The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-11-24
Private Hammond on the Stand
Yesterday.
PROOF WAS CONVINCING
BRUTAL CAPTAIN LETT WITH
OUT DEFENSE.
Story of the Whole Affair Related in
a Straightforward Manner - No
Getting Around the Sword Prod
ding and Dragging the Soldier
By a Rope.

! OnlcdSO, NOV. Z5.-HrlVdte CnarleS liam
mond was the principal witness in the
Lowering court martial today and proved
himself entirely capable of holding his
own with the attorneys who are acting
for Captain Lowering. He gave damag
ing evidence against Lowering and could
not be made TO contradict himself on the
! stand nor was he at any time confused
| by the sharp cross examination to which
| he was subjected.
Questions relating to his personal his
! tory before he entered the army he quiet
/ " refused to answer, because, as he said,
! they have no bearing on this case:
/ doubled the number of sword thrusts
mentioned by preceding witnesses, and
/ then proved his evidence by showing the
scars.
THE SWORD PRODDING.
Judge Advocate Hunters first question
Haze the articles of war ever been
read in your presence?
Yes, l have heard them replied Ham
mond.
What orders did you receive on the
lowed, was the next question.
Il was told that | was wanted at the
! summary court room. but / said that
| would not go, and after that message had
! been repeated to Captain Lowering he
! came TO my cell and told me 10 set out
{ and walk. He gave the order Yank that
man C It when [ again refused, and
/ when | was part way out of the cell door
! he prodded me twice with his sword and
I then stepped past me into the cell and
kicked me in the shoulders. He stepped
over me as I lay on the floor and gave
me two more prods in the left side. He
also gave me another order to walk but
/ did not answer. Then the rope was tied
upon my feet and ] was dragged over
the curbs, sidewalks and road, and up
and down steps until l reached the court
room in the adjutantS office.
WI hen you refused to walk to the court
did an ore ask you for your reasons?"
was the next query of the court.
Members OF the guard asked me?" re-
nlied Hammond, and 1 told them [
tho..-ht l ought to be tried for the first
oIIense before l was tried for the second
barracks at Plattsburg, n. Y, without
leave
FURTHER BRUTALITY.
IT has been said that while you were
being dragged, an order for double time
was given. is that true? asked Colonel
I Hunter.
Lowering told the men to Double time
but they were unable to comply with the
ORDER
The witness was then given to Attorney
Blair for cross examination.
You had been working from the time
you reported at this post on Sept. ~ up
/ to Oct. s, said the attorney. NOW, why
was it that you changed your mind about
work about the latter date?
I Il had been waiting for trial, and [
thought it was about time / had it, said
| Hammond
IRRELEVANT QUESTIONS.
The attorney then endeavored to bring
out the alleged fact that Hammond
| io:ned the army to escape arrest for
shoOtingla man in Michigan. but the wit
ness refused to answer his questions. The
attorney also endeavored to ascertain the
different points visited by Hammond af-
ter he left the barracks at Plattsburg, n.
Y The witness refused to answer these
questions, saying: Il came here and gave
myself up before the end of ten days;
that is enough.
You say you were stabbed six times, y
was the attorneys next remark. Were
those stabS mere pin scratches, or are
you SCARED for life?'
SHOWED THE SCARS.
81 will bear the marks to my grave y
replied Hammond.
Tho attorney expressed desire TO see
the scars and Hammond barred his limbs
and exhibited four marks, two on each
thigh to the court. One Of the others
was on his right hand and another on the
shoulder.
Private Snyder was called and told 81
helping to drag the prisoner after the
procession had gone 100 yards. He sad
Ihey had been commanded to march in
double time, and that the prisoner was
covered with dust and his clothes were
torn when the summary court was
reached
DO You think there was any other way
in which Hammond could have been taken
to the court?'' was asked by the judge ad-
vocate.
Yes said the witness. There was a
cart, and l think this could easily have
been drafted into service.
Brigadier General Wade then asked II
the witness had ever seen prisoner
taken to court in cart.
NOT so KIND.
mo" Snyder answered. They are moi
usually quite so kind as that.
He was then excused and Lieutenant
Andrus, the prison officer was called. HIS
evidence was not important.
PRIVATE WADDELL.
Private wadden was another witness
He told of his being in the guard room
Oct s. and OF hearing the sound OF I
struggle in the cell room. He said ht
, looked through the door and saw Ham
nond being dragged by the arms from hi!
cell to the door, so he walked into tht
AFTER you had gone into the cell room
did YOU receive orders to stab Hammond
with your bayonet?" the judge advocate
4 received orders from the officer of tn
day. Captain Lowering, to fix my bayone
| and to prod the prisoner. Before thi
Hammond had been dragged back to hi
cell and l went to him. | told him m!
my bayonet through-he didn't propos
l to move This was reported to Captain
Lowering who told me to wait for
moment, and then he sent Sergeant Brain
What then did you do?" asked thu
: Judge advocate.
i put my bayonet to Hammonds sid
r and stood guard over him while Brain
erd went for rope.
TIED HIM.
Judge Advocate Hunter was curious t.
know who tied HammondS feet togethe
and how the proceeding was conducted
so he inquired if the witness remembered
anything of the circumstances
"A non-commissioned officer, who's
| name j do not remember, tied the rope
while sat on Hammond to keep him OF
the ground" said Waddell.
Were you present at the dragging
Yes Waddell answered. i helped
drag Hammond for 20 yards.
Are you certain that the sword thrus
was made for the hand or was it for th
shoulder" asked General Wade.
Il think Captain Lowering meant t.
, stab Hammond on the hand
The witness thus gave the members O
, the court the impression that Lowering
had tried to make the prisoner uncros:
his hands so that his head would draf
on the ground. Private Waddell wa.
, then excused.
ONE MORE WITNESS.
The prosecution has but one more wit
ness to CALL Post Surgeon Lippincott, an(
then the attorneys for the defense vii
be given precedence. Captain Lowering
is expected to take the witness stand anC
two witnesses, Whiting and Sipple, boil
tn