, 1897-10-23

Chicago, Oet. 22.-Private Charles
Hammond, L. 5. A. gaunL and hin. and
showing plainly ule effects of his IA
days confinement on a bread and wa
ter die in the guard house at Fort Sher-
id@n, appeared before a court of his su-
lai.0r Objects today and told them the
circumstances OF his disobedience Of the
orders Of Captain Lowering and Of the
subsequent and drasi c measures taken
by that official to enforce his commands.
Blu :5w SPECTATORS were present to wit
ness the opening Of the cour,. as he
officers were AZ thai time engaged in the
regular drill on the parade ground. Re-
n0r:ers chiefly construed the audience
when the court opened.
When Pr'vate Hammond was ushereI
into he presence Of h court. TWO small
holes IN the back Of his JACKIE were Wis
bile reminders Of The alleged dragging
on The morning OF Ocjcber Q. Under
Oa.h he testified as follows:
On Friday | refused TO go to work
and was ordered from the guard room
10 my cell. At $50 I was told thai I
would have TO appear before a summary
| cour.. | io,d the officers o. the guard
that il he wanted me. he mus. carry me
there. Captain Lowering came there
with awo members OF the guard. The
order was given to the sentries to sep
in and drag me out. SO that my back
would sI!ke on the door sin. The SEN
tries took hold OF me and threw me
to the floor. and as | was dragged out,
Sergeant Barnard tried 20 hold me down
on the sill. so that my back would be
scraped. | was dragged to the guard
room outside. and as | went through The
door Captain lowering pIr- his heel 0v-
er my head and threatened to stamp me
in the face. Then | was allowed 10
walk back 10 my sell. Later Captain
Lowering returned 20 my cell with four
s~entries and gave the order. Go in and
jerk Chat man 1t. The door was I'M
locked. and two sentriss stepped in and
threw me. Captain lowering Kicked
NE in the side while | was down four
times with his tooi. and as | went over
the s"ll again. he gave me a vlolen;
kick IN the shoulder. He slapped me
over ;he right side to the left. and prod
dei NE rwice more with his foot. and
gave me glree more violent kicks abou
the shoulders. During this scene he
cursed me constantly. using the vilest
kind OF oaths. as he sneerei: Now.
viii you get up? WEI you walk now?'
Lowering then ordered a rope and
gave orders to have my feet crossed
and tel al The ankles. | placed my
hands Behind my head, then Lowering
and the s@atr.es began Il drag me. He
prodded ne in the r.gh, hand with his
sword. and then in the shoulder. | was
DR. eyed 20 NE guard room and ont 70
he porch, where. with one hard jerk,
hey starred me down the stone s,eps
on my back and across the road. The
s~entr.es were reinforced by TWO others.
was ,hen dragged over p2vements and
ia" 90 y COMPANY > stppS, tp NE SttlJS
hen down again across the pavement
and under the lower TO A comp2,ly's
steps. and finally into the adjutant's Of
fee. Lieutenant Colonel Ba.nbri2ge or
dered the rope united jus, as | was call-
I'd before the court. At 2 O'Clock I ask
ed TO be taken to the hospital, where
the doctor sponged tn eblOod from the
sword stab. On Monday | was called
before Captain Richards and have since
been in solitary confinement on bread
and water"
Colonel Snyder asked Harmon why
he LEI his barracks at Plattsbaurg. y.
Y. The witness replied:
II had seine private business in Chi
cage. and as the inspector general was
At the Barracks, l knew the request FOR
release would be refused. | had no in
t"en.ion OF DESERVING and reported a;
Fori Sheridan so as not to be so rank
ed. | expected to be confined, bu;
Thought | would be returned TO my post,
and. after sentence, restored to duty"
Captain Lowering was then called. He
made no attempt to deny any of The ac-
cus.ng witnesses statements. He ad-
mitted tha: by his orders Hammond had
been dragged from the guard house and
he also admitted that he had struck the
soldier and pricked him with his sword.
Meme ot this treatment, Captain Low
ering said, had injured Hammond in
the least, as was proven by the surgeons
repor:. and the methods used were. in
his opinion. necessary for the discipline
o. the army.
Lieutenant Bernard, in charge OF the
guard-house at the time OF the affair,
was then called, burt his testimony in
troduced no new feature. The court then
adjourned until tomorrow.
Sir Walter Scott once told, with every