The Saint Paul globe., 1905-01-24
COURT OF INQUIRY
IN SECRET SESSION
Begins Taking Evidence in the
Capt. Bennett
Case

Behind closed doors at the old state
capitol the members of special court
of inquiry of the Minnesota national
guard began the taking of evidence
yesterday afternoon on charges filed by
Lieut.. A. F. Pray against Capt. c. C.
Bennett, of Battery B, Minneapolis, of
conduct unbecoming an officer and a
gentleman.
A court of inquiry is one degree re-
moved from a court-martiaI. It's fune-
tlons are quasi-judicial, and on it's find
lngs will depend whether or not Gov
OF the national guard of Minnesota
Will order a court-martial of the ac-
cuSed officer
constituting the court of inquiry are
Col. Arthur w. Wright, Austin, of the
Second Infantry; Lieut.. Col. Charles E.
d johnson, ST. Paul. Third infantry, and
MAI. Frank B. Rowley, st. Paul, First
infantry. Capt. F. w. Mattson, ST.
Paul, acted as recorder. Col. Wright
was elected president of the court and
the afternoon and evening were devoted
TO the taking of testimony. Both Lieut..
Pray and Capt. Bennett waived counsel,
out the examination of witnesses was
conducted with due formality and the
rules of practice, for both Col. Wright
ana Lieut.. Col. Johnson are attorneys.
Will Continue Today
At the close of an evening session.
at which a half dozen. witnesses had
been examined, it was announced that
the hearing would not be completed
before tonight, and that the findings
would not be prepared and submitted
to the governor for some days. While
the rules governing courts of inquiry
specifically declare that such courts
are commonly open,'' members of the
court in session yesterday at the cap
1tol decided to make it's sessions exec
utive and the public was rigidly ex-
cluded.
The hearing is the elimination of a
long series of internal diSsentions
which have torn Battery B, the Min
neapolis battery of the artillery ba'tal-
lion of the national guard. Capt Ben
net, who is charged with conduct un-
becoming an officer and a gentleman,
is captain of the Minneapolis battery,
while his accuSer is ordnance officer
of the battalion. Lieut.. Pray was in
spector general of the state during the
administration of the office of governor
by Knute Nelson, and up to some
months ago was first lieutenant of Bat
terry B. Capt. Bennett has been for
seventeen years connected with the
national guard and has been in COM
mand of Battery B for a number of
years. Following the return of the bat
terry from camp at Camp Lakeview last
autumn, it is said that a petition ask
ing for Capt. Bennet's resignation as
captain of the battery was signed by
all but two Of the privateS and non
commissioned officers of his command.
Refused to Resign
Capt. Bennett refused to resign and
later it is said that numbers of the men
who had joined in the cabal against
him resigned from the battery and were
replaced by new men. 1t is charged
that both in public and private Capt.
Bennett has charged Lieut.. Pray with
being responsible for the insubordina-
ton in his command, and it is said used
the language towards him that result
ed in the generic charge of conduct
unbecoming an officer and a gentle-
man."
Upon specifications filed some weeks
ago by Lieut.. Pray with the adjutant
general, the court Of inquiry was or
dered. The necessary papers in the
case were signed by Gov. Johnson, and
the findings and opinion will come be-
fore him for review. Owing to the
prominence in the national guard of
the accused officer and his accuser the
court of inquiry has attracted much at
tention in national guard circles aTsE the
outcome will be awaited with interest.