Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-24
CHAPTER XIV.
Court Martial.

/ general court-martial was in ssSGsion at
Greble barracks in the heart of the'capital
city Its deliberations were presided over
by I5ieut. Col. Stout, soldier of the old
army who had fought mis- way with Scott
from Vera Cruz to the Belen Gate and bore
both the brevets and bullet wounds or
Cerro Gordo and Chapultepec He was the
type of the c,i-time, stfff-backed, straight
laced. brave butt-headed, obstinate opin-
donated veteran whose life for a dozen
years had been spent at isolated posts on
the far frontier until the war summoned
him to Washington for the defense of the
national capital.
He was not yet done disappearing over
the August and September lists of briga-
der generals of volunteers. on which APP
peared the names of several majors ana
captains his juniors and numbers OF civil
ians and worse than all, said he. "a no.
account web foot-a sailor. by gad"' for IT
was true that lieutenant of the navy had
been named as brigader general. Another
thing that. as Stout expressed 1t. gray
eled'' him was that while he, lieutenant
colonel was commanding six companies or
foot-a detachment made up from three
different regiments of the old army. here
was his junior, Wallis only Just promoted
major commanding big, twelve-compahy
regiment one OF the fine new organizations
recently authorized by Congress. ofhcered
mainly by picked promotions from the old
regiments and by enthusiastic young rel
lows from famous militia commands IKE
the New York Seventh Stout couldn t
talk of anything but his grievance against
the administration and his chagrin because
OF Wallis. who loved to egg him on.
Abundant opportunity had he to prod and
torment his senior. for, as luck would nave
It, he had been named second member of
the court with one Of his own captains
as Judge advocate. Stout knew next to
nothing of the finer points of military law.
Wallis was a past master on court-martial
and the rules of evidence. and nothing
could exceed the suavity with which he
would take exception to ruling after ruling
of the president. and then, on appeal to
the array the court being cleared. would
Invariably have his point sustained. Stout
was well nigh rabid by the time the third
week of the session arrived and the case
of the Government agt. Trooper Reginald
Ingraham Co. -. -th U. s. Cavalry, was
called.
The judge advocate wished to know If
Mr.. Ingraham desired counsel. No less
than three officers had expressed a desire
to defend him. Ingraham smiled and said
He had taken counsel with DR.. Dallas.
and had determined fully what to do. He
would plead guilty to each charge and
specification, make his statement in extern
nation and throw himself on the mercy of
the court This, too. was practically what
stout John Winn had counseled ere he rode
away some days before to join his regi-
ment
The court room-the ante room Of the Of
ficers mess--was well filled with curious
crowd when the president raped for order,
and with armed sentry at his back Rex
Ingraham WAS ushered in. He bore him
self modestly and well, for more than one
whisper had come to him that, even if the
court were TO sentence, there was COM
manding general to mitigate, and Presi-
dent to pardon. If anything. he felt a
measure of discomfort with the situation