The times., 1899-09-20
PRIVATE HooN's CASE.
An Official Report Received by the
War Department.

naF DenaTIment.
The reply of General Otis in response to
a request for a statement of the case of
Private Hoon, Company K, Fourth Infan-
try, who, ii has been alleged, was impris-
oned because he asked for a commission
without forwarding his papers in the proper
manner. was yesterday received at the War
Department. The report of General Otis
follows:
MANILA, Sept. 10, 1899
Adjutant General, Washington:
Private Hoon Company X, Fourth Infantry
sentenced by court martial sitting at linus 10
dishonorable discharge and confinement in Ma
Mia prison, one year sentence Approved by Gen
sral Lawton, and being executed. April IL, Hoon
sent direct to me paper purporting TO be petition
asking for commission Paper referred to COM
nanding officer. Fourth Infantry without re-
mark. Result trial charge violation sixty
second article OF war, under which specification
laid as follows:
In that Private Lawrence F Hoon, Company
X, Fourth United States Infantry. did write and
send 10 Major General Z. S. Otis, Z. S. v,
Military Governor Philippine Islands, paper pur
porting 10 be petition in words and figures as
follows: Camp Lalona, April IL, 1899. General
Otis, Honored Sir We, the undersigned, do
hereby, in behalf OF the company, present TO you
for promotion, under Presidential appointment,
Private Lawrence F. Hoon, Company K, Fourth
United States Infantry, whose record for
integrity and bravery and good moral
character is unsurpassed in the Fourth
Regiment. He has college education and
Senatorial ancestors; his grandfather, Judge Will
lam Lawrence, ex-Comptroller of the United
States Treasury. Private Hoon left his regiment
in the trenches and joined the Twenty
Regiment, Company, because they were TO the
front. He left without gun or belt and stood in
the lines until a fell He took his outfit
and fought with them to Malolos He turned
| in the outfit to Sergeant Trooper, Company
Of Twenty-second and returned to his company
He has been TO the front in all the skirmisbes Of
/ X Company, and has three times more sery.
| ice in the Philippines than any in the regi-
ment. Hoping you viii allow him an examina.
tion, we thus submit the petition Yours Ser
| geant J. Moore, Corporal Mark Baldwin, Corporal
| BaHnon, Corporal Chandler, Private H. Gosh C.
| Beal. We could secure the signature Of tbe en-
tire company, but consider this sufficient and
| thus avoid publicity. Yours truly Sergeant
Moore, Company K, Fourth Infantry Knowing
| that he, the said Lawrence +. Hoon Company X
Fourth Infantry, had feloniousiy and nialciousIy
| written the names Of Sergeant J. Moore Corporal
Mark Baldwin, Corporal Bannon Corporal Chand.
1 le- Private II. Gosh, and c. Beall 10 the peti-
tion with the intent of deceiving said General
| Otis and thereby trying 10 secure his (otisO aid
| in obtaining a commission as second lieutenant
! IN the United States army
This is camp al Laloma Church. near Manila,
Philippine Islands, the 18th day of April 1892
/ proceedings of trial forwarded to Washington,
| August Il. OTIS.
A copy of the despatch from General Otis
was sent TO Governor Bushnell today by
Secretary Root, who wrote the following
/ letter TO the Governor:
Your letter Of September u to the President,
! enclosing a letter from Lawrence f. Hoon, relat-
! ing to his conviction by court-martial in the
| Philippine Islands, has been referred to me for
! reply. / have the honor to enclose a copy of a
despatch from General Otis by which you will see
that the young regularly tried and con-
victed for attempting TO secure promotion by
means Of petition upon which he forged the
names of six non-comnissioned officers and pri-
/ Yates Of his company; that the trial at the
( instance Of his regimental commander and that
the sentence approved BY General Lawton