The National tribune., 1899-11-09

TO SHORTY, "THIs COURT HAS MET
YoU."
Stone River. or Chckamauga, or Mission
| Ridge. You'd know more if you had been,
| Your mental horizon would have been en-
larged, so TO speak. Aren't you from Mil
Waukee?"
81 was born and brought up there, until
| | went To West Point" answered the Lieu
| tenant, rather uneasily.
so | thought. The only man of your
| name that | ever heard of kept a saloon in
! Milwaukee, great place for politicians to
hang around. | used to go there myself
when | was in politics. He was a sort of a
ward boss. Was he your father?"
Yes, sir" said the Lieutenant, with red
dening face; "but | don't know what this
has to do with the case that | have pre-
sented to your attention"
1T has great deal to do with this lecture
with which you have favored us" answered
the Major dryly. But Wen not discuss
that i'll open court Are you through with
the witness, Judge-Advocate? If so, call
the next"
"I'll Just ask the Captain few questions
for the defense" said Lieut.. Bowersox
How did you know that the prisoner was
drunk"
How did know it," How does any man
know that another is drunk? He was
bDiSttiOlS. tAClteu NelliiS-IIldL KIM
OF drunk"
But that does not prove that he was
drunk. I hat may be his way of doing his
work. Did You see him drink"
"Did YOU ever see him before?"
"Yes"
How was he acting then?"
Il shall have 10 say that he was bolster
Gus and yelling then, but not so wildly
excited"
Then it was only difference in degree,
not kind. Was ne not accomplishing
what he was ordered to do?"
Yes, he certainly did bring that Timber
out OF the gulch."
Then it is only matter of opinion that
he was drunk. You have nothing TO guide
you except your judgment that the man
was drunk, who was still doing his duty
pretty effectively"
But there could be no mistake. know
that the man was raging drunk"
AS L said before, that is matter of
opinion and judgment which will discuss
with the court later. Did the prisoner
actually strike you?'
81 cannot say that he actually did, far
ther than snatch out OF my hand the field
glasses"
He didn't do it! You're lynn, l yanked
the glasses out of your hand Twas me-
shouted little Pete, from the oak leaves
The members all looked up in astonish-
ment.
Sergeant" said the Major to the Ser
geant of the Provost Guard. fetch that
little rascal down and buck-and-g gag him.
until can decide what further punishment
he deserves for eavesdropping, and inter
rupting the court
Il don't care if you kill me-" whimpered
little Pete, as they tied his hands together.
''if you'll only let Corp1 Elliott off. He
wasn't TO Elame 1t was me-"
You can 60" said Lieut. BOWerSoy 10
the Lieutenant Sergeant, bring in Or
derly-Sergeant Jacob Whitelaw.
In response to the Judge-Advocate's
direct questionings the Ordefly-Sergeant |
that Shorty was drunk. very drunk, and |
exceedingly noisy. But when Lieut. |
BoWersoX changed to the defense, the |
Orderly-Sergeant testified with great |
alacrity that he had not seen Shorty take |
drink. that he did not know where he could |
have got whisky; did not know where in all |
that part of Georgia there was Il drop of !
liquor outside of the Surgeons stores and |
the officers canteens; that he wished he did |
know, for he'd like to have a drink himself: |
and that Shorty, when he was putting forth |
his greatest strength, was generally very |
vociferous and not at ali careful oi what he |
said. This was one OF the peculiaritieS of |
the man, that was overlooked OH account of |
his great effectiveness on the men when i'll |
that state.
The other members of the company testi- |
fled in the same way, giving their belief |
even more emphatically against any liquor
being found anywhere i'll that neighbor-
hood, and the linlikelihood of Shorty's
being able to obtain any. The other mem
bers of the court had Caught on very /
quickly to the tactics of the President and |
Judge-Advocate. All except Lieut.. Nc
Jimsey, whose prepossessions We're de-
cidedly and manifestly i'll favor of the atti-
tude of his brother staff officer He grew
stiffer and more dogged as the case pro
ceeded, and frequently asked embarrassing
questions. The JudgeAdvocate an
nounced that the case was closed, and the
court would be cleared for deliberation;;
Before you open. Judge-Advocate," said
Maj. TruaN significantly. 81 want to say
not as member of this court.
but something between gentlemen, and !
want to say it before we begin our deliber
ations, i'll order that it shall not be con
sideTed as part of them, or influencing them
The lecture by that self-suffcent fellow on
our duties makes me tired. remember his
sold the meaneSt whisky to be
found in Milwaukee. | want TO say right
here that no man who sells lager beer can
sell whisky that's fit for gentlemen To
Judgment. Old Steigermeyer had good
leal of political influence OF certain kind.
md he buldoZed the Representative from
MS District into giving his son an appoint
ment to West Point Now this young up
start comes around and absolutely lectures
is who have always been gentlemen, and
our fathers before us, on gentlemanlinesS.
1t was hard for me to keep from saying /:
right before him about theJ
quality of whisky his father used to sell.
IAN stand good deal. but the idea of a gin
mill keepers son lording it over others
and over enlisted men who came of much
better stock than he does sticks i'll my craw.
Now, whenever | find one of these whose
ather got his appointment as Steiger-
meyers father did (and the old Majors