Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1918-02-27
WOULDN'T FIGHT THE GEHsiAN MS
Heavy Sentence for Army Officer Who
Failed His Country.

New York, Feb. 24.-Capt. David
A.s Henkes, 18th Infantry, U.S.A., has
been sentenced to dismissal from the
service and confined at hard labor for
25 years by a general court-martial
held at Governors Island.
Henkes, who is Of German descent,
endeavored to resign his commission,
saying he did not care to fight against
relatives and friends.
Capt. Henkes, who was stationed at
San Antonio, Texas, last May, wrote
to the Secretary of War urging him
to accept the resignation, which HE
had already submitted, and giving
reasons which he declared would no
olnger allow him to serve as an off,
Ger Of the American army.
Further service as commanding
officer must sooner or later take me
to Europe, and there bring me in
conflict with my relatives and
friends, although for the time being
my legal enemies" Capt. Henkes
wrote. "My father came from Ger
many. My mother was born here
shortly after the arrival Of her par
ents. We have many other relatives
and friends there
Ordered to France.
Y Capt. Henkes, soon after his resig-
nation, was ordered to France with
the American expeditionary forces,
and from there, on June~29, 1917,
wrote the Adjutant General in Wash
ington calling attention to his resig-
nation, and declared his battalion
commander, the department quarter
| master andsthe commanding officer of
the Southern department had ap-
proved his action.
Again on October 10, while still on
duty in France, Capt Henkes wrote
to the Adjutant General urging ac-
ceptance Of his resignation. "rhe
Underlying facts are unalterable," he
l.declared
Ordered to Return.
Capt. Henkes was then ordered to
this country and summoned before a
general court-martial at Governors
Island, where he was formally charg-
ed with violation of the 95th article
Of war; This charge recited that
"having taken an oath Of office in
which, among other things, he swore
to support and defend the constitu-
ton Of the United States against all
enemies, foreign and domestic and
that he would bear true faith and al
legiance to the same, had written
VIC fAoStSi SohSOiHiHS, HIS
The same charge was made in connec-
tion with the other letter.
| Sentence Confirmed,
| The court-martial found him gull
ty, and the findings have been re-
viewed by the Judge Advocate Gene
raj, the sentence of the court, dismiss
sal from the service and confinement
at hard labor for rs years were or
dered carried out. The United
States disciplinary barracks at Fort
I4eayenworth, Kans., was designated
as the place Of imprisonment, and it
was declared that Capt. David A.
Henkes, 10th Infantry, ceases to be
an officer Of the army from February
23, 1915"
The report was signed by Major
Gen. VIM. A. Mann, commanding the
| department of the East, and by Col.
w. A. Simpson, retired, adjutant
Was Aiding the Huns.
Washington, Feb. 24-Evidence
that in spite Of his commission In the
,|United States army he was in touch
with German agents, contributing to
/ Won Bernstorff propaganda funds and
working for peace. at any price bSfore
America went to war, was largely re-
spOnsible for, the heavy punishment
imposed upon Capt. Henkes, sentenc-
ed by court-martial to dismissal from
the service and Imprisonment at hard
labor FOR 25 years.
=