The evening times., 1899-01-16

Sdry General Edgan, tried al fTeSSolt'
Arizona. in 1873, for gambling and failure
10 pay his losses:
Headquarters Department OF Arizona,
Prescott. January H. 1873.
General Orders w. >
III Before A general court martial, of which
Lieutenant Colonel j. D. wilkins Eighth In
fantry, is president. which convened at Prescott
A. T., on the 18th day o1 Noyember lh'', III ac-
cOrdance with Paragraph j. Special Orders, No.
l25 Series 1877 from these headquarters, were
arraigned and tried:
/ Captain Charles P. Eagsn, Commizsary of
Subsistence, L. :. Army.
CHARGE FIRST: Conduct to the prejudice OF
good order and military discipline in violation
OF Paragraph 996, Revised Regulations for the
Army of 1865.
Specification First: '.Iu that Captain Charles 2.
Eagan. Commissary of Subsistence, |. ). Army,
a disbursing officer, did habitualiy play and bet
at cards for large stakes in a game OF hazard in
the town OF Prescott, \. T.
This at Prescott. A. T., on about the ith
day of September 1871.
Specification Second In that Captain Charles
p Eagan. Commissary OF Subsistence, |. ; Ar
my. discussing officer, did habitually play and
bet at cards for large stakes in game OF haz
ard. in the town of Prescott, \. 7.
This at Prescott. \. T.. between the lst and
3lst days OF August, 1871"
CHARGE SECOND: ''Disobedience OF orders"
Specification Fist: In that Captain Charles P.
Eagan, ComnIssary Of Subsistence, |. ;. Army,
a disbursing officer. did knowingly and wllfully
| disobey General Orders. No. 100, War Depart
ment, Adjutant Generals Office, Series OF 1870,
by betting at cards Tor high stakes, in game OF
| hazard, III the town OF Prescott. A. I.
! This at Prescott, A. T., on about the 4th
| day of September ls1i.
Specification Second: In that Captain Charles
| P. Eagan, CommiSsaTy OF Subsistence. L. :.
Army. disbursing officer did knowingly and will
| fully disobey General Orders No. 1G9, War De-
partment Adjutant Generals Office, Series of
1870, by betting al cards for large stakes habit
ualy,in game OF hazard, in the town of Pres
! colt, A. T.
This at Prescott. 4. r.. between the lst and
| 3lst days OF August, lS11."
CHARGE THIRD: Conduct unbecoming an Of
! ficer and gentleman, in violation OF the Sixty
| first Article OF War
Specification: In that Captain Charles P.
| Eagan. COmmisSaTy nf Subsistence, L. 5. Army.
| disbursing officer Of the Government, while hct.
ting at cards for high stakes, in a game OF haz
ard, did lose six hundred dollars. more or sess,
and had failed, up to October l., 1877, to pay
| the
''This at Prescott, A. T, on or about September
| 4, 1877
PLEA:
| To the First Specification, First Charge, Gull,
ty.' except the words, ''for large stakes and
OF the excepted words, Not Guilty"
To the Second Specification. First, Charge.
| Guilty except the word, ''habitually." and
the words large stakes and OF the excepted
| words Not Guilty"
To the First Charge. Not guilty
| To the First and Second Specifications Charge
Second, and to Charge Second In bar of trial, -
| sustained by the court
| To the Specification. Charge Third. and to
Charge Third, In bar OF trial sustained by
| the court.
FINDINGS.
| of the First Specification. the First Charge
| Guilty except the words ''arge stakes and
of the excepted words, Not Guilty
On the Second Specification to the First Charge
| Guilty" except the words ''habitually' and
''for large stakes" and of the excepted words,
| ''Not Guilty.
OF the charge Guilty"
SENTENCE.
'To be reprimanded in orders by the depart.
ment commander
The proceedings and findings in the foregoing
case of Capt Charles p. Eagan, commissary Of
| subsistence. L. 5. A., are approved. The sen.
| tence is disapproved
| In disappearing of the sentence in this case
| the department commander seeks to prevent the
| establishment of a precedent which would re.
quire reprimand as the proper sentence, fol.
lowing conviction OF a violation OF the regula-
tions prohibiting gambling by disbursing officers.
| strict compliance with these regulations is
! essential to the reputation of the officers con.
| cerned, and the purity OF the military service;
and it is to be regretted that they have not been
given the force of law in the military as well as
| in the naval service, with established penalties
| Whilst arralgninent on the simple charge oi
gambling is comparatively unknown in the ar
my, loss to the public service and ruin to officers
is sufficiently frequent to justify arraignment and
| trial before the dangerous habit has had it:
1 natural results. and conviction should be ac
companied with a penalty more effcacious than
reminder that it is prohibited by regulations
The department commander also desires to cal
attention to the fact that whilst he does no,
| consider it his duty to investigate whether dis
bursting officers of his command gambling OF
not when he may see them engaged in playing
| cards. ne does not wish to be understood as sane
| tioning the practice in the least, and there car
be no mistake in regard TO his duty as pre-
scribed by the War Department Orders, No. 109
Series 1870, when disbursng officer is officially
charged with gambling and there is a reasonable
prospect of his conviction of the charge.
Captain Eagan will be released from arrest ant
upon receipt of the proper authority will be as
signed to his legitimate duties.
BY command of AUGUST V. KAUTZ,
Colonel Eighth Infantry, Brevet Major General
(Assigned.) J. P. MARTIN,
Assistant Adutant General.