The Saint Paul globe., 1897-07-01
WM. BJORNSTAD, LIEUTENANT co.
ii, FIRST INFANTRY, TRIED
BY COURT MARTIAL,
AND is FOUND NOT GUILTY.
MILITARY Tribunal HELD FORTH
IN THE GOVERNORS OFFICE
AT THE CAPITOL.
CHARGES BY CAPT. MoNTFoRr.
Evidence, However, Showed There
Was Not Sufficient Grounds
Even for Reprimand.

According to orders from Gen. Bend,
a court martial of the national guard
sat last night on the case of Second
Lieut.. William Bjornstad, of Com
pany H, First infantry, and, after
looking into the charges preferred by
Capt Eugene c. Montfort, decided
unanimously against the captain, and
quashed the charges against the good
looking lieutenant.
Inasmuch as it is stated that the
court martial was the inevitable result
of a personal difference between the
two officers with a majority of the
company siding with the lieutenant,
little or no publicity was given the
notice, but the news got about, and a
score of Lieut. BjOrnstad's friends
waited for two hours outside the gov
ernor's office to learn what action the
court would take on the charges,
which, according to their views, were
rather f1imsy. in their character and
preferred by the captain as a dernier
resort.
Col. j. c. Shandrew, of the Third in
fantry presided over the court. which
included Maj E. D. Libbey, First ar
tilery; Maj c. A Van Duzee, Third
infantry; Capt. c. T. Spear, Company
E, First infantry; Capt. o. L. Rooch,
Battery A, First artillery; Lieut.. c. y.
Clark, Company E, First infantry, AMI
Lieut. G. G. Bunker, Company G, First
infantry, who sat in the stead OF capt.
N C. Robinson, unavoidably absent.
Capt. John w. Lane, of the brigade
staff, was judge advocate, while Capt.
George c. Lambert, of the First artll-
lerV. locked after the interest of the
accused.
The charges, which are quite volum-
fnous set forth that Lieut.. Bjornstad
was guilty of conduct to the prejudice
of good order and military discipline.
The session of the court lasted from y
until after 10 o'clock, and the MEM
bers of the court declined to discuss the
matter as did also the judge advocate
and attorney for the accused.
1t was learned, however, that the
charges were based on alleged alter
cations which are said to have taken
place between the accused and the
ianitor of the armory on one occasion,
and Capt. Montfort, in a second in
stance, in February or March. Capt.
Lane spoke possibly half an hour in
making out his case, after which Capt
Lambert presented the other side.
Less time was given to consideration
of the weight of the charges than to
the 1flCIlOn winch mas oXlSIeu lOI SOIlS
time in H company. The boys are said
to be with Lieut.. BjOrnstad almost to
a man, and openly declare that Capt.
Montfort has prevented the admission
to the company of desirable members,
their friends, and has lost no oppor-
tunity to take issue with Lieut.. Bjorn-
stad, who appears to be quite popular
in the company. AS to the
fracas with the janitor members
of the company say it was but the
proper squelching of an officiouS serv-
ant by Lieut. Bjornstad, and later the
scene with Capt Montfort is said to
have been precipitated by the latter,
during which the lieutenant did. not
depart from the rules which are sup
posed to govern the acts of gentlemen
been brewing some time, has reached
the ears of Col. Reeve, who is said to
have expressed himself in no mistak-
able manner favoring either a sus-
pension of hostilities or the retirement
of one or other officer from the COM
pany. The H boys make no bones of
standing by Lieuts. Hardy and Biorn-
Stad as against their captain. The
present roster of the company is some
thing like fifty-siX, with a number Of
application on file, which Capt Mont
fort is accused of refusing to act fav-
orably upon.
Lieut.. Bjornstad is cashier in the Of
fee of the city treasurer, one of the
prominent members of the Minnesota
Boat club, and a thoroughly popular
fellow