New-York tribune., 1907-12-19
CAPT. CHASE TRIAL ENDS.
accused Officer Says He Was J"st'-
fed in Writing Letters.

The trial of Captain A W. Chase oy ~ cout' @ NO
tial for insubordlnaton and conduct 10 inc P,.'-
dice of military discipline ended yesterday az
noon and the court was convened in secret session
- consider the evidence and find a verdict Inc
trial grew out Of letter written by Captain ChaSe
n the Department OF the East asking for an lnVesu-
CATION of certain acts OF Colonel clarence Deoio'
the commanding officer of the post al Fort ho"afu'
Maryland, which Captain Chase regafdeo as an
attempt to find fault with view 70 bringing MN
I'M on charges While Captain Chase admitted IN
his testimony that he asked for an Investigation 10
Justify the language he used in his letter Oh COM
plant which really the reason for the court
martial he nevertheless considered the trial an
opportunity TO justify the sentiments expressed
about his commanding officer. But the appearance
OF trivial acts that not considered so when
they happened at Fort Howard has changed since
the court martial thrashed them out Even Captain
Chase admitted In his summing up that in the light
Of incidents which have occurred since he saw
some Of the matters in a different light now than
he did when he sent the letter. but he added that
his view of conditions then. he thought. justified
him in sending the letter of complaint which
Colonel Deems considered Impertlnent.
During the trial every advantage and courtesy
were given the accused captain by the court and
Captain Johnson the judge advocate, but the leni-
ency on the part OF the judge advocate was ap-
parently used blow to the defence later. In
one instance the judge advocate showed that the
reprinand given by Colonel Deems to the captain
Ordway's part OF the command given TO the
responsible officer. Captain Johnson used numer-
questions and answers made in the cross
examination Of Colonel Deems by Captain Chase
10 show that Captain Chase tried 10 prove that he
was responsible for the conditions of the command.
Captain Johnson also brought up the matter or
the delayed pistol practice reports. to which Cap
tain Chase had already referred during tho trial.
alleging there were no blanks at the post. 1t was
shown that Colonel Deems waited his head
time after m. on the day in questicn when
the captain should have appeared.
Did you think it proper to keep your command
ing officer waiting half hour for you without
going to him to explain that you could get the
banks?" asked the judge advocate.
Il saw nothing vital in il. l looked on 1t as on
many other matters, and would have sent in an
explanation at the next time the commanding Of
fcer expected back at his Office replied Cap
tain Chase.
Don't you know that time is the essence OF
military orders?"
Yes" came the answer, after some hesitation.
did you regard what your superior said to you
later about this matter as improper"
no. not improper, but unusual
In summing up his Captain Chase made the
plea that he justified in writing his letter of
complaint. Captain johnson. In summing up as
prosecutor. declared that the acts of captains
which Captain Chase thought were directed against
him were admitted as mistakes, and that the Incl
dents which cited ny Captain Chase did not
warrant him in writing the letter.
we all dc things" he said which IN the
light of later events may see were wrong
The court arrived verdict late in the afternoon
and the decision with a copy of the proceedings
Will take its usual course of going to the review
ing authority which in this case is the Department
Of the East Ii Will be week or ten days before
the decision is announced from Washington While
there intimation Of the verdict II is he
heved tnat the attitude OF the was favorabIa
Z
twelfth Est of 265 coast artillery captains and
as his chances for promotion are good verdict
against him would be a serious hindrance to ad-
vancement