The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-09-25
CHAPTER w

The court martial that met at Camp
Cooke In compliance with orders from
division headquarters at Frisco had
three weeks later practically finished the
case of Brevet Captain Nevins. and that
debonair person. who had appeared be-
fore 1t on the first day suaye, laughing
and almost insolently defiant had wilted
visibly as day after day the Judge advo-
cate unfolded the mass of evidence
against him.
All that Nevins thought 10 be tried for
was a charge OF misappropriation OF
public funds and property, and II was his
purpose 10 plead I'm bar Of trial that he
had offered 10 make complete restitution,
20 replace every missing item and doubiy
replace IL need be every dollar. This in
deed he had lost no time in doing the mo-
ment he was handed over to the post
commander two days after the exciting
episode at Sanchos. but he coupled with
the offer a condition that all proceedings
against him should be dropped. and the
veteran major commanding, while ex-
pressing entire willingness TO receipt for
any funds the accused might offer,
would promise nothing whatever I'm re-
turn.
That Nevins should be charged with
desertlon and breach OF arrest the ac-
portance. He was merely going 10 Tue
son as fast as he could TO get from busi-
ness associates, as he termed them. the
money deposited with them and owed TO
him, and this must also excuse his hav-
ing borrowed the majors best horse.
His friends In congress would square
all that for him, even II the court should
prove obdurate. That grave charges
should have followed him from a former
sphere OF operations that his record,
while retained in the volunteer service
until the spring of ls66 and assigned TO
some mysterious bureau functions in the
south, should have been ventilated and
made part and parcel of the charges;
that IL should be shown that he as
newly commissioned officer of the army
had made the journey from New Orleans
10 the isthmus and thence TO San Fran
cisco with men whom he knew TO he de-
serters from commands stationed in the
Crescent City; that he should have gam
bled with them and associated with them
and brought one of them all the way with
him TO Yuma and concealed from the
military authorities his knowledge OF
their crime: that IL should be proved that
he was professional card sharp" ex-
pert manipulation and blackleg he never
had contemplated as even possible. and
yet with calm and relentless delibera-
ton, that cold blooded. merclless marti-
net OF West Pointer" as he referred TO
the Judge advocate at an early stage in
the proceedings, had laid proof after
proof before the court and left the case
OF the defense at the last without a leg
10 stand on.
And then Nevins dropped the debonair
and donned the abject. for the one
friend or adviser left TO him in the
crowded camp. an officer who said he
always took the side OF the under dog in
fight, had told him that In its present
temper that court, with old Turnbull as
one of Its leaders, would surely sentence
him to term of years at Alcatraz. as
well as to dismissal ffeHf- the military
service OF the United States. Dismissal
he expected. but cared little for that He
had money and valuables more than
enough to begin life on anywhere, and
the pickings of his accustomed trade
were all too scant in Arizona He needed
a broader field and a crowding population
for the proper exercise OF his talents and
the uniform OF the officer after all, had
not proved TO be so potent In lulling the
suspicious of prospective victims as he
had expected IL might be.
But Alcatraz. rock bound prison. n
convict's garb, hard labor on soft diet
that was indeed appalling.
THAT man Loring has made you out an
innate blackguard. Nevins. You've got
10 plead for mercy" said his shrewd ad-
wiser and Nevins saw the point and
pleaded. He laid before the court letters
from officers Of rank speaking grateful
ly of his aid during the prevalence OF
yellow fever in the gulf statss. He begged
the court to wait until he could show
them the affidavits of many statesmen
and soldiers. whom II would take months
TO hear from by mail, and there was then
no telegraph In Arizona. He begged for
time. for pity, and the court was moved
and wrote to Drum barracks for in
structions and adjourned until the an
swer came. which IL did by swift stages
and special courier within week. "Ad-
vices from Washington say that the
congressional hackers OF the accused
have declared themselves well rid Of frtrr1-
and suggest the extreme penalty OF the
law" And this being the advice OF Wash
ington. II was simply human nature that
the court should experience a revulsion
OF feeling and consider itself bound TO
see that the poor fellow was not made 10
suffer martyrdom.
Most of the members were men from
the volunteers or from the ranks West
Pointers were the exception. not the RUE,
IN the line Of the army for years after
the war. Most of the court had been the
recipients Of Nevins' exuberant hospital
fly at one time or another. lie had OBJ
Jected to the few who had lost heavily
20 him at cards. and the objection had
been sustained. and when the last day
OF the long session arrived and the sad
eyed, pale faced, scroupuously groomed
dressed accused arose before the digni.
Ned array and the little line OF curious
spectators TO make his last plea a silence
not unmlxed with a certain sympathy.
fell upon all hearers. as In low voice and
faltering accents the frendless fellow be-
ean his story. Partly from manuscript,
which he seemed To find hard reading,
but mainly as an extemporaneous effort,
his remarks we're substantially as fol-
lows.
"Ive come 10 make a clean breast OF
a, gentlemen. I'm not fit TO wear your
uniform. I never was. I never wanted
20. IL was practically forced upon me
BY men who ought 10 have known better.
who did know better. but who did not
care 80 long as they got me out OF the
way. Ny father as much as owned more
thar one congressman I'm York state The
Hon Mr.. Cadger Of the military com
nittee couldn't have been renominated
f N hadn't been for him. and he didn't
want me round home any more. lie got
NE kept on bureau work long after all
but a few volunteers were mustered out,