Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-08
CAPT. HAMILTON'S CASE.
Soldiers Swear That He Bribed Them
to Accuse Chief Hamill Uniustly,

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
SAN JUAN. Porto Rico, July 3, 1903.
The Investigations Of the military board
convened at Cayey by order of Col. James
A. Buchanan to inquire into the conduct of
Capt. A. H. Hamilton OF the Porto Rico
Regiment have been concluded and the pro-
ceedings have been forwarded to Washing
ton.
Captain Hamilton Is charged with making
terrible accusations affecting the moral
character Of Col. Terrence HaIniI, now
chief of the insular police Of Porto Rico,
and former brother officer of Hamilton at
Henry barracks. Cayey. Those who are In
a position to know the truth say that the
investigation left no question remaining as
to the censure OF Captain Hamilton. He
himself seemed to recognize this at the end
of the investigation, and made a plea for
mercy by stating that he had family and
had been in the service twenty years. and
asked that he be allowed court-martial.
This meant that he asked that he be not
dismissed from the army without being
given a trial. II the Secretary of War
should find that the testimony even of
Captain Hamilton and his witnesses is
strong enough to convince him without ad-
ditional proof OF the guilt of the accused.
he will not be given a trial. but will be dis
missed at once without further proceedings.
L
think may be DONE
A large number of soldiers were sworn to
prove that in various ways Hamilton bribed
them to make charges against Hamil to
disgrace HamiL in the eyes Of Governor
Hunt, secure his discharge as chief Of po-
lice and insure Hamilton's appointment in
his place. One soldier, Philip Lehman, said
he was kept at stable work until he
promised to swear as Hamilton desired.
Lehman further swore that Sergeant ia
cobs one day abused Chief HamiH and he
said to Jacobs: You would not dare to do
that If Hamill were here. He would break
your head" Lehman then hit Jacobs and
Jacobs ordered the guard to shoot at Leh-
man. The guard shot at Lehman and the
bullet went through his coat and shirt and
graZed his skin on his stomach, leaving
only red mark across his body and hole
in his shirt. This was IN January last, and
Jacobs was arrested; he has never been
tried on the charge of ordering the guard
to shoot Lehman.
1t was testified that the charges had been
made against Hamin before his appoint
ment chief of police and that the gov
ernor had received the charges such as they
were before he appointed Hamill. He found
out, however, that they were wholly false
and paid no further attention to the mat
ter. and appointed Hamin chief of police
Private Zaldo also gave some damaging
testimony against Hamilton, and during the
Investigation the interpreter was put on
the stand and he testified that Captain
Hamilton stated when Zaldos testimony
was being taken that he (EIamilton) would
like to blow the soldiers brains out, as he
was not testfying to what he had agreed
to.
Privates Rodriguez. Boutwell,, Marshall
and others did not help Hamilton's case
Most Of the witnesses were from Hamil-
tons company. H. Popular sentiment is
strongly against Hamilton, and desperate
efforts have been made In army circles to
keep the truth from leaking out Apparent
ly Hamiil has the entire confidence of the
tnsular administration.