Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1916-03-22
COURT MARTIAL TRIAL or FOURTH
FIELD ARTILLERY OFFICER is
MAKING PROGRESS At MER-
CEpES INF. CAMP.
PUBLIC SENTIMENT AT MERCEDES
is WITH OFFICER WHO LED
RESCUE PARTY INTO MEXICO
IN FACE OF DANGER.
Especial 10 The Herald.l

MERCEDES. Texas. March 22.-The
defense Of Lieutenant John Il. Mort. the
Fourth United States Field Artillery Of
fccr'h 'heinr tried by court martial here to-
day. will bc based on the "highcr law oi
humanity" that prompted the gallant Of
iccr and detachment of fourteen men 10
enter Mexico "a rescue two comrades who
they confidently believed had been cap
turcd bv Mexican bandits.
Testimony i being introduced today Nv
the defense. and was introduced by the
prosecution also. for that matter. to show
fhe state of feeling of the United States
soldiers Mt Procreso in view of attacks
on soldiers bv Mexican bandits, and par
ticularlv because of alleged cruel and m
human treatment of Private Richard J.
Johnson. Johnson was the cavalryman
who was captured bv bandits in the raid
on Progreso last summer taken to Mexico.
and was reported hchcaded. and hs body
thrown into the Rio Grande. II was re-
ported ~ the time that Johnson'- head
was taken 10 Rcvnosa and shown there.
Int this was never confirmed. His body
was not found.
The prosecution completed it, TESTIMONY
this morning. having used twelve VIII
nesSes. and the introduction Of drfeurl
testimony hegan this afternoon. Az ~
temnt was made hv the defense ~ h-i,.
some witnesses from the Mexican side
hut these could not be obtained
The CHARGES againSt Lieutenant Mo-
a-e lcro'hv. hnt svnopszed arc as fo''f,
That he committed an net proin'ia
to military disciplne.
That he violated military rules hv tet
inc command of an assembage of United
States troops in the presence of superior
officer. and defied the superior officer.
That he violated the well known policy
of the government on the border by crose.
ING the border.
That he violated the sovereignty nr w
Friendly state. and violated the ncntrrlilt
of friendly country.
Thni Ne cvccod hi4 RIGHTS w nrfrrfu. i..
house of Mrvicrr ir Mr-ioo ir .r.
inc for the two MISSING soldier urI
threatening the occupant if hc did r'
reveal the whereabouts of the two men.
The government charges that Iicntr--
ant Mort II responsible for the death w
drowning Of four American soldiers who
were drowned while swimming across The
river. and alleges that he did not take ihr
proper precautions to prevent the drown
ings.
While the testimony tended to Sh"v
that Lieutenant Mort did commit the tech
meal violations charged against him. snl-
dicrs and officers who were on the witness
stand dwelt at length ON the state Of frci-
ing that has existed AT that point am""g
the soldiers "A result of the air.citrc~
of The bandits last summer. Test nnl,y
introduced showed that all the men .ia-
toned nj Progrcso intended crossing with
the fourteen who led the expedition III Or
der ~ save their two comradc. from Nv
unknown fate.
The fact that the two men were naked
when they were taken On the Mexican -iac
was al~o brought out and that IT, men
"n fhe American side had not the slightest
idea that Mexican soldiers had rrpfnrrd
ihe two men. believing that hgndit- we're
responsible for the capture.
Colonel X. J.. Billiard Of the Twrrtv
SIKH United States Infantry u pre .idirg
~ the court martial. Captain Lincoln n.
hilbourfic of the Twenty-sixth i thc
Judge advocate, prosecuting, and Captain
Frank u. Mccoy of the Sixth Cavalry Is
counsel for the defense. Sitting IN the
court martial are Lieutenant John r. Fin
ley OF the Fourth Infantry, Major NJ. e.
Butler Jr Of the Sixth Cavalry. Captain
Edward A. Roche Of the Tweni~. ~.sixt,
Infantry, Captain William &. Kent of the
Fourth Infantry, Captain J. DcCamp Hall
Of the Fourth Infantry. Captain Frank r.
McNarney Of the Sixth Cavalry, crptain
Jesse N Cullison Of the Twenty -cia hfl In
fantry, Captain Ned Green on the Twenty
eighth Infantry.