The San Francisco call., 1897-11-23
Witnesses Tell How a Prisoner
Was Stabbed and Dragged
by the Heels.
KICKS AND CUTS ALSO
ADMINISTERED.
Beg ming Of the InVes igatIon Into
Shocking Crueity al Fort
Sheridan.
Special Dispatch 10 The CALL

CHICAGO, Nov. % Captain Leonard
A. Lowering OF the Fourth Infantry, sta
toned al Fort Sheridan, appeared before
a courtmartial at that post to-day 10
stand trial on the charge of conduct pre-
judicial to good order and military dis
cipHne." The SPECIFIC charge is causing
Private Hammond to be dragged over the
ground by the heels from the Guardhouse
10 the Office OF the reCim adjutant
after Hammond had refused to walk.
The court was an hour late in convenin z
because OF delay in the arrival Of Br!ga-
der General Wade, the presiding officer.
A cold wind from the northwest blew
across the parade grounds and Private
Hammond, who stood without an over
coat on the porch of the officers club
where the court was held under guard of
three soldiers wrapped in heavy army
ulsters shiyered, while his testh chat
tered and his face turned blue from the
cold.
The four men stood in the falling snow
for almost an hour, the guard with their
bayonets leveltd toward the prisoner, un-
Ill Lieutenant Williams, who had been
notified Of the delay, took pity on Ham
mond and ordcre him back to the guard
house. Hammond was thin and pale, and
his appearance indicated that his imDris-
onment had told on his health. His army
overcoat was at PattsburS, " Y, where
he left it when he absented himself with
out leave, and there was none for him at
Fort Sheridan.
The first witness was Lieutenant John
}. Bernard, the offics OF the guard on the
day that Hammond was dragged He
testified that he ordered Hammond to ap-
pear before The summary court and that
the latter refused to go. He exhausted all
means to get the private to go before the
court, and beng unavailing he reported
the matter to Captain Lowering, who was
officer of the day.
Did you hear Captain Lovering use
oaths in his language 10 the prisoner :"
Judge Advocate Hunter asked in ques-
llOning Lieutenant Bernard.
Il heard him say, D you, come
out. " was the answer. Tie lieutenant
was unable to state positively to the court
whether Lowering kicked or stabbed the
prisoner
Corporal New, who was corr oral of the
day on October 49, but who has since been
reduced to the rank of private, was the
next witness called, and stated that Low
ering, as officer of the day, sent three men
to Hammonds cell, with orders to prod
him with their bayonets il be would not
walk. He said he would die before he
would walk" said New, land | then saw
Lowering kick him twice and prod him
with his sword"
How much force did the officer use?"
asked the Judge Advocate.
He kicked him pretty hard, so hard at
least that Hammond fell down and rubbed
his side, was the answer.
How hard did Lowering prod thu
prisoner with his sword 2" was The next
question.
''The sword must have passed through
HammonG's clothing" said New, ''for he
cried, 'Don'tdo that When the prisoner
had been dragged down the guardhouse
steps l saw Lowering prod him again.
That time it was in the hand and ] saw
the blood trickle from the wound"
Sergeant Brainard was called, and gave
a minute description of how Hammond
was dragged, feet first, over the sill of his
cell, then down the guardhouse stone
steps, a hundred yards along the walk,
down over the curb and up again 10 the
walk, down again and across the road
over the onposite curb, up the steps 20
Company DIS quarters, then down over
the curb, and finally up the steps to the
adjuianps office.
How did Hammond look when he ar
rived at the court?' asked Colonel Hunt
er.
HE was crying when the rope was
taken from his feet" answered the cor
poral. His pants were worn through to
The skin, and when | returned with him
TO the guardhouse he showed me the cuts
made by Captain Lovering's sword. They
were ali bleeding and were deep"
Corporal Ward was the last witness, and
his evidence corroborated that of Corporal
New. An aG journment was then taken 10
10 o'clock tomorrow morning