The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-03-02
JPRISON FOR CAPTAIN.
Officer OffSixtecnth Infantry Did Not
Cnrc to Fight German Relatives
anti Friends.

wv" A"'h, Fep, 04i---Cupt. IJdVlu
a. Hehkes, Sixteenth infantry, u. y.
a., has been sentenced to dismissal
from the service and confinement at
hard labor for rs years by general
court held at Governors Island.
Henkos. who is Of German descent,
endcavorcd to resign his commission,
saying he did not care to fight against
relatives and friends.
CaptainiHeh,ieB, who was stationed
ut 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
longer allow him to serve as an officer
of the American army.
Further service as a commissioned
officer must sooner or later take me
to Europe and there bring me in con-
fiict with my relatives and friends, al
though for the time being my legal
enemies" Captain Henkes wrote. my
father came from Germany. My moth
er was born here shortly after the
arrival of her parents We have many
other relatives and friends there.
II can not force myself to the con-
viction that am capable of making
war on my kindred upon their soil
in manner that would become my
duty and station. I earnestly request
that may not be required to under
go this ordeal. l seriously doubt my
ability to Withstand it, and would
avoid, in the interest of my country,
family and friends, what at least ap-
pears the probable consequences"
Captain Henkes soon after he had
submitted his resignation was ordered
tc France with the American expedi-
tionary forces, and from there, on
June 29, 1917, wrote the adjutant gen.
eral in Washington calling attention
to his resignation and declared his
battalion commander, the department
quartermaster and the commanding
officer of the southern department had
approved his action.
Again on October 10. while still on
duty in France, Captain Henkes wrote
to the adjutant general urging ac-
ceptance of his resignation. "Thv
underlying facts are intolerable" he
declared.
Captain Henkes was then ordered to
this country and summoned before a
general courtmartial at Governors Is-
land, where he was formally charged
with violation of the 95th article OF
war. This charge recited that "hav.
ing taken an oath of office which
among other things. he swore to sup.
port the. constitution Of the United
States against all enemies, foreign
and domestic and that he would
bear true faith and allegiance to the
same he had written the letter con.
cerning his resignation. The same
charge was made in connection with
the other letter. 81
The courtmartial found him guilty
and findings having been reviewed
by the judge advocate general the
sentences or the court, dismissal from
the service and confinement at hard
labor for 25 years, were ordered car
ried out. The United States dsciplin-
ary barracks at Fort Leavenworth,
Kan. was designated as the place of
Imprisonment and it was declared
that Capt. David A. Henkes, Sixteen
tn Infantry. ceases to be an officer of
the army from February %, 1913"
The report was signed by Mai. Gen.
William A. Mann. commanding the
Department of the East and by Col.
w. e. Simpson, adjutant.
|