The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-31
SOME MEMBERS OF THE COURT
THEIR STAY IN SAVANNAH BEING
MADE A PLEASANT ONE.

OnciaIly Announced-Maj. stanton
the Court InterrOgatOr-COI. Mans
field an Artist-The First 10 Strike
COurt-Mr. COnanfs Testimony to
lie Concluded To-day.
For many the Carter court martial has
ceased to produce interest because of the
dry detail into which the testimony Is
going. But to those who have followed the
case closely, and have noted the different
points upon which the testimony bears,
there is no lack of interest, and the daily
crowds that gather in the court room and
remain there, even up 10 o'clock, the
hour of adjournment demonstrate the fact
that there are many in this class.
The officers Of the court have practically
settled down to a home life in Savannah
for the time being, and are extracting all
the comfort they can, being absent from
home, from the conditions they find around
them. Those conditions seem pleasant to
the members of the court. They all say,
though, having disagreeable duty to per-
form, they are glad to be in Savannah. Sa-
vannah seems to present some charms for
them which they are discovering, and the
general expression among them is, that un-
der the circumstances they are glad TO be
here.
The members of the court have become
quite well acquainted among Savannah
ians during their brief stay, but that is
quite natural; Savannah is noted for not
being backward in showing attention to
strangers within her gates. The members
Of the court all wanted to take the trip
down the river with the congressional riv-
er and harbor committee but it was
question of duty before pleasure with
them, and they gave in to duty. They
knew that it would be all right so far as
Savannah and this section was concerned,
but outside of the city it was feared that
it would look a little like delaying matters
unnecessarily for the court to adjourn for
day for that purpose. Between the ses-
sions however. the members of the court
have been looked after and entertained by
Savannahians in one way and another, and
all of them are talking most pleasantly
of their visit here.
Years ago when the old barracks was To-
Gated where the De Soto now stands Maj
w. s. Patten was on duty here He is
with wonder that he noticed the many
remarkable improvements and evidences
of growth of the city since that time. He
and Maj c. A. Woodruff are almost al
ways seen together. Both are located at
Governors Island, ". Y, and it is there
fore natural. Maj Patten is in the quar-
termaster's department. and Mai Wood
ruff is in the commissary department.
BY the way, Maj. Woodruff's rank has
been raised to that lieutenant colonel by
| the retirement on Jan. p of Gen. Bell at
the age of GA years. This fact however
has not as yet been brought 10 the Off
cial attention of the court, or there would
before now, have been a change in the
order of the officers. Maj. Woodruff will
change places with Maj Stanton should
this promotion be officially announced to
the Judge Advocate before the court is
through with its work here.
Maj. Stanton, by the way, who occu-
pies the second seat to the left of Gen
Otis, Is one of the most interested and
most interesting members of the court.
practical engineer himself, in charge of
the government works at Oswego N. Y,
he has been giving the closest attention
to the proceedings and has made careful
notes of all the dates and important
points that have been brought out The
questions asked of the witnesses by the
court are usually asked through Mai
Stanton, particularly if they involve en-
sineering points. Several of the members
| OF the court who have questions which
! they desire asked give them TO Mai Stan
ton, and he puts the inquiries. His cues
| tons indicate little to those not well in
formed on the case, and though they are
! direct and to the point, 1t is difficult for
| those most interested to figure out Wbeth-
er they lean to one side or the other 1t
Is evident that Maj Stanton is after The
| facts.
Lieut.. Col. Samuel NJ Mansfield of the
| engineer corps, in charge of the govern
ment works at Boston, is one of the most
| interesting members of the court Col
| Mansfield is himself most attentive to
| the points presented but he is somewhat
of an artist, and the other day when the
| proceedings were dragging somewhat he
| could not resist the temptation to mako a
little sketch of Mr.. Walter G. Charlton.
which he did quite well. The Colonel did
| not know il, perhaps but he left the
| sketch lying on the table after the court
| had adjourned.
There is no man on the court. and per-
haps not anywhere else, who enioys a
| cigar more than does Col Mansfield For
! that matter the cigar or the pine is one
/ of the principal features of army life and
there are few officers who do not delight
! in good smoke. 1t is a race between
Col. Mansfield and other members Of the
court, as well as others in the court
| room, 10 see VINO can strike the first
| match when Gen. Otis announces thar the
court will take IA recess. The other dav
Mr.. Rose one of Capt Carter's attorneys
beat him to the scratch, and there wa
considerable amusement over the incl
| dent.
Capt Mills, or Col. Mills, as he is known
among his brother officers, has military
air that could never be mistaken. He gets
the title of colonel from having been com
mandant at West Point for a period of five
! years, which carries with it the title colo
mel, and the pay of colonel for the time
being Though he holds a captains com
mission now he is generally known as
colonel Lieut. Col, Hasbrouck. of the
Fourth Artlllery,was also at one time COM
mandant at West Point. This is Col. Has
brouck's second visit to Savannah within
the last six months, he having been here
sometime ago with board of army Officers
on tour of inspection Of coast fortlaca-
| tons.
Mai. Patten is the youngest member of
the court, and II is said Capt. d. M. Tav-
| Tor, of the ordinance department at An
| gusta comes next to him. Youth. however
| is not usually a distinguishing character.
istic of army officers; it is years of expar.
fence that enables them to reach the posi-
tons OF importance which they hold.
The members nj fba count IN