The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-10-13

ihe war Department at Washington Or
ders an Inquiry into the Hammond Case
and IL Is Begun at Once-Witnesses Tell
What They Know of the Affair-Captain
Lowering Has Good Record While
Hammond Is Considered Unruly.
Chicago, Oct. 13.-Acting upon orders
received from the war department at
Washington, Major General John r.
Brooke Monday afternoon began an in
vestigation of the Hammond affair at
Fort Sheridan. Captain w. V. Rich
ards, aide-de-camp to Major General
Brooke, was detailed to make the inves-
tigation, which began at 2:30 p. IN. The
investigation was carried on behind
closed doors, no one except Captain
Richards Private Hammond and Cap
tain Lowering being allowed inside the
| room. Although the hearing of evil
dence was continued until late Monday
night. none of the four men who dragged
Private Hammond from the guardhouse
to the summary court were questioned.
Captain Richards said it was not neces-
sary to hear Them as he had obtained
! a very full statement from the officers
and on-commissioned officers, who had
told him Of the story. None of the evil
dence was given under oath, Captain
Richards authority not being sweep
| ing.
Witnesses Tell of the AFFAIR.
Lieutenant Bernard told the events
| that led up to the hauling of Hammond.
| He said he did not hear any bad Lam
guage used by the captain. nor did he
see any prodding with the sword. Ser
geant Brainard related the circum-
| stances of Hammond's refusal to go to
court, and how he was ordered to pro-
cure the rope, which was tied around
the private's legs. He admitted he was
not asked as to whether the private had
been prodded or kicked by Captain Low
ering. Corporals Ward. New and Good
pastor substantiated other parts of the
story, which was practically as it had
I been related in the newspapers. After
| he had finished the hearing. Captain
| Richards said he could say nothing
about the matter, as his investigation
| was made solely in order TO report to
} Major General Brooke 81 will say this.
| however" he said Private Hammond
! informed me that he was fully salts
| fled with the investigation as far as it
has gone. Any further information must
| come from Major General Brooke.
Admits Using His sword.
| Later Captain Richards said that dur
| ing his testimony Captain Lowering ad
! mitted he had showed Private Hammond
J with his foot and pricked him with the
| sword The four men who dragged Pri-
J vate Hammond under orders from Cap
I tain Lowering are said TO be Private
( Ritnor of company f, Private Kuttz
| of company G, Private Shendall of troop
| G, and Private Wardell Of company II.
| They were not called to testify, and
| they were glad of il. The enlisted men
! at the fort said from what they knew
| the inquiry had nothing to do with the
\ question as to whether or not Captain
] Lowering had kicked and prodded Pri-
! vate Hammond as the latter lay on the
ground According to the army regu-
| lations nothing can be done to the cap
tain for ordering the dragging by the
! rope. but If it can be proved that he
| kicked and prodded the private it will
! be a matter for a court-martial. Cap
tain Lowering bears a good record in
the army. He has been in the service
ever since he was graduated from West
Point in 1876 He was assigned first
to the Fourth infantry, and after five
| years service on the frontier ne was
given detached service at West Point
as an instructor in chemistry, miner
| alogy, geology and electrics.
| Made Department Engineer.
In 1885 he was ordered to rejoin his
regiment at Omaha, and year later he
| went with his regiment to Vancouver
barracks, where he was made depart
ment engineer For several years he
was aide-de-camp on the staff of Gen.
| eral John Gbbon. The captain Is not
credited with an ungovernorable tenn
per by his brother officers. Private
Charles Hammond enlisted at Pittsburg.
Pa, last January and was assigned to
company G.. Twenty-first infantry. AT
the Plattsburg barracks he was sup
posed to have come from a farm. Al
though not addicted to the use of liquor,
he is said to have bad temper. Sept.
II he left his post of duty without leave.
He was gone one day. He was tried by
court martial on his return and SEN
fenced to four days in the guardhouse.
Not long after this sentence was served
he disappeared again and was not heard
from until he showed up at Fort ShTi-
dan. Neither the officers nor the Ell
listed men of his company give hiin a
good reputation.