Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1915-09-10
ARMY RED
TAPE
It Was Cut IN the Nick of
Time by a Girl.
BY F. A. mitchell


Years ago when 1 was a lieutenant
In the regular army stationed In what
was then the wild west at Fort X. we
had in the garrison an officer who was
a tyrant. The fort was u two com.
many post, and he commanded one OF
the companies. Captain Hawkins was
40 severe with his men that Major Bar
ton. commanding, felt called upon OIL
several occasions to demonstrate with
him.
A young man named Stevenson was
sent out to us with a lot of recruits
and assigned to Hawkins company.
He had very little knowledge of mill
tary discipline and was unfortunate
In having a martinez for a captain.
Stevenson was a handsome fellow,
with a young face and massive frame
I remember n day when several In
dian chiefs came to the fort on bust
ness for their tribes and saw him they
grunted their admiration, one of them
saying to him: You come with US
w e uldh6 1Ou CDlt1. IcIudDS IL Wdh
this manly beauty that won the hear
of Madge Conover, the daughter Of an
ordnance sergeant who wore half a
dozen service stripes on his arm. Al
any rate, Madge fell desperately in
love with Stevenson, though l believe
he was not disposed to fall in love with
any one.
The recruit was as high strung as
he was handsome. But, knowing moth
ing about the duties of a soldier, he
very soon got into trouble. His cap.
tain was always sending him to the
~guardhouse. and since ~Stevenson's
breaches of discipline were entirely
through ignorance he justly laid uI
his punishments against Hawkins. One
day for some misdemeanor the cap.
tain ordered him tied up by the
thumbs. When his sufferings were
becoming %unbearable Hawkins ordered
him taken down and gave him a severe
scolding. The youngster thus goaded
while still suffering struck his cap.
tain. Hawkins drew his sword and
was about to cut down the mutineer
when he thought better of the matter
and ordered him under guard.
The offense was, indeed, serious
Stevenson was informed by his friends
that be would be tried for his life
Had the case come to trial he mighi
have been sentenced to be shot, but
the sentence would likely have beer
committed to a long Imprisonment
But it did not-at least, not then-comt
to trial. Madge Conover one nigh
contriyed to draw away the attention
of his guard and made a sign to hin
to light out. This he did, and before
his escape was reported to ~headquar
tiers he had mounted a horse that
stood saddled and was soon gallopine
over the plain.
Stevenson remembered that the Indi
ans had said that if be would go with
them they would make him a chief
He directed his course to where he
knew the Arapahoes were encamped
and was received with open arms by
them. They did not at once make him
a chief, but he soon became a leader
among them.
1t was not long after the mutineer's
escape that the Indians became trou.
blesome, and a force from the fort vas
sent out to regulate them. During q
skirmish with them Stevenson was
captured. If his east was desperate
before it was now doubly so. In adj.
dition to the charge of mutiny he nov
had to answer a charge of desertion
and one of taking arms against the
army to which he belonged. This time
he was confined in a place where es.
cape was scarcely possible. A court
was at once convened; he was tried
on all three of the charges. found gull.
ty and sentenced to be shot. The find.
1ngs were sent to Washington. approx.
ed and returned to the commanding
officer
Major Barton was at the time seri.
0usly considering whether he would
not prefer charges against Captain
hawkins for cruelty to the men. He
was aware of all the facts in the case
OF Stevenson and sympathized with
the young man, who he knew had
been driven to what he had lone by
hawkins severity. He recommended
10 the president that a pardon be
granted Stevenson in view of the cul-
prlts ignorance of military discipline
at the time his ~offenses were com NIT
ted.
1t was a long distance in those days
from Fort K. to Washington. While
the majors communication was on the
way Stevenson was under sentence Of
ueath, and unless a pardon came be-
!ore the day set for execution he must
ule' Tor there was no one authorized
10 set aside the findings of the court
except the president OF the United
States.
A few days before the day set for
s~tevenson's execution an official docu-
ment arrived at the fort ~postmarked