The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-10-06
MILITARY END Of SNpSROM THE ATHERAND MORE JAPANESE ARRVE
COURT MARTIAL INVESTIGATING
IT'S EFFECTS.
Private Mcdonald, the Experimental
Subject of the Scientific and Mill
tary Inquiry--Much Testimony.

Private Mcdonald, of Company X
of the Second United States volun-
teer engineers, got drunk on swipes,
was arrested by the patrol, taken to
Camp Mckinley and is today being
tried by court martial with a prospect
of several months imprisonment,
should the finding of the court be ad-
verse to him. He simply got drunk
on swipes in a native house. He was
not on duty, but he was in uniform.
He had even been to church just pre-
vious to his spree.
The case of Private Mcdonald is
one that has created much sympathy
among the men at Camp Mckinley. He
is a man well liked in his regiment,
one who seldom drinks anything,
comes from a highly respected and in
huential family in one of the eastern
states, holds a good record for soldi-
erly attention to duty, and belongs to
the Catholic church.
His own story of it is this: On a
recent Sunday he went to the Catho-
lie church and after the services got
into conversation with some natives.
They invited him to their house where
some cakes and swipes were brought
out. He told the natives that he was
not a drinking man and they assured
him the swipes was harmless. He
took probably two or three glasses,
and did not feel any Intoxicating eff
fects. After some time some other ma
tives came in, one of whom had a
large bottle with him. Mcdonald
was asked to take another drink with
the newcomers, and upon being assur-
ed that the bottle contained swipes
and that it was harmless, did so. He
remembers that the stuff tasted much
stronger than the first he had drank
but from that time on his memory is
blank. He knows absolutely nothing
of what he did, where he went or
what happened to him until he came
to his senses several hours afterward
at Camp Mckinley. and found himself
under arrest with charges of drunk.
ness. disorderly conduct and overstay
| ing leave against him.
He was taken before the general
| courtmartial and his case set for tria
today. Lieutenant +. r. Tannatt oi
the Second United States engineers
was appointed to defend him. After
hearing his story, Lieutenant Tannatt
came to the conclusion that Mcdonald
had been drugged and should not be
held responsible. Mcdonald persisted
| that he had drank nothing but swipe.
which was harmless, and the lieuten
ant was in a quandary. About thi,
time an article on the manufacture O
swipes appeared in The Star and the
mystery was solved. The last glas:
of swipes that Mcdonald had taker
must evidently have been doctoreC
with methylated spirits.
Lieutenant Tannatt lost no time il
investigating the subject thoroughly
Two army surgeons will testify as t.
the effects of methylated spirits wheI
taken internally. He got much valu
able information from Marshal Brown
who has detailed Detective KAPPA t
attend the courtmartial and give evi
dence as to the use of methylated spir
its in doctoring swipes.
Lieutenant Tannatt said YESTERDAY
that unless he could prove that hi
client had been drugged he thought i
would go hard with him, and resul
in his getting several months impris
onment. He is much interested il
McDonald's case, knowing his famil,
well, and he is also desirous of open
ing the eyes of the men of both tn
camps to the danger of indiscriminat
drinking.
The courtmartial met at 10 o'clocl
this morning. Lieutenant Britain
judge advocate, and the court is CON
posed of captains and lieutenants o
troops at the camp.