The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1898-03-18
TBE DUTY or THE COURT or IN
nUIRT

THE DUTY or THE COURT or IN
QUIRY
THE LEADER has no personal interest
to subserve in it's insistence that the
investigation Of the assault on Colonel
stiles and Captain Douglass In the
throwing episode at the depot In
this city on a recent occasion shall be
rigid and thorough.
II, as charged, General Rosenbaum,
Captain Arrell aud members OF the
local militia we're concerned In the
disgrsceful affair, either by actual
participation, or that the officers had
knowledge beforehand OF the assault,
the facts should be fully shown, and
II the alleged charges arc unfounded
and these officers innocent, that fact
should be shown with equal clearuess.
Technicalities in the introduction Of
testimony to the exclusion Of the real
facts should not govern the court in
it's deliberations No white-wSshing
or favoritism should control the Ac-
ton Of the court. The proceedings
should be open and above board, and
IL the parties are innocent OF the al
legged charges they will court full,
complete and open investigation.
II has been said that the governors
letter OF instructions to the adjutant.
generals request for the appointment
Of the court lie irregular and not in
accordance with military usage, in the
fact that IL directs him to convene the
court to investigate himself, and that
while the order which the adjutant-
general must issue before the court
can legally convene is merely per-
functory in it's relation to the inVesti-
CATION, it is nevertheless such an un-
usual proceeding in military juris-
prudence as to create fear that IL is
the beginning Of what is to terminate
in a military farce. TIE LEADER.
after tsllf with the governor on the
subj sct of the investigation, does not
believs anything of the sort, for the
governor assures us thathe was deadly
in earnest and intended the investiga.
tion should go to the bottom OF the
whole thing.
The question is, does Governor
Barnes believe this can be done under
the request of the adju u'ant-generHl
and his letter of Instructions to that
officer to convene the court, and which
restricts the court to the rumors In
the current press and ellewhere?"
Does he propose that the current
press" shall come into court and
testify that "Diek, Tom and Harry
told it so and so? VIII the court per
init such testimony? Certainly not
and the investigation falls Of its own
weight before it completes the exami
nation of the 6rst witness. The ''cur-
rent press" is too indefinite quantity
to testify in court,
Under the regulations the court, un
less otherwise ordered by this author
ity convenlng 1t, cannot returh an
opinion. 1t simply takes down the
testimony of sucA witnesses as come
before IL and returns 1t with their pro
C ,edings to the officer conveniny ih'
court for his consideration and fna
disposition.
IL the governor has any fears of this
he should personally see that the in
vestigatiol is sweeping and thorough
As the outrage was dlfgrAceiul, AnC
that the matters to be examined intC
are broade 50 as TO admit all tesii
mony that wi throw light upon the
subj set, and fS the responsibility OF
the guilty IArtier, whoever they are
Under the lett r Of instructions to the
a itani- general not a syllable Of ties
timony can be introdu ed before the
court either exonerating Captain Ar
rell and others or eliminating them.
The governor, as the commander in
chief, in the hnal order convening the
court, will doubtless remedy this, Al
while the person lv persons calling fol
a court OF inquiry may confine his re
quest to one specifically alleged item
the authority ordering and conveninl
the court may enlarge its jurisdiction
TO include any matters relating to ol
connected directly snd remotely will
the specific allegation complained o.
by the petitioners, and which may tenC
in his judgment TO contribute to a full
and complete development Of all thu
facts connected Herewith, and upoI
which, when the court makes its re
turn OF the testimony snd the proceed
iugs, he can form his judgment as I,
the merits Of the case.
This is doubtless the purpose Of th'
governor, and II II is not done tn,
court might as well not convene, an'
and thus save the territory many goo'
dollars Of useless expense
-.=-
The new Spanish minister talks q
though the most important issue be
tween Spain and the United State
| WAS the negokiatioa of a racinrocft,