The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1897-11-27
LOWERING on TRIAL.
United States Army OFF. Ger Ac-
CuSed Of Cruelty to
Subordinate.


Subordinate.
Evanston. H.. Nov. 22.-Capt. Leonard
X. Lowering of the Fourth United States
Infantry faced court-martial at Fl.
Sheridan this morning. and pleaded not
guilty to specifications charging him with
cruelty 10 a subordinate and conduct
prtj"dicial To the good order and military
discipline of the army.
The court-martial is the sequel 10 the
sensation created at the fort on October
a when, at the instance OF Capt. Lover
ing, Private Charles Hammond was
dragged from the guardhouSe ny ropes
attached to his legs over the roadWayS
and swards of the fort and was proddcd
with a sword in the hands of the captain
placed on trial today.
Since the courtmartial was ordered
change has been made In the charge
Originally it read. Conduct unbecoming
a gentleman and an officer. and Il verdict
of guilty would have meant discharge
from the service. Under the revised
charge, however. if a verdict IF guilty is
found Il lighter penalty may be imposed.
Twelve distinguished arhitcrS will hear
the testimony i'll this now celebrated case.
ZACH is higher in army circles than Capt:
Lowering. by rank of seniority, and all OF
them are also prominent by reason OF long
service and brilliant achievements. Near
~ every member served throughout the
war and has seen continuous service for
from thirty to forty years. The roster OF
the court was selected by Gen. Miles,
while acting in the absence of Secretary
A Iger as acting secretary OF war
Licut.-Col. Edward Hunter. deputy
Judg" acknowledgements, appeared by deS-
iGnation as judge advocate of the court
The taking Of testimony Will probably oc-
cupy the entire week. Army officers are
reluctant To discuss the case officially,
but venture the prediction that Capt.
Lowering will be acquitted of the more
grave charge of cruelty, but will be
found guilty Of conduct prcjudlcial to
good order and discipline.
Private Hammond was not allowed 4
seat in the courtroom. but waited III his
cell until ii was time for him To testify.
Before the call was read Capt. Lowering
entered the room in uniform. but Wl;I an
empty sword scabbard dangling from bis
belt. in Difference to the rule that no Of
tcer under arrest may wear side arms.
He was accompanied by his two attor-
ncyS. Frank I. Blair and Murray Nelson.
The members of the court were al in
full dress uniform. The fOrmalltlcs over
the Judge advocate called as the first Wit
ness Lieut. John J. Bernard, officer CT
/ the guard on October ., the day NJ on
| which Hammond was dragged from the
guardhouSc to the summary court
Judge Advocate Hunter in his eXamina-
/ ton of this witness showed his intention
To 90 into the minute details of the affair.
! Lieut.. Bernard was questioned on CIR
/ cumStances which seemed of minor I'M
/ portancc but a few facts were brought
out that were not made known through
! the officers testimony at the court OF III
! quiry.
! After a short secret session it was an
nounccd that the hearing would he open
! to the public. Then the reading OF the
! formal call began.
Through the testimony of the next wit
ness Scrgt. Brainerd, was elected the fact
/ that not only had Hammond been dragged
! to the summary court with rope. but
/ that he had been pulled off the walk and
/ back again several times before the pro
/ ceSSion of prisoner and guard started.
The case of Private Hammond has SO
recently been ypntilateN that it must be
/ fresh in the minds of thos" that followed
/ il. The private. who was stationed at
! rlattSburg. y. y, ran away from his
post and came t" Chicago To attend to
/ some private business. On September
- he gave himself up to the authorities
at Fort Sheridan in order To keep him
/ self within the ten DAYS limit, to have
exceeded which would have made him
! dc>crtcr dc factO.
! While confined in the guardhousc he
! was ordered to perform some mental la
I Dor and refused on the ground that he
was prisoner. Ihcrcupon il was or
/ dercd hy Licut.-Col. Bainbridge that he
/ be brought before Il summary court. 1t
| happened that Col. Lowering was officer
/ of the day. When the guard went to
! HammOnd's quarters he refused to come
outside or to allow himself to be con-
/ Quoted before the court. Thcreupon, at
/ Capt. Coverings dictatiom, the members
! of the guard bound Hammond's legs
! with ropes and dragged him across the
lawn, macadamiZcd roads sidewalks and
up Il flight of stairs To the court
Capt. Lowering, who walked a the
rear accumulated his order. it is alleged.
by rurSing at the PROSTATE man. striking
and kicking him and proddlng him with
his sword. When Hammond Was
4 brought into the courtroom he was al
most unconscious his clothes were tom
and covered with dirt, and he was bleed
ing from numerous cuts. surface wounds
and abrasions of the skin.
He was found guilty of insuhOrdinl ion
, and sentenced to a long term on dread
and water The story of Lnverug's h"u-
tally. however. got out the same day,
and at the instance Of Secretary AIgrr Il
courtmartial was ordered by Gen.
Broolcs to investigate the case. On its
finding the commander general founded
! the charges on which Maj.-Gen. Miles,
with the sanction of President Mckin-
ley. ordered tOday'S courtmartial.
Hammond. while at work yesterday,
attempted to escape, but was speedily
captured.