The San Francisco call., 1910-09-23
TAGGART TRIAL
MAYEXONERATE
CAPTAIN PECK
Friends of Young San Diegan
Declare He Was Victim of
Commanders Plot
Correspondence Shows That
Court Martial Expected
Sentence Deferred
Mystery Hides Hand and Influ-
ence That Brought Officers
Unexpected Disgrace

Q TORIES Of army life rife with un-
restrained orgies. midnight revels
and Salome dances in connection
with Major Elmore Taggart's command
Of the Twenty-fourth United States in
fantry (coIored) when stationed at Fort
Ontario stirred local army circles yes
terday as result Of the announcement
from Washington that, following the
disclosures and dismissal from the
service Of Captain Robert H. Peck
Major Taggart would have to undergo
a court martial.
With the appearance of intimate
correspondence between persons high
in authority al Washington and
Attends OF Peck in this and other
states that established conclusively
that the trial judges had ordered SEN
p. tence on Peck deferred until after the
Investigation Of the conduct Of Major
: Taggart. mystery hides the hand and
influence that brought on Captain
Peck his unexpected disgrace.
Indications Of a Plot
That Captain Peck was the victim
Of plot entered into BY Major Tag
gart and other officers of the Twenty
fourth infantry to discredit him and
forestan charges that Peck was pre-
pairing to expose an army scandal is
the declaration OF friends Gf the young
san Diegan. who say that his sum-
mary dismissal nearly accomplished
this end.
Chief among these is H H. Earle,
superintendent. Of the ODD Fellows
cemetery. who has gathered cor
respondence to show that the and-
ings in the court martial were favor
able 10 Captain Peck. while throwing
baleful light ABOUT the command of
Major Taggart. This IS indicated in
a letter to Congressman Francis Bur
ton Harrison from Judge Advocate
General George B. Davis, who sat in
the case, and which, dated June %,
reads in part as follows:
Until the records of trial are re-
ceived in such other cases as have
arisen at Fort Ontario it would not be
fair to Captain Peck TO take action
upon his case with a view TO its sub
H.tssion to the secretary OF war and to
tfe president"
Other Officers Involved
In this letter the counter charges
fled against other officers Of the COM
mand of Major Taggart are hinted at
as being important in their bearing
on ca plain Pecks case before the
facts should be submitted to the presi-
dent. notwithstanding this letter and
others in which Major Taggart is
mentioned as due to face court martial
the records in the case were by some
mysterious agency submitted TO the
president as a closed incident" and
Captain Peck was at once dismissed.
What influence brought about this
change OF tactics when Captain Peck
had been assured Of respite until after
the trial Of Major Taggart is not
known.
Opinion of Defender
The trial OF Captain Peck was be-
hind closed doors. but the statement
OF Charles n. Bulger. counsel for Peck.
is to the effect that in the entire rec
ord Of evidence taken during this trial
nothing whatever was established
against the good name. fair fame or
personal honor Of Captain Peck" and
In a civil case Captain Peck would
have been promptly acquitted Of
ulything alleged against him.
Ms dismissal from the service Of
his country is one Of the grave in
justices of the world which occur here
and there az intervals Of time to
shock the moral sense Of decent men
and women. and which form some OF
the blackest spots in the history of
civilization"
Complaint Against Dances
The trial developed that words
sscribed to Peck and made grounds for
the charge Of 'critising superior Of
fcer" had been uttered by a subordi-
nate. Captain Peck testified that the
house Of Major Taggart was the gath
:, .ering place for many white officers and
: that here the colored house keeper OF
Major Taggart, Ethel Roberts, enter
:tsined the army men with terpsichorean
demonstrations of the latest fad dances
until the small hours OF the morning.
on several occasions. Captain Peck
stated, exceptionally wild orgies were
treated to dances in which garments
played an insignificant part.
Captain Peck resolved to put a stop
TO the shameless procedure. which he
said had started all the tongues wag-
gIRg and had excited indignant COM
,zknt among the people of the town.
4isN charges were anticipated and he
vas haled before the court martial.
Attorney Bulger. telling OF the trial.
says the testimony adduced served to
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