The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1898-01-01
GENERAL SCOTT AS JUDGE.
Dramatic Incident of Camp Life DuRini
the War With MEXICO.


General w. w. Dufield, Chief of
the Coast and Geodetic Survey, is
veteran of the Mexican war. He re-
ates an interesting story concerning
General Winfield Scott, which goes to
show that the old hero had q judicial
;urn of mind in addition to one Of mill
:ary strategic character.
1--WE were stationed at a beautiful
little town in Mexico" said General
Dufield, "when a circumstance oc-
CURED which necessitated the calling
Of court-martial, of which I was
junior officer. Several of the soldiers
of our army broke into the house of
Mexican one night, killed the proprie-
tor of the place and his son and as
saulted the women. They were ar
rested red-handed and confined in the
guard house.
"After General Scott had heard Of
the outrage, he called the court-mar-
tial, which, after careful investiga-
ton, decided that the men, six in
number, should be hanged the following
Friday, the court-martial taking place
on Friday. The finding was sent to
the commanding general.
SIT happened that four of the men
sentenced to be hanged belonged to q
regiment of which the colonel was q
well-known lawyer, who had gone to
the war with the intention of running
for Congress on his military record.
The four men were from his city and
were ward heelers; so he wanted them
reserved for his own purposes, It pos
sible. He requested General Scott to
hear his plea for the setting aside OF
the finding of the court, which was
granted. We were summoned to ap-
pear at the generals headquarters, and
attend in full uniform. The general
had camp stools set out for us, and
furnished each biscuit to nibble on.
He presented magnificent figure as
he sat in his chair. He was q splendid
looking man.
"When we had finished our refresh.
ments the general said he was ready
to hear the colonel's argument. The
latter rose and spoke as if he was at
the bar. He argued that before the
sentence should be carried out, &C.
cording to military law and usage, in
the case of murder or dismissal Of an
officer, the finding of q court-martial
should be sent to the commanding
general, to be transmitted by him to
The Secretary of War, aud by him to
the President, who could use his pre-
rogative Of pardon if he chose. His
argument was that if the finding Of
the court-martial should be carried
out the Presidents prerogative would
thus be disregarded.
General Scott sat unmoved during
the lawyers plea and did not speak
until the argument was finished. 1
thought the lawyer had made an un-
lnswerable argument for the post
ponement of the mems sentence. His
idea was to postpone it so influence
,ould be exerted in Washington and
their pardon secured.
General Scott calmly and deliber-
stely declared that he was no lawyer,
and had no pretensions to being, but
that he was probably as well posted on
the law of nations as the officer who
aad made the plea. The conditions on
which the argument of taking away
The Presidents prerogative in the way
Of pardon might apply to the case if it
came in the United States. It was in
: foreign country, he said, and the
commanding general under such cir
substances had full control over affairs
connected with the army Of which he
had command, and he ended by order
ing that the sentence be carried out
according to the finding of the court
martial.
Zone of the men managed to escape,
put the other five were executed. -
Washington Star.