The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-27

DIRE he fed. 9enfence In the court was
pronounced on Jan- 20. 1850.
Major John Andre of the British
army was the g~c-between in the deal
with Arnold He had IN interview
with the traitor near White Plains.
started to return 20 West Point. was
ed. He was condemned Sept. 20. iTso.
and hanged q couple of days later. His
arrest reached the ears of Arnold and
the archpiotter escaped. while the
man sent on . periious mission was
taken and lost his life while in the
performance OF what he believed to
be his duty. But for his disguise he
would have been neld simply as a pris-
emy's lines In disguise is a capital CT
fense in war times
.Ccmmodore James Barron of the
United tates navy figured in one OF
the most noted courts martial-if Il
can be 30 called-that ever was held
in the country. Unfortunately for this
onicer. the alleged offense occurred at
a time OF intense national excitement.
would serve a. well as another.
He had been . sailor. and a good one,
from boyhood. He served with distinc-
ton in the navy n rose until he was
commodore In 1907, when war with
France was imminent. Great Britain
also was causing much trouble by
boarding American vessels and arbi-
trarily impressang seamen, alleging
they were deeerters from her navy.
Barron commanded the Chesapeake
and was sent out Of Hampton roads
to cruise In search OF French priva-
teers.
He encountered the British frigate
Leopard, Of 80 guns. The captain of
the latter sent ar officer boa and
demanded three seamen as deserters.
Barron refused to comply with the de-
mand and the Leopard opened IRE
when Barron was on his guard. He
was crippled and was compelled to
give up the men. The action OF the
commander of the Leopard was re-
pudiated, but Barron was hailed before
a court. tried for failure to 10 his
duty, convicted and sentenced to five
years suspension from rank and pay.
His trial was ~ much due to popular
clamor AZ anything else, as he acted
really in accordance with the timid
policy of the administration. Later. In
1920, he became involved In a personal
quarrel with Decatur; they fought. De-
catur was killed and Barron seriously
wounded. He recovered. but was new
er afterward placed in command.
Major Marcus A. Reno, 7th cavalry.
faced military courts twice in his ca
reer In the army. Once he was
Grated from the most serious charge
which can be brought against an OFF,
cer-cowardfce; the second time he
IA dismissed from the service. Reno
was second In command in the reg.-
ment when Custer made his last
fight. He commanded a squadron sent
to the left when Custer IA his des-
-. ---.--A. l-t-AA
by Benteen and Campbell with their
troops and withdrew from the field.
He was sent to Coventry" because OF
this withdrawal and In the end faced
a court OF inquiry on the charge OF
c~owardice, although he was not the
apparent object of investigation.
The plain fact Is that Reno was
whipped before he was surrounded.
saw 1t and pulled out. His conduct OF
necessary retreat. In the eyes OF men
like Capt. Luther Hare Of his regiment,
then a whirlwind of battle from Texas
although Hare used another express
sion when he threw himself In front
Of the di~sorganized squadron-was
such as to stigmatize him as a coward.
But when the light Of investigation
was fully thrown on the case Reno's
curse was declared to be the proper
one and he was restored to favor.
But he never amounted to much
thereafter. The inquiry OF 1879. I'm
which Whitaker figured. the often ex-
pressed contempt Of brother officers,
etc, caused him to drink deeply. He
continued in the service until April 1.
1880. when a court martial found him
guilty Of conduct unbecoming an off-
GER and a gentleman. He la receiv-
ed an intimation before the converting
of the court that the back door" was
open. but refused to accept the offer
to resign. The trial was secret because
OF the nature OF the specifications. but
Reno never held his headup after the
decision. He was the feature OF W
very sensational affairs.
One of the most sensational cases In
the history Of the army vas that OF
Cadet Whitaker. the colored man who
was tried while a membe of the cadet
corps al West Point some 16 years
ago. Whitaker was a negro. and this
fact, combined with his sensational
charges of brutal hazing on the part
Of white cadets, gave h case national
notoriety. The trial also occupied more
tina any other yet conducted. 1t COM
menced as a court to investigate the
charges preferred by Whitaker and
locate II possible the men who had
committed the alleged outrage: It end
ed in the dismissal of the colofed man.
The case came up at a time when
the negro question occupied a large
mou of the politicians time. The
civil rights bill was law. negroes were
eligible to any ONCE or rank and many
politicians. especially among the re-
publicans. were loudly proclaimlng
that the colored race vas being depriv-
ed OF its rights. Whitaker was named
as a cadet, passed the required exam
nations and formally entered on rhe
rolls as a ''pleb." But the color line
wa drawn at once; II In as aut now