The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1914-03-27
SUDDEN HALT IN
kOEHLER TRIAL
Much Talk Of Meeting in Mexico
by Members as They Depart
from Fort Terry.

NEW LONDON, connecticut, March
l2.--Thc military court which is trying
Major Benjaman M. Kochler, Of the
coast artillery, on charges involving
immoral conduct, adjourned today to
give the defence time to prepare a plea
BY several officers Of the court II was
intimatcd that the trial might never be
resumed. In that case Major Kochler
may be restored TO duty By the depart
ment commander.
Belief that the proceedings would be
dropped increased late this afternoon,
when the officers comprising the conrt.
who have been quartercd together for
three weeks at Fort Terry, took leavs
Of ono another at the railway station
here.
Before boarding n train for Boston
an officer, shaking hands with Capt in
James j. Mayes, the judge advocate,
said:
| "Goodby, captain. This is not the
first time have seen IN upheaval such
&C We arc about TO experience to save
a man.
Another officer declared on parting:
"This is probably the end Of the Koch
Ter trial. A moment later he added:
1--WE viii most likely all meet again in
! Mckee,
1.-THE Spanish War saved three OH.
GERS Of high rank from court martial
and dismissal from the army. One Of
them later died in the Philippines, after
proving himself one Of the bravest mea
in the army, 2 was the comment Of an
other.
Worried About Mexico.
| From the demeanor Of several Of the
officers, particularly those in command
Of infantry regiments, ii was evident
that the Mexican situation concerned
them greatly. Colonel Henry Kirby,
president Of the court mart al, who COM
mands the Madison Barracks, Sacketts
IIIarhor, on Lake Ontario, seemed ex.
Meeting orders TO Texas at any minute
70 reporters whiting outside the court
room when the trial adjourned at noon
no said: W
"We are here at the order Of ths Wiz
Department and cannot answer any
questions. There was no verdict, how
ever, and the case is not over y
Asked when the trial would rccoD-
vene, Colonel Kirby declared that il
was impossible to state Mt the moment.
IL will meet again at the order OF
the President he said, aud then add
led; "The Mexican situation may have
much TO do with the time at which the
court win sit again.
4 Captain Mayes was less commnpica.
tive, hut be Implied that Il might ho
some time before Judgment was passed
IuPon Major Koehler
i When a court martial is adjourn
led, = he stated, "it may be called TO-
gether the next day, IL may be ten wears
later, or and he waved his hand sug.
i gestively
i There were no witnesses before tho
court today Five sergeants from Fort
Caswell, near Wilmington, N. c.. who
were brought here az the last minute bv +.
the prosecution To add the innl straw
to the load Of evidence which has been
presented against Major Koehler. roam.
led NJ ont the POST. They expected to be
i called into the courtroom ne any min
lutte, but their journey was futile, ~ Il
was decided by the prosecution that
enough evidence had been presented 10
convict.
The order of Secretary OF War or,
rison to expedite the trial, received ~
Colonel Kirby yesterday, probably influ.
enced the prosecution in its Willingness
to rest the ease. When IL was learned
| by the defense that all the evidence Of
the other side was in, It was decided to
ask adjournment TO give time to pro.
i pare a plea,
| When approached BY Col. Harry !.
hawthorne, Of Fort Strong. Major
koehler Is military counsel, and Samuel
u. Hudson, q Boston attorney, Colonel
Kirby was willing that the Adjournment
he taken. The matter was put NJ to
the headquarters of the Department Of
the Fast, at Governor y Island. This
morning the court was notified that tho
department commander was willing that
an adjournment be taken.
! Conviction Of Koehler Urged.
The court, however, Is BY no means
over. Major Koehler, who was uudcr
arrest two months before the ease
opened, is still deprived OF his com.
mand, his sidehrms ami his permit to
leave the fort. Tho coneen' us, however.
Is that Major Koehler win never hear
sentence pronounced upon him.
When Colonel Kirby called the. court
70 order. Captain James J. Mayes, the
Judge advoeatc, began his plea for M
jor Koehler's eonvi' ton. Rehearsinq
the testimony of nearly thirty witness.
es, he urged that the honor OF the army
and Justice warranted the rondem ming
of Major Koehler upon practically ev.
cry spocifeation of the ehlrges pre-,
ferred against him When be ende his
address with 2 dramttie climax there
was = deem silence. Holds OF TIE as.
sembled officers wefa lowed. The clear
notes Of bugle, blown quarter OF
mile away to recall the artillerymen
from tho sand hills, where they were
putting the l0-ineh guns through their
PAGES, startled them, The defence ask
ed for Adjournment. to meet sg'in AZ
Governors Island. None Of the eleven
officers who have sat in Judgment since
February % opposed the motion.
| Before the officers left Port Terry
nearly $50 recruits landed at Plum Is
land More are expected IN the next
week. Recruits arrived at Fort Wright
/ nIan Hall AZ A.. "a. a.