that reason I may not have wanted .
10 put 1t back on the gun or shown il |
to the officer Of the day. When the /
sight was handed to me l probably laid .
it on the table. I do not know of any
occasions which would arise and re-
mind me of the loss of the sight There ,
might be some theories as to occasions |
which would remind me of it but as
a fact l do not remember.
Another question by Captain Kinney .
regarding a conversation between Cap
tain Good and Lieut.. Ludwig was OBJ /
jected by Capt, Good as theoretical /
and he replied testify that he did not
remember it.
l had heard President Dole say he I
considered Mr.. Rhodes a very valuable ,
man, l knew from Col Soper that he
was to DO this outside work At that
time Mr. Cooper was acting as Minister
Of Foreign Affairs and Attorney Gen
eral and / presumed he knew the cir /,
cumstance.
Is that all?"
There is something else which 1 do
not consider right - tel as II vva7