The evening times., 1900-05-28
ARMY SOCIETY EXCITED
Sensation at Fort Hamilton Over
a Young Officers Actions.
Lieut.. Edward II. Martin Admits Tim.
He Is Married, and With Equal
Firnness Later Denies It-An Al
legged Bride and Her Sister In His
Quarters-RefOre n Court-Martiai-

NEW YORK, May 2S--Lieut ElIard H.
Martin. of the Fifth United States Artil-
Iery. now undergoing trial by court-martial
at Fort Hamilton, has given that staid
Army post the social surprise of its his
tory.
Four days ago Lieutenant Martin. who
is one of the youngest officers in the serv-
ice, only two years out of West Point. sud
denly blossomed out as a married mar
Two fashionably dressed and good looking
women appeared at the fott, one Of them as
Lieutenant Martins bride, the other as The
BRIDES sister.
Not an officer Of the post had received
even an intimation that Martin had been
married. The sudden advent Of the bride
at time when the lieutenant was facing
grave charges OF misconduct in connection
with his mismanagement OF the canteen
fund at Fort Hancock created the liveliest
materially strengthened by a variety Of pc
culiar circumstances.
Col. John L Rodgers, of the Fifth Artil-
lery. the white-ba haired. soldierly looking
eommandant at Fort Hamilton. when seen
| Saturday, told aIf the known facts unhesi-
/ tatingly.
so far as l know" said the old soidie-,
an angry light sparkling in his keeE blue
eges. Lieutenant Martin is a married
man
| The conditions surrounding the case are
| somewhat peculiar. 1 will give you the
| facts in my possession without comment
| When Lieutenant Martin was recently
/ sent 20 this post for cOurt-martial, did all
! in my power 10 make him comfortable He
| has always been unpopular with his broth
/ er officers. and feeling that the unmarried
ones at the post might object to his being
| quartered among them. l asked Lieutenant
/ Wilbur TO give him accommodation
/ Lieutenant Wilbur, who occupies a house
alone. cheerfuIly consented to the arrange
| ment.
Matters were in this shape Oh Thurs
| day OF last week. if l remember the date
correctly. when Lieutenant Wilbur asked
me for permission TO go into quarters with
| the bachelor officers. / asked why. and 10
my intense surprise the answer was:
/ Martin wants 10 have his wife with him.
mo hint Of his having q wife had ever
before come 80 my ears The other officers
| al the post were as much sstonisheI as
! was. Still there was nothing 10 10 BIT
| accept his statement as true II Martin
]
| they should be together. The tact tn2t
! he failed to notify his brother officers o.
/ the wedding had nothing 10 do with ne
case. So l granted Lieutenant Nilbur per
mission 10 vacate his quarters.
! About the same time / received a com
] plant from an officers family occupying
a cottage next door 10 Martins. Two la
dies Lad suddenly appeared in Martin S
quarters They were there evidently II
stay, and as Martin was universally Ie-
| garded as a bachelor. their presence de-
manded full explanation"
Throughout the interview decidedly
/ pretty woman. gOwned in bright blue,
| graced the window of the Lieutenant 5
Qaurters. looking decidedly at home
The LeuJeuanJ's fat denial OF his al
legged marriage was repeated 10 Colonel
I Rodgers
That veteran soldier listened il eslca-
ishment. poudered silently for MON ~
/ then said.
Well, thiGgs are so curious about this
whole business that DO not know what
I TO think or what TO believe He has told
me OF his marriage. and ore OF my trs.s:.i
I oIficers has seen the wedding certificate.
can do nothing. The puzzle IS beyORl
/ NY humble pQWeTs OF solution"
/ Colonel Rodgers could not recall the
/ brides maiden name or that OF the min
/ lister who. he had been told, hsG per
formed the ceremony.
/ Captain Allen Of the Fifth Artillery IS
the officer who saw the marriage ceruf-
3 cate and reported 10 The post cOmmanG-
! ant
Yes: I saw it" said Captain Allen
/ But / only glanced at IL and cannot IT,
/ call a single name
| 1T was apparently in proper form. ths
| only popularity that struck me being tn
/ fact that all the names. witnesses in
/ cluded. were in the same handwriting"
| Captain Allen is q member of the court
before which Lieutenant Martin is now be-
| ing tried. and the alleged wedding ce-tih-
cate was handed to him in the midst of
/ a session. He glanced at IL and passed II
! back 10 the accused officer. That was on
I the morning after the episode Of the TWO
ladies imprisoned by the rain in Leu.en-
ant Martins quarters
In further complication OF the curious
case the fact developed last night that A
/ +. McNiekle, a druggist. with stores at
Fort Hamilton and Bay Ridge. held Lieu
tenant Martins alleged marriage certih-
| cate and stood ready 10 explain everything
satisfactorily. This information was Civ
en- by Captain Allen. who an hour before
had seen McNickle with the elusive cel-
tficate in his hands asd had extracted
from him a promise to explain. But Nh
McNickle did not return to his Bay Ridge
home until late last night, and then not
in a communicative mood.
No. / can't say a word about the mar
riage now said he Neither can I
show the certificate OF give you a hint as
to the identity Of the bride"
When assured that Lieutenant Martin
denied that there was any bride in the
! case at all Mr.. McNickle FASTENED TO ex-
plair
..Yes. I know all about that He has
denied his marriage on my advice This Is
no time to make such a matter public.
Wait until the lieutenant's trial is over.
Then he will be advised by me 10 tell all. -
Meanwhile Army society at Fort HamiI-
ton is in a gasping whirl of excitement.