The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-22
HOUSE HEARS PLEA
FOR MAJOR KOEHLER
Rep. Sloan Attacks Court-mar-
tial and Promises Interest
ing Revelations.
CALLS CHARGES BASELESS

WAsHiHoToN, Jan. 2i.--A frank dis
cussion OF the case OF Major p. A. Koch
| Ter. former commandant OF Fort Terry.
y. Y, who was dismissed from the army
| about "a year ago ON serious charges after
| trial by court-martisl. vas presented 20
the House to-day b. Representative Sloan
Of Nebraska. ~ friend OF Major Koehlcr
and the Noohler family
"" severely arrBigned the court that
found Major Koehler guilty and said no
mad submitted the record In the case to
eleven lawyers In Congress all OF whom
reported tdai the evidence did not sup
port tho charges.
Mr.. Sloan said that In speaking in be-
half Of Koehier. he was Influenced only
by desire to communicate the facts to
the country. lie expressed tho hope that
some time Justice would be done tho
former army officer and he intlmated that
in the future there might be highly In
terestlng revelations.
At tho time of his trial Major Koehler
contended that he was the victim OF a
conspiracy 20 railroad him out OF the
army. Secretary OF War Garrison in
ve,tigatcd and declined to sustain the
charge
Mr. sloan summarized ~ follows a few
opinions in the case rendered to him by
senators at his request
senator Cummins OF Iowa: ITO convict
an officer upon the evidence submitted
under specification i6 would reverse all
rules OF law and shock the civilized sense
OF Justice"
Senator Walsh of Montana: The evil
dcncc would not support the charge in
any court exercising civil jurisdiction
Senator Norris Of Nebraska. Common
ordinary Justice and decency should no,
pprp1if 4
cine witn"ss's) uucOrroborated testimony
70 be sustained"
Mr.. Sloan spoke OF the suddenness with
which the Major was placed under arrest
and criticised the conduct OF the proceed
lngs against the accused
None Of tho specifications Of fact
against him charged him with any maligu
ar criminal act" said Mr.. sloan Neither
DID th"y charge him with the attempt 10
pcrpetrat" any malign or criminal act
Neither did they charge him with having
offered 90 commit any such act More
than that. he was not charged with hav-
ing bad habits or propensitics but these
seventeen distinct specifications OF fact
related To- Incidental circumstances or in
cidenta! acts OF improperly. II they were
looked upon as inproprieties
Declaring that the court examined t25
witnesses Mr. Sloan said that mo two
witnesses saw or said they heard any ~
NV aus OF id'lSudkt charged to nave been
uttered by tho accused while, on the
Other hand. every specification Of fact was
squarely met by the distinct. general and
specific denial Of the accused and the
denial Of every specification was corrob-
GRATED by witnesses or by strong corroh.
orative facts
There was sent from Washington"
continued Mr. Sloan. Capt. Mays. who
seemed to represent the wish Of the au-
th"riues here From his lips there seemed
TO drop the desire Of those higher up"
Does the gentleman think that the
Judge advocate received orders from
Washington asked Representative Man
ahau Of Minnesota
~ would not say that" replied Mr. /
sloan, but apparently the Jury thought
mat this man prosecuted In dual ca %
pa"ity. representing 70 them the wish Of
Washington In this case"
In beginning his speech Mr. Sloan said
he knew the Koehlcr family, consisting
OF nine brothers, three OF whom had on
tered tho army, including Major Koehler
q brother who was a commissioned officer
and third brother who rose from the
ranks In the Philippines and met his death
there. He said they were all clean and
honorable men.