The San Francisco call., 1904-03-23
COURT MARTIAL !
BEGINS TO-DAY
LleutenantS F. Nelson and
G. s. Richards Must Make
Answer to Serious Charges
WILL FIGHT FOR HONOR
Officers to Put Up Strong
Legal Battle to Maintain
Their Positions in Army

The court-martial which will con-
Vene to-day at 10 o'clock in the
Library building at the Preside is
made up OF officers of an unusually
high rank. Before them, to answer
grave charges, will appear First Lieu
tenant George s. Richards Jr, Twenty
third Infantry, and First Lieutenant
Frederick b. Nelson, Twelfth Cavalry,
both of whom are charged with ir-
regularties in their pay accounts.
Both cases are reported to be of an
unusually serious nature, and the Off
GERS VIII fight for their honor and for
the retention of their commissions in
the army. Lieutenant Nelson, who
is of a prominent and wealthy fam
lily in Philadelphia, is to be defended
by David Lewis of that city and At
torney Z. S. Pillsbury of this city.
Lieutensnt Richards will be defended
by H. w. Day, a civilian attorney re-
siding here.
1t is reported that the defense set
up by Lieutenant Richards will be
temporary insanity, but what the de-
fense of Lieutenant Nelson will be has
not as yet been given out. At any rate
both cases will prove to be of unusual
interest, and will be fought strenuously
by the accused officers and their array
Of legal talent.
Colonel L. Pitcher, Twenty y-eighth
Infantry, will be president of the court
and Captain Clarence E. Dentler,
Eleventh Infantry, will act as judge
advocate. The personnel Of the court
is as follows:
Lieutenant Colonel william L. Pitcher.
Twenty eighth Infantry; Major BENJAMIN H
low II Nintb eisvaIrT ,nissn lanes
Dean, Tenth Infantry: Captain Eugene 7.
Wilson, Artillery Corps; Captain John J.
O'Connen Twenty eighth Infantry: Captain
James A. Lynch. Twenty-eighth Infantry:
Captain Harold z Cioke. Artillery Corps; Cap
tain Harold r. F'fske. Twenty-eighth Infantry;
fantry; CAPTAIN James b. Gowen, Tenth In
fantry: CAPTAIN Ralph E. ingram, Tenth In
fantry; Captain Englebert G. Ovenshine.
Twcnty-eghth Infantry; Captain Clarence E.
Dentler. Eleventh Infantry. judge advocate.
FIELD EXERCISE FOR CAVALRY.
The field exercises of the Ninth Cav
airy, which will take place this morn
ing at 9 o'clock, will be of a highly
interesting character. 1t is the inten-
We're being landed upon a foreign shore
to attack the enemy located on high
bluff above their landing place.
In the present case the enemy will
approach from the sandy beach, at the
extreme western end of the PresidiO.
near the junction Of Avenues A and b.
In this exercise the blue force will con-
sist of troops I. K and M and the
brown force of troop l.. Captain Cor
nish viii accompany the brown and
Lieutenant Camp the blue force, as
umpires. The troops on each side will
be under command OF Captain John
T. Nance. The exercises will begin
promptly at o'clock. The final ma
neuvers viii probably take place on
the brow of the hill, about half
mile west of the golf links.
The Twenty eighth Infantry held its
monthly field day yesterday morning
on the parade ground in front of the
General Hospital. The recent rains
have put the field in bad shape, but
nevertheless the different events were
tried out Following were the winners:
Putting the sixteen-pound shot:
First, Cook Rowley, Company c, 80
feet 10 inches: second, J. Perkins. Com
pany z, 30 feet 11s inches; third, H.
Bowers, % feet So inches.
Young Of Company c won the 100
yard dash.
RiOpelle won the running broad jump,
il feet IL inches.
The final Of the 120-yard hurdle was
won by Kyle of Company G.
The sports were enlivened by music
of the Twenty y-eighth Infantry band
SCOUTS TO DRILL TO-DAY.
The Filipino scouts were prevented
from doing their drill and dress parade
yesterday by the downpour of rain.
They will, however, weather permit
ting. drill to-day, tomorrow and FRI
day at o'clock, and the band will play
during the parade at o'clock. This
ceremony is of a highly interesting
character and well worth visit of any
one interested in military matters.
The recent storms have played havoc
with the drilling grounds at the post.
The lower ground is now completely
inundated and is the resort of thou
sands of shrieking sea gulls, who have
taken refuge from the stormy waters
Of the bay. They were somewhat dis
turbed yesterday by the appearance on
the scene of the 230 mules who were
driven on the field for exercise prior to
their being loaded on the transport
Dix, which will sail for the Philippines
early during the coming week.
The quartermasters Office received
yesterday an appropriation of $4,000,
which is to be devoted to improving the
drives in and about the west part of the
Preside. This will go a long way to-
ward the Improvement of the post.
Brigadier General Charles L. Cooper.
retired. paid his respects to General
Macarthur yesterday afternoon. Since
his retirement General Cooper has been
living in Washington, d. c., and he is