Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-19

accepted volunteer rank and still hold those
commissions. Major General Butler Is the
only one who IS not connected with the
regular army.
| OF the fourteen officers of the court, ten
| We're correctly given in the list of probable
members in yesterdays Star The ofhcers
| of the court are now located as follows
| General Merritt, at New York; Generals
Wade and Butler at Washington: General
Young, at Augusta: General Frank. at An
niston, Ala; General Pennington, at Allan
ia; General Randall at GreenViue, S. c.;
General Kline, at Athens, Ga; General
Comba, at Huntsville. Ala: Colonel Hams,
at Baltimore; Colonel Gillespie, at New
York; Colonel Suter, at Boston; Colonel
Guenther, at the Washington barracks, and
Lieutenant Colonel Davis, at West Point.
The Judge Advocate of the Court.
Lieut. Col. George B. Davis, who is named
as judge advocate of the Eagan court-mar-
tial, is we'll known in Washington. He
served here number of years at the head
of the war records office, having been detail
ed for this task from the judge advocate
generals office. In this capacity he made the
acquaintance of many men high in public
life and established a reputation as one of
the most genial as we'll one of the most
efficient army officers ever detailed in
Washington. Standing very high in the
esteem of the successive administrations of
the War Department, Lieut.. Col. Davis has
received important assignments from time
to time. Several years ago. before his tour
of duty at the head of the war records
office, he was instructor in law at West
Point. the same duty which he is now per-
forming.
While serving in Washington he was de-
tailed as judge advocate of the court of in
quiry which conducted the preliminary eX-
animation into the aqueduct tunnel scandal,
and upon the convening of a court-martial
to try Major Lydecker he was named as
judge advocate of that tribunal as well.
His skiliful conduct Of the proceedings of
that court attracted general attention. The
trial involved many technical details of un-
usual intricacy, which were ably handled
| by the judge advocate. Shortly after the
dissolution of that court another convened,
composed of several of the officers who
served on the Lydecker court, for the pur-
pose of trying Major George A. Armes re-
tired charged with conduct unbecOminS
an officer, in that he tweaked the nose of
Gen. Beaver, then governor of PennSyl-
vania and grand marshal of the Harrison
Inaugural parade. Lieut. Col. Uhen major)
Davis was judge advocate of this court as
well, and displayed rare tact in handling
the case. which involved several delicate
possibilities 1t is a curious coincidence
that Gen. Beaver, then virtually the com
plainant in the case against the accused is
now a member of the commission before
which the vituperative language was ut
tered by Gen. Edgan.
Lieut. Col Davis has a smooth, easy man.
ner of handling witness, which, coupled
with keen insight into character and a
thorough knowledge Of the law, evolves a
maximum of value from the testimony.
He has not the style of the orator in pre-
senting a case, but is rather persuasive
through the sOundness of his facts and the
brevity of his presentation. 1t is widely
felt that his selection is particularly happy
in view of the fact that he has never been
in the slightest degree identified with any
army faction, but has proceeded along a
course Of Unremitting attention to duty re-
Gardiess of personalities. He is regarded as
one Of the highest legal authorities of the
army, especially in matters pertaining to
discipline.