The San Francisco call., 1905-06-16
TRIAL RESUMED
At PRESIDE
Case of Lieutenant Richards
Is Again Being Heard
Before the Court Martial
NEW TESTIMONY GIVEN
Officers of Twenty-Third
Infantry Are Witnesses
Against the Accused Man

The second trial of Lieutenant George
S. Richards Jr., whoeis accused of mis-
appropriating funds belonging to the
United States army, was opened yester-
day morning at the Presidio. Captain
Robert S. Abernethy was judge advocate.
The accused was present, with his eoun-
sci, Captain Ulysses G. McAlexander, U.
S. A.
II <r ssMONEY DISAPPEARS.
. The charge in the present case against
young Richards is that he received mon
eys due TO enlisted men. which he never
paid them and for which he never ac-
counted At the time the alleged mis-
demeanors took place Lieutenant Rich
ards belonged to the Twenty-third lnfan-
try. then stationed in the Philippines.
The testimony adduced yesterday was
entirely that of officers and men of the
Twenty third, who are at the. Presldio on
their way to the Last. These officers and
men were in the Philippines at the time
the alleged Interpretations took place
!: Captain Raymond r. Stevens. on2 OF
the witnesses stated that at the time m
question he was in commanded Company
at Camp vfckars. but away On duty in
another part of the island at the time the
incident charged took place.
The witness said that the two enlisted
men were away on pay day and that
Lieutenant Richards took their fuuoS Tor
safe keeping. and that he understood that
Richards had used the funds 20 pay
pressing obligations At any "ate the
money had. disappeared and so far as he
knew Uncle Sam had not, up to the mo-
ment been advised as to what nad Re-
come of 1t.
: The enlisted men had, however, received
their money on another payroll in an
other part of the island.
Lieutenant Fred c. Miller said that ne
was present in the islands when company
was paid off. He could not RENE mber
who got the money of the two euiis'ed
men, He testified to the mental condi-
ton of the accused, but threw little light
upon the subject.
Captain John l.. Hines testified that the
mental condition of the accused was all
right He thought the young lieutenant
was little peculiar, but that he was
sure the accused could distinguish right
from wrong.
Private Charles Schultze of Company b.
Twenty-third Infantry testified that he
was one of the men whose money the
young lieutenant had received at Camp
Vickars while he was away from that
post but that he had received his pay
in another part of the island on another
payroll
CAPTAIN STEVENS TESTIFIES.
CAPTAIN Stevens testified that Richards
had left the islands for the United States
without Strengthening out the accounts
of the two enlisted men of Company b,
whose money! had been misappropriated.
| The court decided to address the com
missary, general of the subsistence de-
partment at Washington regarding the
accounts turned in by Richards during
1860 and 1901. 1t also decided TO commu-
Fnicate with c. S. Johnson, cashier OF the
First National Bank of Plattsburg, N.
+ Y. in reference to certain check R1ch-
! ards drew on that bank, which check is
reported to have been dishonored for the
reason that there were no funds TO the
! lieutenant's s account.
| The second squadron of the Fourth Cav
/ airy will leave the Presidio at O'Clock
! this morning for the rifle range at Rodeo.
The command. which consists of Troops
E. f. G and Fl, will ride down from the
| Presidio to the ferry and from there cross
| over to Sausalito. From that point they
| will at once proceed to the range.
/ The cavalry will practice at Rodeo un-
| til July 10, when it will return to the
| Preside and remain until August 81, when
| it will sail for Manila,
The Twenty-third Infantry, which ar
rived home from the Philippines last
Monday, will leave. tomorrow morning
for Madison Barracks and Fort Ontario,
New York.