The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-10-28
THE COURT VERY BUSY.
THREE CASES TRIED ~ THE REGI-
MENTAL ARWORT LAST NIGHT
Prltates =. VI. Langhorne, III. l.. strang
sad VIM. startzbach, Of To- q tirt
Rsst va. Infantry, we're Tried

ft.an o.,io,k Three cases were tried dur
,pe, tbat session. and the charges ana
s,'e.ie,,tions were investigated which
Cantain shackclford. Of Company G., FIRST
poqimcnf Infantry. had preferred against
Priynfce j. NJ. Lanehornc. II. J.. SlIais
and William SicriZhach, or hts COMPANY
sue findings 500 these cases VIII ue iv' o.
werfcd 10 Governor OFcrrall as soon as
The court finally adjourned 20 meet
again on Monday. November l0th' AZ
SO g. a. 1900
TRIVATE LANGHORNE on TRIAL.
Tho general court-martial met prompt
ly at thc prescribed time. ana aitet p'lnk
called to order by me president 'ne 10y
WAS called hy tho iulgc-advocdtc, Wilth
showed that the following members were
present. Major ~. u. SimOns. president
captain r.. J. Eukor Captain NJ X. Mlis,
Captain George r. Shackeliord. captain
A T. IMnlcr. Lieutenant y. A. Wllhams,
Judge Advocate Frank NJ. WOon, captain
C. Gray BossicuN. Lieutenant L. J.. CHEAT
wood.
Tho ahseutoes were Major l.. IT, Chris
tian and Major D. ~ sutton.
Tho iudlo-advOcafc challenged captain
Georco T. Shackclf0rd cess member OF the
court inasmuch as Dec was "a uromlnent
Wiiucs. In the case of Private d. VI.
Iaughornc. which Dee intended 20 take
up nrst The challenge was sustained.
After the prcIimiuarics of swearing M
the members of the court. ETC., were gone
through WIFI NNAN NNf JAN NNN Ii' ''t ''lti-
pauy a.. First Regiment Infantry. was
told 90 stand nap. and the Following
charges and specifications were read 10
him.
Charge. Absence from parade. in viola
tlon of the s3rd article of war
Specification: That Private J. w. Lang
horne. Company g. First Regiment ln-
flntrv. Virginia Volunteers not being
prevented by sickness or other necessity,
did nn tO repair at the time fixed 20
the place appointed by mis- commanding
officer for annual inspection. This al
Richmond Va. ON the goth day of Sep
TENDER. 1899.
when asked boy the iudec-advocate. the
accused pleaded not guilty both TO the
specification and the charge.
Captain George L. ShaCkelfOrd was the
first witness called TO the stand, who
testified as follows
"Thc date fixed for the annual inspcc-
tion hv orders from reeimental headquar-
tiers was September 10Th. The accused
was am enlisted member OF the company,
hut was absent ON that night From
conversation which / had with him he
was not excused from attendance by sick
ness or amy other necessity / did not
excuse him. and mo- one else had right 10
do So lie enlisted ON June lb. 1884.
DID NOT ASK FOR LEAVE
Mr. j. Wilson. assistant supeuntend-
ont of the Richmond Traction Company,
stated that the accused was In the employ
of DIS company as 10 conductor, but he
did not remember whether the accused
was working ON the evening OF september
21th lie made no application for
1elvo Of absence but 81 me had. he might
have been excused. Captain Shackel-
ford tolcpnoned 90 witness and asked that
Private LanghOrnc be- excused. Witness
replied this might Doe done when he came
up for his money. He told the witness
later in the day 90 apply to the dis
patcher Mr. HOckaday 90 be relieved but
he showed no disposition 10 DO go.
MT j. R. Hockaday. the train Dispatch
or of the Traction Company was the next
witness who made the following state
mcut.
"On September 2Oth, the accused came
10 me and asked TO Dee excused, as he
had been told 10 attend the annual in-
spcctiOn. i could not grant the request
for ] had no one 90 relieve him. His
absence from the inspection was due 20
the fact that hc had 90 be on duty. Had
had some one Co take his place he could
have been relieved
Private Ianghorne. the accused. then
testified iu his own behalf as follows.
"Ou September goth. was pay day and
saw Captain ShackelfOrd ON that day
at the corner of First and Broad streets.
who asked me 10 be present at the in
spectiOn. j told him j would. IL j could
gct an extra man 10 take my place.
went 10 see Mr.. HOCkaday. but me said
he needed two men and would not let me
of. j received no order in regard To the
inspection. 1 met Captain Shackelford
al 2.4J r. NJ. on that day, when / Tee
Celved the first notice about the inspec-
ton. I told him that l would attend. If
j could get some one To- take my place.
THE ORDER WAS SENT
Captain ShackeltOrd was then recalled
and made the following additional state
ment:
"The orders 20 attend the inspection
were sent out by the acting first sergeant
The orders for the accused were address
ed 10 his residence. but when 1 saw him
ON that day. he said he had not been
home for some time. lie was the llrst
one, however. To mention the matter
about the inspection and he told me that
ne woul try TO be present If 1 would
get him Off.
THE general department of the accused
has been very poor. he virtually has not
lad any attendance for long time His
conduct has been preludicidl TO the good
of the service. lie has not worked any
length of time outside of the city. lie
worked In Newport News for a few weeks
only with that exception / don't think
he has been out of the city at work. He
told me that being with the Traction
Company he could not attend drills regu-
larly but he would be at the Armory
whenever ne was OFF duty on any Monday
evening. He has not attended the drill
OF the Company since April 26th. lie
WAS absent from this city with the knOwl-
edge of his commanding officer. but am
not aware that ne asked for furlOugh.
] don't think he was absent from this
city more than month or SIX weeks.
This ended the testimony and the Judge
Advocate rested the case.
The court was closed and after another
lengthy consultation. findings We're agreed
upO which viii be forwarded 90 the
Commandcr-in-Chie
PRIVATE STRANGE CASE.
The case against Private N. l.. Strang
wal then taken up and after che usual
pTclminaries tho charges preferred by
Captain Shackciford against the accused
were then read They were as follows:
charge J. Dis~t spoct towards his com
mandng officer, On violation OF the 20th
article ~ war
Charge p Absence without leave, IN ViO-
latiOn Of the S2d article OF war.
Charge 3. Absence from parade IN vlO-
latlon OF tho S3d article o. war
The accused. when asked hy the Judge
advocate pleaded not guilty 20 the several
charges and specification
Captain Shackelford. who has been
challenged as member of the court by
the judge advocate, being an important
witness in the case, first took the stand,
and made the following statement;
The accused is "a member OF company
G.. where he enlisted on March =, 1875,
through Major j. N. Derbys hirc. A few
days prior TO the time mentioned IN the
specification 10 tho first charge, l wrote
him thar Dee had been absent number
OF times and asked him 20 send me writ
ten statement as 90 the reasons why he
met hlm at the armOry and ne stated ne
right 20 question him as 20 his reasons.
4 fIfWH VA hn E.UNItu give mis-