The San Francisco call., 1898-12-03
WALKED PAST
 THE GUARD AT
 THE PRES|D|O Private Moffitt Gains His Liberty. MEAD0RS IS TAKEN EAST SLAYER OF URY FEN ROUTE. TO PRISON AT LEAvENWoRTH. General Merriam Approves the Sen tence of Spillinger and Orders the
 Disgraced Soldier Confined
 on Alcatraz Island.
SLAYER OF URY FEN ROUTE. TO
 PRISON AT LEAVENWORTH.

Private Mofitt, who has been serving sentence of three years at Alcatraz, escaped from the guard at the Presidio Thursday afternoon and Is still at large. Moffitt at the time he took his departure was acting as cook for gang of sixten military convicts from Alcatraz, who had been detailed for work repairing roads at the Presidio After the mid day meal he was left alone temporarily while the guard was busy lining up the prisoners, preparatory to resuming work on the roads.
 Moftitt took advantage of the opportu- nity to make himself scarce, and al- though his absence was almost immedi- diately discovered, he had made such good use of his time that no trace of his whereabouts could be learned. A detail of eight men searched for him all the af- ternoon and night and all day yesterday without success. It is not believed that he can long evade the searchers, how ever, and if he is captured he will have to pay dearly for taking French leave He had but nine months of his term to serve, but the punishment usually pro- vided for attempts of this character is severe, and in the case of Moffitt will probably be year or two additional tackled on to his term.
 Private MeadorS, formerly of the Eighth California Volunteers. who was tried by court-martial for stabbing his tentmate, Ury, to death in the camp at F'ruitvale and sentenced to ten years im- prisonment, was started East to the mli- tary prison at Fort Leavenworth at 4:30 o'clock yesterday afternoon, under guard
 The court-martial sitting at the Pre- sidio is now engaged in trying the case | of Private Watson of Battery I, T...rd Artillery, who is accused of attempting to XII XII the the, first sergeant of his battery: A rifle bullet, alleged to have been fired by thfsush the sergeant's f bed. csptain sps Siesr M s.. Barnes is judge-advocate of the court
 Target practice with the big eight-inch | ten-inch, twelve-inch and pneumatic dy, namite guns of the Pacific Coast batteries IS expected to begin shortly and to last about ten days. Orders are expected daliy from Washington to give the recently in- stalled modern ordnance pieces a thor 1 ough test. Canvas targets will be used and guards will be posted to warn ali passing ships out of danger. Battery D Third Artillery, stationed at San Diego will practice at Ballast Point; Battery M hird Artillery, at Fort Stevens, Oregon and Batteries E and I, Third Artillery, at Fort Point.
 Major General Merritt will arrive in New York from London in a few days, and will resume command of the Depart ment of the East, relieving General Shafter, who will return to San Francisco some time in January to take command of the department of the coast, relieving General Merriam.
 General Merriam has confirmed the sen- tence of Private Henry J. Spillinger of the United States Hospital Corps, tried by court-martial at the Presidio for absent ing himself without leave, drunkenness, using abusive language and disobedience, and sentenced to be dishonorably dis charged and confined in a military prison at hard labor for three months. General Merriam designates Alcatraz Island as the place of confinement.
 The steamer Australia, which is due here on the 9th, will bring a detachment of the New York Regiment, and the Scan- dia, which will arrive on the 9th, will bring a number of sick soldiers from Honolulu and Manila Nearly all the pa tients at the post hospital are convaleS- cling. Several have been discharged from the service for physical disability.
 Colonel Compton, Fourth Cavalry, U. S. A, Brigadier General Compton, U. S. ", has been ordered to assume command of his regiment at the Presidio.
 The following orders were Issued from department headquarters yesterday:
 Pursuant to telegraphic authority from the War Department, of this date, the station of Battery I, Third Artillery, is changed from Angel Island to the Presidio of San Francisco, Cal; and that of Bat leer Heavy Artillery, from the Presidio of San Francisco to Angel Island, Cal
 Major David H. Kinzie, Third Artillery. is assigned temporarily to the command of the post of Angel Island, Cal, in addition to his other duties.
 In addition to his other duties, Major Marshall w. Wood, surgeon, will assume the duties of surgeon of the post and will report to the commanding officer of the troops in Honolulu, H. l., for that pur- pose.
 Upon the recommendation of the chief surgeon, Columbia J. von Schmidt, hos pital nurse, now in this city, will proceed, without delay, to Honolulu, H. L. and officer of the United States military hos pital for duty.