The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-11-21
MEADE WAS DRINKING
TESTIMONY AGAINST THE AC-
 CUSED OFFICER.
Major Louchheimer Who Brought the Charges Gives Evidence. Other Witnesses are Heard
 Before the Courtmartial.

New York, Nov. 20.-The courtmartial of Colonel R. E. Meade was resumed at the navy yard today. Major Charles H. Lauchheimer of the United States marine corps, who preferred the charges against the accused officer, took the stand and told of a visit to the marine barracks in Brooklyn on June Is last for the purpose of making an inspection and stated pos itively that Colonel Meade was on that occasion positively under the influence of liquor and unfit for duty. There was review of the battlion that day and Col onel Meade made several mistakes while conducting the drill, and the witness cur
 tailed the drill when he saw that Colonel Meade's condition was such that it woul be useless to continue it.
 Major Lauchheimer said that when he returned to Washington he reported the poor drill and the fact that Colonel
 Meade was intoxicated.
 On croSs-eXamination by Lawyer Sem pie Major Lauchheimer said he made a close inspection, but denied that Colonel Meade became irritable on account of this close inspection. He persisted in his statement that Colonel Meades condition
 was brought about by indulgence in
 He said that Captain Kane had told
 him that Colonel Meade had visions '' and that he (Kane) had 'jollied' him and sent him away from the parade grounds story.
 After the drill in question the witness
 said Colonel Meade had made mistakes
 and twice acknowledged them, saying My mistakes my mistakes" The old , officers might not have heard these state- ments of the colonel. Prior to that time the witness said his relations with Colo
 mel Meade were of friendly nature and | he denied ever having told Captain Kane | that he disliked the Colonel.
 Capt Theo. I; Kane, of the Marine been intoxicated. He had seen him take | two drinks at his quarters in the pres
 ence of Major Lauchheimer and another 1 officer. The witness said that while the | Colonel was under the influence of liquor l during the afternoon drill, his mind was
 clear and he performed all the duties re-
 quired of hIm. The witness would not
 say positively that Colonel Meade was or | was not capable of attending to all of | his duties on the afternoon of June 1S
 Lieut. o. H. Rask testified that he | took part in the battalion drill on June
 IS, and said that he believed the ac- | cused officer was fully competent to per- ] form his duties as commanding officer. I Lieut.. John c. Beaumont of the Ma rine Barracks, Washington said the ac- tions and manner of Colonel Meade of June IS led him to believe that the Col onel was under the influence of liquor, but he ascribed the poorness of drill not only to the condition of the commanding officer, but also to the fact that the men were tired after a lengthy inspec- ton.
 Lieut.. R. w. Dikeman, of the Ma rine Barracks, Portsmouth. N. H.. said that judging from his manner Colonel Meade was slightly under the influence of liquor.
 Lieut.. F. T. Fryer testified that Col onel Meade showed by his voice and manner that he was inebriated on the afternoon in question.
 Lieut.. A. P. Niblack. the Judge Ad- vocate of the court asked that portions of the record of the testimony adduced at the court of inquiry in regard to the | case be admitted as evidence before the court martial. Lawyer T. B. Semple. on | behalf of the accused. made a strenuous | objection to any part of the record of
 the court of inquiry being admitted be- | fore the court and quoted several au-
 thorities in support ot his objection. The | court room was cleared and the officers
 discussed this point for fully half an | hour.
 | When the doors were opened again the l announcement was made that Colonel | Meades lawyers Were sustained. Judge l Advocate Niblack then said that he did l not want the entire record of the inquiry | court admitted, but he said that he would
 make an argument tomorrow for the | purpose of inducing the court ad admit l some of the record which he promised to prove would be essential for a thorough | conduct of the case. The court then ad- | journed until tomorrow.