The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-07-08


military punishments in the United
States is by court martial. Certain
officers are appointed by the military
authorities to hear the facts in the
case and whatever defense the culprit
may care to make When they have
heard all sides Of the subject they de-
eide whether or no the prisoner de-
serves punishment and Of what kind
1t shall be-
THE PUNISHMENTS USED.
In the American army and navy are:
Death, confinement in the guard house
or in military prison, hard labor for
some of the worst offenses, with ball
and chain, forfeiture of pay, dis
honorable discharge from the service,
but the latter cannot be for more than
fourteenedays at a time.
If the cuiprit is an officer, sergeant,
corporal, ETC., he may be reduced to the
ranks. Death is seldom resorted to
except in very extreme cases, but IN
time of war this mode of punishment
is more frequent. A soldier who falls
asleep while on picket duty, and thus
gives the enemy chance to surprise
the camp, may be sentenced to be Shot
Great cowardice in battle may also be
punished III the same way, and every
boy knows that spy, if captured is
very apt to be hanged; spies are very
dangerous TO the welfare of an army,
and while being shot does not seem so
bad to some soldiers. the thought that
death will come by hanging is much
dreaded. Desertion is also frequently
punished, In war time, by death. Dur
ing our last war If a soldier or sailor
vas caught stealing from his comrades
he was severely punished, more so than
he would have been had he not been in
the army.
A novel way Of Furnishing a coward
was to march him through the camp
With rlacard bearing the word
Coward" fastened about his neck. The
officer in charge Of a military prison
ADOPTED a peculiar way of Furnishing a
man who tried to escape. The fellow
found ladder and one night placed
it against the wall Of the prison. in
tending to climb over and get away.
He was caught, and the commander
ordered that for five hours he should
climb up the ladder and down again.
The soldier laughed at the punishment
but pretty soon his back began to grow
lame, and ar the end of the five hours
he had to be taken to the hospital.
If any Of the boys who read this arti-
Gle care to visit Governors island. or
any military station, he will see a num-
Der of men digging about the grounds,
WHEELING DIRT AND STONES
and doing the work of a laboring man.
These soldiers are dressed in brown
canvas suits and each has a large
number fastened upon his back; some
among the number may be wearing a
chain about one ankle and a small
cannon ball will be fastened to one
end of the chain. These soldiers are
being punished for fighting with their
comrades, disobeying orders, or for
leaving the post without permission
or overstaying their leave of absence.
On shipboard sailors may be seen
seated in the rigging, doing extra duty
small cabin in the hold of the vessel;
such have disobeyed some rule set
down by the regulations of the navy.
Another mode of punishment is to
make the culprit march up and down
for several hours Casually six or eight.
with knapsack fastened to his Shout
ders and gun in his hand; this meth
cd of punishment is more common in
the English army than in America.
In Austria a soldier is sometimes
punished by being put in irons for six
hours, or by being tied in an upright
posture in a dark cell for two hours;
In the United States such punishments
are seldom used, the latter never. The
soldiers in China probably have the
hardest time of 1t in the way of pun
ishment; nearly everything is punished
by cutting off the culprit's head. If he
runs away during battle, acts as
though he was afraid, whispers to the
man next to him, tells big stories Of
how brave he is, allows his superior
officer to be killed. doesn't advance
when the drum beats or doesn't re-
treat when the gong is sounded, off
goes his head as soon as the officers
can get time to see to 1t.
In both the American and English
service. probably the worst punish
ment next to being sentenced to death.
is dishonorable discharge, when the
culprit loses not only his profession.
but is disgraced in the eyes of his
friends and acquaintances
The sentences of confinement in
military prisons vary from a few DAYS
to a year, or even more. To make
matters worse the prisoner is deprived
Of his pay during confinement, and
may be discharged when he has served
his term Of imprisonment.