Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-11-23
ONE SOLDIERS STORY.
Private Waddell's Testimony in the Lowering
Court Martial al Fort Sheridan.
BRUTAL TREATMENT OF A PRISONER,
who Was Dragged from the Cell Mt the
End OF Rope and Prodded With
Sword and Bayonet.

Chicago, Nov. 23.-Private Waddell
was the first witness in the Lowering
court martial at Fort Sheridan today.
He told of his being in the guard room
October s, and of hearing the sound of
struggle in the cell room. He said he
looked through the door and saw
Hammond being dragged by the arms
from his cell to the door. so he walked
into the cell room.
after you had gone into the cell
room, did you receive orders to stab
Hammond with your bayonet?' the
judge advocate asked.
81 received orders from the officer of
the day, Captain Lowering. to fix my
bayonet and to prod the prisoner. Be-
fore this Hammond had been dragged
back to his cell and / went to him.
told him my orders and he replied that
I could run my bayonet through him
he didn't propose to move. This was
reported to Captain Lowering who told
me to wait a moment, and then he sent
Sergeant Braincrd for a rope
what then did you dog asked the
Judge advocate.
II put my bayonet to Hammond's
tiuf anu Slubu pNtl ililA Niilt
Brainerd went for a rope"
Judge Advocate Hunter was curious
to know who tied Hammond's feet to-
gcther and how the proceeding was
conducted so he inquired If the wit
nesn remembered anything of the cir
cumstanccs
"a non commissioned officer whose
name ] do not remember, tied the rope.
while ] sat on Hammond to keep him
on the ground" said Waddell.
Were you present at the dragging?'
yes" Waddeli answered. II helped
drag Hammond for twenty yards"
The first interruption occurred at this
point, when n member of the court in
sisted that defendants counsel should
he sustained in his objection to the
question of whether Captain Lowering
used an oath In his command to Ham
mond
II merely wanted to ascertain the
state OF Captain Coverings temper at
the time of this affair" said Colonel
Hunter. so Attorney Blair announced
that he would withdraw the obje"slon
Colonel Hunter was preparing to nsl,
another question when he was inter-
rupted by Captain Hunter his name
sake of the Third regiment.
81 shall renew that objection" said
the captain as he Strengthened In his
chair. 81 fail to see that II makes any
material difference to this court, or to
the accused. whether he. used profane
language or not"
The Judge advocate was apparently
surprised. for he looked III. suddenly
and stared for an instant at Captain
Hunter. Then he smiled and remarked
that in that event he would not press
the question.
Waddell was then asked about Cap
tain Coverings stabbing Hammond
with his own sword, while on the way
from the guard house to the summary
court. The witness stated that Ham
mond had been prodded both before
and after he left the guard house.
The presiding officer. General Wade,
here interrupted and asked in what
part of the body Hammond had peen
stabbed while on his way Waddell
said that the prisoner had been
stabbed in the hand.
Where was his hand?" said Gem
eral Wade
His hands We're crossed behind his
head to keep 1t from dragging ON the
ground" said Waddell
Are you certain that the thrust
was made for the hand. or was 1t for
the shoulder" asked General Wade.
Il think Captain Lowering meant to
stab Hammond on the hand
The witness thus gave tho members
of the court the impression that Low
ering had tried to make the prisoner
unoross his hands so that his head
would drag on the ground. Private
WaddeH was then excused