The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-10-15
FRAUDS In THE ARMY
OFFICER HELD FOR
THEFT
SOME VERY FAMOUS TRIALS

Maj. WATSON Loses the Governments
Money Playing Poker, Cuts Open
His own SatcheI, Throws 1t Ont
of the Window and Claims He
Was Robbed-Capt. Hedberg Once
Dismissed fer Theft.
Capt. Oberlin M, Carter is not the only
army officer who has been called UPON to
stand trial on the charge of defrauding or
attempting to defraud the government of
the United States. There have been
cases-though some Of them the lapse of
time has caused to, be forgotten-which,
and army circles as Ghas the trial and
sentence of the brilliant young engineer
officer, who a court has just decided,
enriched himself and Some contractors at
the expense of Uncle Sem
One of the most interesting court-mar-
tial stories handed down in army history
is that Of the trial Of Maj WATSON, of
the pay department, fifteen years ago.
The storys interest centers largely in
lIio lIlodHS WHICH w cSSOH LOOK, not Only
to establish his innocence after his ar
rest, but to prevent any suspicion falling
upon him after committing the criminal
act WATSON, like many another army
officer, and many more men in civil life,
for that matter loved a game of draw
1t is against regulations for any disours-
ing officer of the United States army to
play at games Of hazard or to enter gam
bling houses The rule is honored as
much in the breach as in the observance.
MAI. WAssON'S Willy PLAN.
Maj. WATSON saw what he knew was
and he took what he considered the only
means to escape, The major was on his
way to pay off body of troops in the
Southwest. He had a leather satcheI full
of government funds He drank q little
and sat in at a game of poker at a drop
ping off place. He did not lose all he
had, but he had other debts crowding
him. With his leather bag half depleted
of its store, the paymaster took a Pull
man car for the post, where he was to
pay off the members of the garrison. It
was night ride The major retired to
his lower berth and, hidden by the cur
tains, he distracted the contents of the
valise, disposing them about his person.
lie locked the receptacle and sealed it.
Then, drawing a sharp knife, he slit open
the leather side of the valise from end
to end. After this: he quietly raised the
window and threw the valise from the
rapidly moving train.
When the porter reused the passengers
shortly after daybreak, NAL WATSON
wildly declared that he had been robbed
He was apparently in perfect frenzy
of excitement. His. Yaltse, which many of
the passengers had seen, was missing.
The whole train was searched, and the
failure to find the bag forced ready cred
ence of the paymasters story of rob-
berry. 1t was believed for a long time
that Payrnaster. Wasson's money pouch
had been taken from MS berth while he
slept Gross earelessness.. but not Grim
inality, was charged against him. The
valise, cut open and with it's. contents
distracted, was found at the bottom of
the railroad ernbankfh emit, = In the firm
belief that1.Wassop Was trr1ioc cent. the. in
vestigators finally had their suspicious
the train as being this rebber Of the
army officer. The suspected person, how
ever, succeeded in clearing himself COM
pletely, and WATSON, learning this, kept
back the admission that was, trembling
on his tongue.
DISCOVERY OF GUILT.
The story of the poker party. finally
leaked out, The tolls frightened about the
major, and he was brought to trial and
sentenced, to dismissal from the army
and to imprisonment for a term Of years.
There has been only one case in the
history of the army of the United States
where an officer convicted of theft by a
court Of his fellows and the sentence ap-
proved by the president has been restored
to rank and command and the conviction
wiped off the records. This case stands
as one Of the most remarkable in army
annals. The accused, convicted, and ul-
timately cleared officer was. Capt. Alfred
Hedberg, of the Fifteenth United States
infantry, who, six years ago this month,
was shot and killed by Lieut.. James
Nancy, at Fort Sheridan, III. 1t was
nearly thirty years ago that Hedberg
was put under arrest at Fort Cummings,
n. M, on a series of charges, any one
of which was sufficient,zif proven, to Sc
cure his dismissal from the service, and
l.,
In some states of the Union, have brought
about the hanging of the captain. The
details of the trial on this charge were
from their nature suppressed. even in
the army record Of the case. Other
charges were lying, embezzIement, plain
theft, and neglect of duty. Among other
things that were laid at Hedberg's door
was purposely allowing four men to de-
sert, taking with them several mule
Capt Hedberg was a Swede. He had
Joined the federal army during the war,
and had a record for bravery. President
Grant RENTED the imprisonment part Of
the sentence and approved of the cashier
ing. HedbeIg was officially branded as a
thief. Some years afterward he married
a woman renowned for her b2auty. To-
gether they started out to. secure vim
dicatton and reinstatement. Hedberg
tha IA -