Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-01
Four Drinks in Twelve Minutes
His Record, Says Witness.
SURGEONS SHIELDED HIM
Friends in Army Testify That Lieu.
tenant Had Rumitis.
ALSO HAD BUMPS IN HIS BRAIN
Declare He Chased Fancied Kittens
That Played on His Bed-Talked
Of Hudson Bay Grapes.

NEW YORK. October Army officers.
friends of Lieut.. w w. Ballard jr., of
Fort Wadsworth, who is being court-mar-
tailed a charge of embezZling SI09 of
his company's funds. went on the witness
stand yesterday and gave some queer tes-
timony about the drinking habits of the
accused man.
Four drinks in twelve minutes was one
OF his records.
Lieut.. Edmund ]. Weisel, Coast Artil-
lery, testified that Ballard was a hard
drinker and that much of the time, in
consequence, he did not know what he
was doing.
Was Billiards. condition such that he
knew if he stole the company's funds he
would be punished?'
Il think he knew that.
Was his condition such that he knew
if he made false report to his COM
mander he would be punished for II?
Il think he knew it.
Acted Like sd T." Victim.
Lieut.. j. w. Mckie of the Artillery
Corps. also called by the defense, said
Ballard was fiighty at Fort II. G. Wright
and acted as if he had delirium tremens
He tried to chase imaginary kittens Of
his bed, the witness said. adding:
Il went to the hospital to try to
straighten him out, but could not, and
was told if he did not get better in a
short time they would have to put him IN
a straitjacket."
time the department inspector was
there?''f
His normal condition - soaked with
whisky.
Surgeon Wertenbaker. stationed at Fort
Wadsworth, said of Lieut.. Ballard, in an
swer to questions:
For some time past he has been men
tally befogged. l consider the impairment
of his mind as chronic / would charac-
terize his condition as chronic alcohol
ism
Surgeon Shielded Ballard.
In his report the surgeon stated he had
treated Lieut.. Ballard for dyspepsia, but
would not admit he had made wrong re-
ports He admitted telling Col. .-llen he
had treated Ballard for alcoholism and
had shielded him. but would do so no
more.
Capt G.. T. Scott, also called by the de-
Tense, said Lieut. Ballard once declared
he was going to get the girls to stop
boot calls tbOots and saddles) back to
his tent Another time Ballard claimed
that Col. Allen treated him diScourteously
when he was talking about Hudson bay
grapes.
"Do you think he was insane at Fort
Wadsworth?"
WAS accused in possession of rental
power to realize that If he robbed per-
SON he would be punished for it?'
Yes"
Then he thought to rob person would
be wrong, but to rob a company would
not be-
Il do not believe he knew what he was
doing. ! do not think that his menf
condition was such to appreciate the dlf-
ference between his money and the COM
panys money. He was absolutely
thoughtless."
DO you think he knew right from
wrong"
Mind Worked in "Bumps."
mo He was drunk all the time. He
didn't know what he was doing. His
mind was working in bumps all the
time"
when you made an efficiency report
June 80. 1907. did you report against
him.?
Eyes. I said that in case of war would
not want him to serve under me.
when you took over the company on
May 9, from Lieut.. Ballard, did anything
impress itself upon you?'
Yes: the absolute carelessness of the
company accounts. / paid all the out
standing bills. but the proper. balance
had been turned over to me- l do not
know whether there had been any jug
Cling of the aecOun1 i got control of
the company account on June 10.
q month ne Responded 10 treat
ment. said the witness, land then col
lapsed
.Was it necessary to report him on the
sick list?'' =
THAT is a hard question to answer.
With the drinking in the army the pub
lie is not educated up to the point whete
an alcoholic should be placed under Ye-
straint'
George F. Affair OF the Medical Corps
said the condition of Lieut.. Ballard was
that of a chronic alcoholic. and his mind
was so impaired he could not break away
from the habit. Even under the stimula
ton of strychnine he could not leave
liquor alone. Lieut.. Ballard told the wit
ness ne going 10 be married, and
wanted treatment in order TO get away
from the liquor habit.
Does a chronic alcoholic lose his re-
spcnsibility?'
He was accountable for his acts at
certain periods.
Did YOU ever see him at Fort Wads-
worth when he was not accountable
Wanted to Sober Up to Wed.
Il don't know that l could answer
that. but he was not fully capable of
performing his duty. though he managed
in some way 10 DO it,
Did YOU treat him for chronic alco-
holism in September. October. November
and December. 1862
Ne: only once for a month did / treat
him for alcoholism. He wanted me to
get him in good physical shape for his