The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-30
COL. BARNETT'S OFFENSE
MILITARY MEN WHO THINK HIS
COMMISSION SHOULD BE REVOKED.
"'Snw-HOrse" Riding Extreme Cruelty,
and Contrary to RegulatiOns-Let-
tiers from Camp Alger.

Nearly every military man in the city
apparently has an opinion regarding the
reported torture of Private Cooper, of the
misunderstanding ninth Indiana Regi-
ment at Camp Alger, and in every case
the opinion is strongly against Colonel
Barnett. One officer in particular who
was in the regular army service for a long
while, in discussing the affair last night,
said:
Yes, 1 have heard of Colonel Barnetts
action, and, if it is true, there is no ex-
cuse he can offer that will palliate the Of
tense. Even in the regular army, where
the discipline is naturally supposed to be
more rigidly adhered to, and the authority
for enforcing it less subject to restraint
when troops are on duty in isolated posts
such thing has not been heard of since
the war"
Continuing, he said: 1.-The army regula-
lions, moreover, are framed distinctly
the only punishment which officers are al
lowed to infiict on privates being confine-
ment in the guardhouse, and then, if the
case is serious, only until the matter can
be inquired into by court-martial. Even
such comparatively mild punishment as
'spread-eagling' may not be ordered by
summarily by any higher authority on ap-
peal. with the chances in favor of the Off
missed in disgrace. The army register is
full of such cases which on the face of
them appear trivial, yet a court-martial
der was possessed os rights which the Off
Ger was bound to respect
Inc fact of such an instrument of tor
ture being specially erected for the pun
fshment of what in raw troops may be con-
sidered trivial offense is in itself enough
to cause Colonel Barnett's overthrow The
news of the affair as / have seen it. indi-
Gates that Colonel Barnett. in not being
a6le to deny the charge and making the
admission of the necessity of maintaining
discipline by such methods, confesses him.
self guilty and incompetent as command
er The only wonder to me is that the
troops, being practically civilians did not
mutiny. OF course, this is a delicate sub
lect to handle, but candidly do not see
can be avoided, and If there is one it is
about q sure thing his commission will be
A well-known militia officer of this city
or high rank after scoring Colonel Bar
nett II general terms after the manner OF
the officer quoted above. said he had re-
ceived letter from a friend in Camp AL
ger in which the facts in the case as pub
1shed in the papers were more than sub
~ This man stated Colonel Barnett's in
tention to renew punishment on the day
taken from the s'saw-horsec unconscious,
AFTER being tied in torturng position and
exposed to the sun for two hours. The
only thing that prevented ii, according 10
the letter, was the statements of brother
officers and medical men of the regiment 10
Colonel Barnett threatening personally 10
take the matter before the federal au-
tnorlGeS on their own part Then Bar
nett -relented. Absence from roll call is
an ofrense.' said the officer which in mill
tiamen Is condoned If not entirely over
looked by the officers, and il is the opinion
OF Barnetts officers that he must have tenn
porarily been possessed of the ferocity OF
a tiger to order such an outrage perpe-
trated on man who. as one of the first
or the volunteers, Is entitled to be honored
instead OF degraded and tortured
Military men are telling many stories OF
Colonel Barnetts petty tyranny He has
never seen service at the front 1t Is claimed
but after remaining in the arrnv npvnh~~ of
years. having been appointed after the war,
ne resigned with the same grade ne hs ia
on entering, second lieuten4ncy Gov.
General McKoe's Recommendation.