The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-04-18

Sergeant Lee hye, the SOiuleT d.
Fort Caswell who was charged with
| killing Corpora, Harris about two
months ago., was tried by court-martiai
during the past week. the court-mart1ai1
hoard being composed of the commits
stoned officers at Fort Caswell, and
CaptaIn Foster, of Port Fremont, s.
C.. and Captain Cassell and Captain
Heiner. of Fort Moultrie, S. c. A
number of witnesses We're examined
and a most thorough investigation
held.
The board Of court-martial have not
vet made public their verdict and 1t
will probably be some days before it
is made public, as it will have to go to
tbe war department before it is given
out. Although the verdict of the board
has not been officially announced, it is
learned. from good authority, that Ser
yeant Kye will not be found guilty. No
direct evidence was introduced show
ing that Harris was shot by kye. Inc
evidence showed that several shots
were fired, but there wre several sol
diers who did the shooting and this be-
ing true, the crime could not be fixed
upon Sergeant Kye.
This case has attracted considerable
attention and especially when an effort
| wa made by the state authorities to
have Kye tried in the state courts. Ha-
beas corpus proceedings were institut-
ed and the papers placed in the hands
| of the sheriff of Brunswick county, but
Mai Or Reade, who is in command at
| Fort CasweH, refused to turn Kye over
to the state authorities and he was up
held in this course by the war depart
ment.
The crime with which Sergeant Lee
Kye, who is a native Of Forsyth DUN
ty, was charged with committing oc-
Cured during the latter part Of Febru-
AIRY. Those in command at the fort
had been troubled by men coming on
the reservation and selling whiskey to
the soldiers and only a few nights be-
fore the shooting occurred two men
were caught dispensing whiskeys and
were placed under arrest. Eight SOL
diers wer placed on guard duty to
watch the section of the reservation
where the men had been selling whis-
key and if possible make other arrests.
Corporal Harris, it is claimed, was
taken for a trespaSSer and when he re-
fused to halt, when commanded to do
so, he was fired upon and wounded in
such q serious manner that he dice on
the following day. Six Of the men who
were oil guard duty and were in the Vi
entity of the shooting were immediate
ly placed under arrest. 1t was said by
some of the soldiers on guard duty
that Sergeant Kye fired the fatal shot,
but this was not proven in the investi-
cation before the court-martial hoard.
TORPEDO BOAT HERE.
The United States torpedo boat Gen
eral Henry Knox, Captain Maulden in
command, arrived in port yesterday
from Fort Caswell for coal and sup.
plies.
The General Knox came TO Fort Cas-
we'll from Fortress Monroe during the
latter part of March for the purpose Of
laying p mines at Fort Caswell for
the instruction of the men there. All
Of the mines, with the exception Of
three will be taken up. The three
mines will be left so as they can be
experimental with and tests made
every day to tell the effect of the salt
water on them. 1t will only be a few
days now before the work of the Cen
era Knox will be completed and she
will then proceed to Charleston.
The General Knox is not a large
boat, but is very much on the style of
a sea-going tug. This vessel is one of
a small fleet which is engaged in SINH
lar works at the different forts along
the coast.
Z. S. SURVEY VESSEL IN PORT.
The q. S. survey vessel Hydrogra-
pier arrived in port yesterday on a
regular cruise down the coast. It is
the duty of this vessel to visit the light
houses; see that the buoys along the
coast and in the large streams are in
proper conditions, and where necessary
make new charts, showing the chair
neis, etc. 1t is not known how long the
vessel will De in port.