The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1901-08-15

rificed in order TO enforce discipline.
= Dunn's public disgrace did not sat
isfy the doughty general and the 9th
er officials. They turned him over tC
the civil authorities and demanded
that he be prosecuted. According To
the statement of Assistant Prosecut-
ing Attorney \. f. Elliott, who con.
Quoted the case. the civil authorities
would never have prosecuted Dunn il
General Clark had not requested it.
PROSECUTING ATTORNEY : STATEMENT
Il was asked to look into the case
from civil standpoint, said Mr..
Elliott to correspondent for The
Times to-day. General Clark sug
gested that | prosecute the soldier
under IA law which the general point
ed out to me- II is a statute that is
not heard of very often, but as Cen
Heral Clark was once "a at
tOrney he was familiar with it. |
only did my duty and Dunn received
the minimum punishment | felt
sorry for the boy
The fact that General Clark gave
Dunn the maximum punishment al
lowed under military law, that the
general made every EFFORT TO per-
suade the civil authorities to prose-
cute and that the prisoner received
the lightest punishment allowed IN.
der the statute when the case was
tried in court, lends color to the be-
lief that Dunn was the helpless victim
of General Clark.
1t is true that the disgraceful
scenes at Springfield last year when |
the militiamen terrOrized the town |
injured the standing of the national |
guard, and had Nevada been the |
scene of rowdyism this year the days
of the guard would surely be number /
ed. The citizens of this town are al
most unanimous in their praise of
the manner in which order was pre-
served. However, the treatment
which Trumpeter Dunn received was
so harsh that few believe he deserved
it. 1t is claimed that Dunn was
tough St. Louis boy who caused
trouble last year at Springfield.
This charge against him may be
true, but those familiar with the de-
tails OF the escapade which resulted {
n his public humiliation at Nevada ,
declare that the punishment was too /
severe for the Offense. "
On Friday another dispatch from
Nevada was published giving views
)f prominent citizens of that town. 7
which opinions were divided In I
he same issue Finis C. Farr. former :
private secretary of Governor Crit p
enden and now a prominent attOr- /
ley of Kansas City. had a signed g
rticle which was very bitter i'll its
OF the action of General >
lark. On Saturday the following il
ispatch appeared in that paper: 4
Fort LeayenwOrth, Kan, Aug. 9. :
The drumming out OF camp at Ne
ada, Mo, OF Trumpeter James Dunn,
the Missouri national guard, upon
ne orders of Brigadier General II. {. F
larke, without trial by courtmartial,
II an alleged selling of a beer wagon a
18th five other comrades and driving &C
he team attached toward camp, has Il
rtracted considerable attention n
nOng officers stationed at this post. | 1t
Several stated today that the pro Ell
eding was not only unusual. but Il
warranted. and calls for the 10
'Ompt trial by martial OF Gen ~
al Clark and the immediate restora- bt
on OF Trumpeter Dunn. as his dis r.
large under the circumstances is 7
early in violation OF law and most
'utal offense against a proper ad-
lnlstration OF justice and discipline
nong the militia of the states. ;,
An officer discussing the subject to- "
" said he was pleased The Times
Is taken up the case of the trumpet
and hopes it will arouse the peo-
OF the state to a point where Gov
nor Dockery will not only ask for
ark resignation. but will lead to
demand for Dunn reinstatement.
believes Governor Dockerv is an
norable man and an official who
Il do his whole DUTY.
Il similar offen>+ had been com -
tied by an officer OF the regular 3
my, said the officer. the press of {
\ country wpnII -ao-,, ~ ! ~