Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-19
FORGED THE SIGNATURES
Private Hoon Sent General Otis a Bogus
Petition.
Findings of the Court Martial Sent
From ManiIa-Gen. LawtOn
Approved Them.

The adjutant general today received a
cable message from General Otis at Manila
in response to a request for statement of
the facts in the case of Private Hoon
Company K, 4th Infantry, who, it has been
alleged, was imprisoned by General Otis
because he sent him a letter direct asking
TO be allowed to take examination for
appointment as second lieutenant, instead
of having forwarded the communication
through the regular military channels.
General Otis message was as follows:
MANILA, September 49, 1899
Adjutant General. Washington:
Private Hoon, Company X, 4th Infantry,
was sentenced by court-nartial, sitting at
linus to a dishonorable discharge and con-
finement in Manila prison one year. Sen
tence was approved by General Lawton
and is being executed April II HOon sent
direct to me paper purporting to be a pc
ution, asking for a commission. The paper
was referred 10 the commanding officer of
the 4th Infantry, without remark. The re-
suit was trial on the charge of a viola
ton OF the sixty second article of war,
der which specification laid as follows:
In that Private Lawrence +. Hoon, Com
pany *, 4th United States Infantry did
write and send to Major General f. S
Otis, United States Volunteers, military
governor, Philippine Islands, a paper pur-
porting to be a petition. in words and fig
ureS as follows: Camp I.alonla, April II
1889. General Otis. honored sir: We the
undersigned, do hereby, in behalf of the
company. present to you for promotion un-
der presidential appointment Private Law
renee r. Hoon, Company Is, 4th United
States Infantry, for integrity and bravery
and good, moral character is unsurpassed
in the 4th Regiment He has a colleged
education and senatorial ancestors his
grandfather, Judge William, Lawrence. ex-
controller of the United States Treasury
Private Hoon left his regiment in the
trenches and Joined the 22d Regiment f
Company, because they were to the front.
He left without gun or belt andd stood in
the lines until man fell. He took his out
fit and fought with them to Maolos. He
turned in the outfit to Sergeant Trooper,
company r, of I'D and returned to his
company. He has been to the front in all
. the skirmishes of 4 Company. and has
seen three times more service in the Philip
pines than any man in the regiment. Hop
ing you viii! allow him an examina ton, we
thus submit the petition, yours Sergeant
J. Moore, Corporal Mark Baldwin. Cor
porat Bannon. Corporal Chandler. Private
n Gosh. C. Beall. We could secure the
signature of the entire company, but con-
slider this sufficient and thus avoid pub
iic!ty Yours truly. Sergeant Moore, Com
pahy X. 4th Infantry Knowing that he.
the SAID Lawrence F. HooH. Company X,
4th Infantry, had feloniously and malici
9nsly % written the names of Sergeant J:
Moore. Corporal Mark Baldwin, Corporal
Bannon, Corporal Chandler, Private H.
Gosh and c. Beall to the patition withFthe
intent OF deceiving the said General Otis
ino thereby trying to secure his (Otis) aid
III obtaining commission As second lieu
tenant in the United States army This, in
camp at Laloma Church. near Manila. p
l., on the 18th day of April 1894 Proceed
| ings of trial forwarded to Washington.
August H. OTIS