The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-14
ALGER SPEAKS OUT
SECRETARY OF WAR CRIT1CISEs
THE FINDINGS OF THE LOVER
INGECoURT MARTIAL.
THE PENALTY WAS TOO LIGHT
WHEN AN OFFICER EXHIBITS SUCH
LACK OF HUMANITY, MERE
qREPRIMAND
THE PENALTY WAS TOO LIGHT
IS NOT SUFFICIENT PUNISHMENT.
Such Acts as the Fort Sheridan OFF,
Ger Committed Degrade the
Service.

The findings of the Capt. Lowering
| court martial and the orders of the war
department We're received at the local
army headquarters yesterday. Gen.
Wade, who presided over the court
martial and Col Edward Hunter who
was the judge advocate, were seen by
G O b e reporter yesterday but re-
| fused to comment on the proceedings or
the findings beyond the fact that that
| court martial was the most unpleasant
duty they had ever been called upon
TO perform. Col Hunter is in receipt
Of many congratulatory letters from
officers, clergy and citizens over his
mastery plea made in summing up the
case.
The orders. as published, will be read
at every military post and to every
company in the country, as is the usual
custom. In the way they are printed
in. General Orders No. 67, they are not
as lucid as some reading, but the fact
that Capt. Lowering was found guilty
is apparent 1t has been reported that
in army circles the sentence, though
light, was sufficient and perhaps
stronger than it would have been had
not the matter been so thoroughly eX-
plotted by the Chicago papers. r. A.
Alger, secretary of war, it will be seen,
does not abuse that idea. He says lit
is, however, disappointing that an Of
Tense so grave and as an example so
far reaching as this should have been
visited with so light penalty"
Following is a copy of the sentence:
And the court does therefore sentence him,
the said Capt. Leonard A. Lowering, Fourth
United States infantry, ITO be reprLmanded
by the reviewing authority. The court Is
thus lenient in view of the repeated acts OF
INSTRUMENTATION on the part of Private Ham
mond and the long service OF the accused
and his excellent character as shown in
the evidence.
The record of the proceedings of the general
court martial in the foregoing case OF capt.
Leonard A. Lowering, Fourth United States
infantry, having been forwarded to the sec
rotary of war ito be submitted to the presi-
dent, the following are the orders in the
case:
WAR Department, Washington, Dec. 6,
1S97-By order of the president the proceed.
ings, findings and sentence in the case OF
Capt. Leonard A. Lowering, Fourth infantry,
are approved 1t is, however, disappointing
that offense, so grave and as an ex-
ample so far reaching as this, should have
been visited with SO light penalty. There
is no question but that Private Hammond
deserved punishment for his conduct, but he
should have received it in a lawful way.
The military laws governing the army are
explicit They prescribe the duties of off,
GERS and enlisted men with the penalties Tor
their violation. Under them, both have rights
and obligations. When, therefore. an officer,
with the intelligence and experience with
violates these laws, but exhibits such lack
of humanity is shown in this case, he
should receive more severe sentence than
a mere reprimand. Committing such acts
degrades the officer more than tle soldier he
Furnishes and shows lunfitness rfor the care
and command of men. Under excitement,
men frequently do things which in cooler
moments they recall with sorrow and regret;
but this case is aggravated by the fact that
no regret for his wrongful acts.
Or. A. Alger,
Secretary of War;