Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-10-24
TRIALS IN: TIE ARMY
.-ssesss !. liz K Ii sa.sss.s(ss-s S
OVER $500 MEN sENTENCED TO
DIsHONORABI>E DISCHARGE.
The Judge Advocate General Says
That HIS Forcsis Inrdeauate-
Legislation RAconSm ended.

General Lieber, judge. advocate general
of the army, in his -annuSa report to the
Secretary of War. says there were $3.50
trials by general courts-martial during the
past fiscal year. Of which $umber 3o were
commissioned officers O1 Regulars and "a
vounteersl, cadets. 6,61S enlisted men
Is, 424 regulars and 1914 volunteers) and %
civilians serving with the army. OF the
commissioned officers &c were convicted
and of the enlisted men 600 were convict
ed. A total of 1855 men were sentenced
to dishonorable discharge of whom 22,O
were in the regular army and 315 in the
volunteers.
Death sentences were imposed by SEN
tence of court-martial in six cases of en-
listed men-1 for murder. for rape and 1
for striking a superior officer. The death
sentences in these cases were committed
by the President to dishonorable discharge
forfeiture of all pay and allowances and
Imprisonment at hard labor. for twenty
years in five cases and for three years in
one case-that of striking superior officer
The death sentence was also imposed by
sentence of court-martial in one case of
a civilian employe. for rape and other Of
fenses, which sentence, however was COM
muted to imprisonment at hard labor for
twenty years. In addition to the above So
persons were tried by military commissions
during the year. of which number AZ were
convicted, 10 were acquitted and in one
case the sentence was disapproved OF the
convictions, - were for murder for as
sault with intent to kill 6 for counseline
soldlers-to desert, 6 for robbery and l as a
Spy. Death sentences were imposed by
military commissions in 13 cases of natives
OF the Philippine Islands-S for murder and
robbery, for murder and 1 for being A
spy. The death sentence was Disappeared
III one case, executed In five cases and
committed to Imprisonment at hard labor
Tor twenty years in five cases for fifteen
years in one case and for ten years in an
other. " OH
The Force Inadeuuate
The judge advocate generals department
- no" composed OF eight officers, force,
in the opinion of Gen. Lieber entirely in
s"iiicleiie TO meet existing requirements
Under the law reorganzing the depart
ment. the Secretary of War is authorized
to supplement this regular force with act
ing judge advocates of departments de-
tailed from officers of the line. Gen. Lie
Der says mat that arrangement has prov
ed to be a very good one and the of1icars
so detailed have done their work we'll
put ne is decidedly of the opinion that a
larger proportion of officers emnloyed on
that work should belong to the regular
Judge advocate generals department If
sun be necessary, he says. to resort to the
detail! of line officers While not adyocat
ing the abandonment of the present prac-
.ice, ne expresses the opinion that the
number Of detailed officers should not so
greatly exceed the number of officers of
the department as is now made necessary
oy the demands Of the service.
Liquidation Recommended.
In closing his report Gen. Lieber recon-
mends the passage of a bill drafted by
him Ito prevent the failure of military
Justice which was favorably reported to
the House of Representatives at the first
session of the Fifty-sixth Congress, but
tailed of enactment. The first section of
that bill prescribes a penalty for civilians
VINO refuse to appear witnesses before
a general court-martial of the army when
properly summoned. Another provision is
mat reglmental and garrison courts mar
ual ana summary courts shall not have
power to try capital cases or commission
ell officers.