The San Francisco call., 1899-12-07
SHIELDS WALKED
: AND TALKED AS
IF INTOXICATED
Evidence of AlCatraZ
Officers.

The case against Chaplain David u.
Shields. the accused chaplain of AlcatTaZ
Island. was opened before a court-martial
yesterday morning. The trial lasted all
day and before adjournment Major Groes-
beck, judge advocate, announced that the
prosecution would take up a good part
of another day.
One of the lines Of defense was suggest
ed in a request from Lieutenant Eltinge,
counsel for the accused, when he asked
for permission to send TO Fort Wingate,
where the accused was formerly stationed,
for depositions as 10 his previous good
character, and also TO send to Washing
ton to secure copies of the recommenda-
tions upon which the President appointed
him TO the service about two years ago.
The court considered the request and
then directed Lieutenant Eltinge TO make
out his interrogatories with the assistance
OF the judge advocate and the court would
then consider them further. The reason
the request was not granted at once is
that there are several officers on the court
VINO may be ordered TO Manila at any
time and il may be d matter OF difficulty
TO keep the court together for any length
OF time. Besides. the previous good char
acter or the accused may not be matter
of Issue, and when the interrOgatories are
all made out IL may be that the prosecu-
tion will admit all the defense hopes TO
prove by them.
The trial opened with the reading of the
charges and specifications against the
chaplain. II was charged that he absent
ed himself from his post without leave
from November 20 TO November 22 and
that he returned from this unduly pro-
longed leave in an intoxicated condition.
Captain George L. Bartlett, Third Artil-
lery, commander OF the post at Alcatraz,
was the first witness called. He testified
that on November ~ last Chaplain
Shields came over TO the island and re-
ported for duty. saying he had been as
signed 10 that post. He dined with the
captain and then asked permission 10 re-
turn 10 The city for some of his effects.
He asked. too, If il would make any diff
ference II he did not return on the next
boat and Captain Bartlett said IL would
not, expecting. as he explained afterwlrd
in his testimony, that II the chaplain
missed the next boat he would come on
the succeeding one. He also testified that
he had no authority 10 grant leave tor
more than twenty-four hours TO any one
and he expected the chaplain 10 know
that. although he admitted that there had
been no definite time set for the return
of the chaplain and that perhaps the chap
lain did not know that he had TO return
within the twenty-four hours. All this
was brought out in the cross-examina-
tion.
The next time Captain Bartlett saw the
accused was on the Clay-street wharf
They were both about 10 go on board the
Sea Queen, which was then doing part Of
the duty of the quartermaster steamer
Mcdowell. Bartlett noticed nothing
strange about the chaplain al the time,
and he went on board the boat. but on the
way over he noticed the clergyman on the
upper deck of the tug. There was no
railing on the deck, and he saw the chap
lain walking unsteadily and in apparent
danger of falling over the side.
When the Sea Queen came up to the
wharf at AlcatraZ Captain Bartlett or
dered Lieutenant Spalding TO help the
chaplain TO his quarters. He also ordered
DIR. Williams. the post surgeon, TO attend
Shields. Captain Bartlett believed Shields
was drunk
Dr Williams uae tba naxt v,itras-
called. He said he went TO attend the
chaplain In his room, and found him lying
on the bed, fully dressed and in a condi-
ton that strongly suggested that he had
been drinking heavily. He took off the
mans blouse and his shoes and made him
as comfortable as he could The next
day the chaplain came to him and he pre-
scribed some cough medicine for him. The
chaplain suggested that he be given some
stimulant, and the doctor prescribed some
for him.
Lieutenant Oliver L. Spalding. Third Ar
tillery. on duty at AlcatraZ. was the next
witness called. He was the officer who
quarters. Lieutenant Spalding testified
that the chaplain seemed very unsteady
and very weak, and several times as he
helped him up the long flight OF steps TO
the quarters he had to stop and let the
man rest The physical and nervous
weakness the chaplain showed Lieutenant
Spalding believed to he very much like
what would follow excessive drinking On
cross-eXamination he admitted that he
knew no more about the effects of eXces-
sive drinking than any one not an expert,
but he thought the chaplain had been
drinking heavily, and he had seen no rea-
son to change his opinion since then, al
though facts which might account for the
chaplains weakness had been brought to
his attention.
Continuing, Lieutenant Spalding said
that when they reached the chaplains
room the chaplain threw himself upon
the bed, just as he was, and he was soon
in a heavy slumber. Lieutenant Spalding
also testified that the chaplain seemed
unable to converse intelligently
II was also brought out by the prosecu-
ton that when the Sea Queen came to
the wharf nearly the whole garrison was
looking down from the porch of the cita-
del on to the wharf. and while he would
not say that the men had seen the chap
lain, still they could have done so and
probably did This was to support the
charge that the chaplain had been drunk
In the presence of the enlisted men.
The prosecution will continue to-day and