The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-04-25

ten should be innocent What a mon
strous wrong would be done them, What
individual, what government would be
willing TO be responsible for such an IN
Fiction?
1T is very important for these men
that they be restored 20 duty. But II II
more important for the army that inno-
cent men may rest in the consciousness
that they will not be thrown out suddenly
and disgraced forever. It IS still more
important for the country. It cannot az
ford TO stand sponsor for the errors Of
its servants, however well intentloned
they may have been. II shows the no
bility Of a man 20 right n wrong How
much more a government
Alike. whether 4 be done unto a ma
ton or a man
1T Is a principle OF American and Eng
fish law that a man is innocent till
proven guilty
1T IS an axiom Of American and Eng
lish law that the law will not exact
impossibilites.
Tt has been said that these men must
prove their innocence. Well. what can
they do? How shall they DO Il?
Nearly every man in the battalion has
testified that he does not know Of any
soldier who was engaged In the shooting.
TamHyO. the Mexican, old not know of
any soldier who was engaged in the
shooting. The hospital steward, an I'M
biased witness. did not know Of any
soldier who participated in the shooting.
Where could they find other witnesses
who had any opportunity to know about
the shooting? What ether evidence was
It possible for them to produce? Who can
tell them?
Cites COnyer's Testimony.
at the close Of Boyd Conyer's testi-
mony about two months ago, he made a
brief statement On being asked why he
should be authorized 20 enlist, no one
Will forget his pathetic manner and voice
when he said: I have done all I can.
What more can I do?
The appearance Of Sergt. Sanders be-
fore this court was digniied and con-
vincing. His bearing during the vigorous,
violent examination was honest and
frank. yet calm and self-contained. Such
bearing was born only OF truth. He en-
tered the courtroom with a spotless
record; he left it with that record ilu-
minated. When he appealed to the court
10 remove the foul blot from his name.
the question arose In my mind with re-
doubled force, What more can he do?
The law does not exact impossibilities.
And when the final word came that sepa-
rated Sergt Sanders and other men of
that battalion from the army they loved
so well and had served so faithfully. is
1t strange that they became heartbroken
and threw themselves on their hunks
and wept like children? Did these ex-
pressions OF grief flow from murderers'
hearts? Aroused by the affecting scenes
of that hour. had there been a man
possessing knowledge Of that crime, he
would have impaired IT TO his officers.
The honor of these men. dearer than
life. is now with this court. It can con-
tinue the stigma on these men and their
offspring for the present It can remove
the blot wrongfully. even If with good
intentions, placed on a clean page.
IF ever there was a case where con-
science should control, it is the one now
awaiting decision.
This belongs to that class Of questions
that will never be settled till settled
right.
THE law does not exact imposslbilities.
What more can they do?T