The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-03
RISK LIVES TO FLEE
FROM KOEHLER TRIAL
Three Witnesses Escape in q
Small Boat Across
Plum Gut.
FIRST ACCUSER IS MISSING
Defence Will Assert That He Is
Hidden to Prevent Proof
Of Conspiracy.
FIRST ACCUSER Is MISSING

NEW LONDON. Conn. March 2.--Three
enlisted men At Fort Terry, Plum Island
took their lives In their hands and Ned
across icy. tide swept Plum Out this after.
noon to escape testifying az the court
martial OF Major Benjamin N. Koshier
They put forth In a small open boat and
were not seen until they weie half way
across the gut. This channel 10 two miles
wide. Navigation In Il 10 always danger.
Gus. The three soldiers were more than
an hour crossing Il.
The people at the fort signalled them
to come back. but the fugitivss paid no
heed. II must have taken every ounce Of
their strength TO win the mainland Of
Long Island at Orient Point. For forty
minutes II seemed that they would be car
ried out to sea.
Fort Terry tried HARD to signal Orient
Point to stop the fugitives. but did not
succeed. Then a telephone message was
sent to New London and thence to New
York and out to 0reenport l.. l.. near
Orient, to send the men back. II they
are absent ten days they will become de-
serters. Their names are known.
Fled 20 Escape GrtIIiag.
Capt. Hudson 7. Patten. In command Of
Fort Terry, said over the telephone to-
night that the flight OF the three men had
not been officially reported to him. He
did not deny the escape, and said he might
have a report on 1t In the morning.
I'VE have a good many enlisted men
here who are expected to testify and
three of them may have departed. as you
say" was the way the commander put II.
The reason for the escape was the
mercilsss grilling to which Samuel H.
Hudson OF Boston and Col Harry J.
Hawthorne. Major Koehler's counsel, have
~ .s..l
This ordeal OF cross-exam. nation has sent
several men away from the stand In .
state OF high nervous tension.
Important witnesses at to-morrows SEES
sion will be exSergeant Frank Jones and
Leonard Davis. formerly n musician In
the band at Fort Terry. The trial has 90
far been held in the headquarters build.
ing at the fort There Ia proposition
TO remove 1t TO Major Koehlers quarters
because OF the way in which reports Of
the proceedings leak out at present
The court-mart!al sat yesterday after
noon and heard Provost Sergeant Charles
A. Moody. employed on the Government
transport, General J NJ. Brannan. tell Of
seeing Major Koehlcr's behavior on the
boat between the fort and New London.
Damaging Testimony.
Col. Hawthorne was III last night. 90
there was no session OF the court The
OprNiHk inns nlnk was delayed unttl
the arrival OF First Lieut. Charles NJ
stee1, who came on from Frankford Ar.
senal. Pennsylvania. Lieut.. Stees's testi.
mony was dwarfed by the story told on
the stand In the afternoon by Charles W
Byers. quartermaster sergeant.
Byers's testimony was the most damag.
ing yet given against Major Koo hlor lie
told o! Major koehler's actions for nearly
eight years back. The frst time that he
came to know of alleged immortality on
the part OF koehler was on the night be
fore the San Francisco earthquake and
hre In the spring Of 1906. He testified tina,
koehler then made advances to him In the
Preside garrison. San Francisco. Byers
was formerly attached to the l46th Com.
pany. Coast Artillery.
A Colonel Lieutenant-Colonel.t two Cap.
tains and eight Lieutenants are the on.
GERS involved by the testimony given later
Courts mRrtial for all Of them are h!ghl,
likely. OF the highest Of these officers /,
10 said that he was informed of the ALLEGED
immortality Of Major Koehler and refused
TO investigate. The testimony Of one OF
the Lieut"nants will probably bring upor
MIN expulsion from the army IN disgrace.
Original Accuser Has DiAapp~a d
An enlisted man now no longer In tn,
army was the basis OF the prosecution O,
Major koehler He was the first person
who could be got to swear To charges OF
immortality. This man has dirappearef
end the court martial can find no ,rac.
III him. lie made affidavit that he wa,
buyJng his way out OF the army becaus.
he could not endure serving under such
an officer as koehler. His allegation.
were taken by two officers Of Fort TER,
to Governors Island and an Investigator
was ordered which resulted in the accu
sat!on OF Major Koehler.
In his defence Koehler will try 10 show
that this mans affidavit was made a