Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-21
w. ~.
IN AS%
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GIN a court-martfaI," explained an officer
of the Judge advocate generals office to a
Star reporter the proceedings are run on
a somewhat different plan than in the ordl-
nary civil trial court, in that the judge
advocate of the court-martial not only pre-
pares the charges and specifications, but
swears in the members of the court He
also administers the oath to each OF the
witnesses as they are put upon the witness
stand. The oath that the officers of the
cOurt-martial take not only provides that
they shall well and truly try the accused,
but that they shall never disclose any vote
the court may take the vote by which
the finding has been secured. a court
martial always retires to vote upon any
point that may be raised in trial. The
court is always composed of an uneven
number, and d majority decides any Incl
dental question or motion or makes a find
ing. ANY number of the court up to five
can conduct the trial in the absence of
the others. The moment an accused officer
is Informed of his arrest ii suspendS every
function in his official life, except to draw
his pay, until he has been acquitted and
the finding approved. The arrest is only
cOnstTuCtivsly an arrest, for an actual
physical arrest never takes place. The
members of the court wear their full uni
forms. with swords, during the trial. The
accused officer also wears mis- uniform, but
he is not permitted to wear his sword, the
insignia ut his authority, for while on trial
he has no authority. While the judge adj
NOCdte manages the trial, he does not pre-
side over the deliberations of the court,
that being done by the president of the
court. who. however, never decides any
point even the simplest or most unimport-
ant. without a conference with the men,
bers of the court. The judge advocate is to
a Cuurt-sus-TtIal what the district or prose-
cutting attorney and marshal or sheriff
combined are 10 civil court. The clerk
of the CJGrt-m3rtlal is generally a sergeant
Of the army, and the bailiffs and attend
ants of the court are enlisted men. who
wear their side arms and hats or caps dur
ing the sessions Of the court. Court-mar-
tld.S ara generally public, but they have
the power. if they desire. TO conduct their
prOeesd iGgS with closed doors, and there is
no appeal from their action provided for.
They can only hold sessions until > O'Clock
in the afternoon. except by special orders
from the Secretary OF War extending the
time. While il is not always observed, it
Il the intention and spirit Of the proceed
tugs that the social relations between an
accused officer and the members of the
court shall be suspended during the pend
ency Of the trial. The navy goes a step
further in this direction and absolutely pro-
hlbitS social Intercourse between an aC-
cuSel officer and the members of a court
which j. trying him. While the judge ad-
VUCate pru-ecJtes the charges for the gov
eminent. the regulations require that the
Tense and pay his attorneys
x x
For hiccoughs or at least to stop hic-
coughs. taere is no cure as pleasant to take
and as reliable in its operation as damson
juice" volunteered an experienced nurse to
a Star reporter. The juice can be secured
from preserved damsons or damsons in any
other form In nine cases out of every ten
Of hiccougEs holding the breath as long as
possible viii stop them. If one attempt
does not succeed others can be Immediately
made, and with any kind of persistence,
the hIccCush can he stopped in a few min
Utes. Taking nine swallows of water out
or a glass on one breath, which our grand
mothers told Us of, and cured US with il
but another way of applying the same
remedy Sometimes il is difficult to get
young chillran to successfully use these
simple cures, and il is for these that |
would US the damsOn juice Damson ielIy
or preserves, as stated before, work al
most equally well. It is & remedy that but
Jew children will refuse. Hiccoughs can
De stopped by fright but it is not a safe
remedy, especially on sensitive children
for the after effect is frequently bad"
=
Ihere Is a very general misunderstand-
ing throughout the country as to the PEN
atty envelope said an official of the PEN
sion bureau TO a Star reporter, land while
NNSA' -4dNS bttH Out lew prosecutions for
violations Of the use of the envelope. a
good deal of trouble can be given for the
wrong use of it, if desired. AS far as PEN
sioners are concerned there is now no more
difficulty, for they have learned that the
penalty envelope is to be used only for
communications to be sent to the pension
bureau 1 was connected with the last CEN
sus, and had great deal to do with send
ing int
cases We always sent a penalty envelope
Tor the reply In q great number of the
cases there was no reply and the envelope
was used for other purposes People in
cues understand il very well, but those
who live IN the small towns and villages
90 not and what is more. do not try TO
only last week / was told Of an occurrence
IN connection with the penalty envelope
"hlch happened up at the weather bureau
SchooI teacher in town in Illinois. a
sood-sized town. too, wrote to the weather
bureau Tor some samples of it's pubIica-
ions. and especially for a large weather
map That bureau is always anxious to
spread such information broadcast. and