Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-02-25
CAPTAIN CANT
FIGHT GERMANS"
GETS q YEARS
q: S. Officer With Teutonic
Leanings Jailed For Try
ing to Resign

Washington. Feb. 25.-Evidcnce
United States Army, Captain David
\. HenlSes was in touch with Ger
man agents, contributing TO Won
Bcrnstorff's propaganda funds and
working for peace at any price be-
fore America went to war, was large
ly responsible for the heavy punish
Inent imposed upon Captain Henkes,
sentenced by court. martial at Gov
ernor's Island TO dismissal from the
service and imprisonment at hard
labor for twenty-five years.
New York, Feb. 25.-Captain
David A. Henkes, Sixteenth Infantry
L. S. A, has been sentenced to dis
missal from the service and confine-
ment at hard labor for twenty-five
years by 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.
Captain HenlIes. who was stationed
at San Antonio, Tex, last May wrote
to the Secretary of War, urging him
to accept the resignation he had sub
mitted and giving the reasons which,
he declared, would no longer allow
him to serve as an officer OF the
American Army.
"Incapable of War on Kindred
Further service as commission
ed 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" Captain Henkes wrote.
MY father came from Germany. My
mother was born here soon after the
arrival of her parents. We have many
other relatives and friends there.
Il cannot force myself to the con-
Viction that | am capable of making
! war on my kindred upon their soil
in a manner that would become my
duty and station.
Il earnestly request that L may not
be required to undergo this ordeal.
seriously doubt my ability to with
stand it, and would avoid, in the in
terest of my country, family ana
friends, what at least appears the
probable consequences
Sent 10 Franco, Renewed Plea
Captain Henkes suggested as an
alternative he be assigned to service
in some other field, although he eX-
pressed lne DGllel llle DSSb NouASN
would be the immediate acceptance
of his resignation.
Captain Henkes, soon after he had
submitted his resignation, was order
ed to France with the American eX-
peditionary forces and from his
quarters there, June 20, 1917, wrote
to the Adiutant General in Washing
ton calling attention to the fact he
had resigned, and declaring his bat
talon commander, the department
quartermaster and the commanding
officer of the Southern Department
had approved his action. In this let
ter he repeated the reasons given to
the Secretary of War for desiring to
quit the service.
Again in October 10, while still on
duty in France, Captain Henkes |
wrote another letter to the Adjutant
General in which he urged accept |
ance of his resignation, and said he
did not find occasion to add or alter
the views he already had expressed. |
THE underlying facts are unalter-
able" he declared.
Captain Henkes was then ordered
to this country and summoned be-
fore a general court-martial at Gov
ernor's Island where he was formal |
ly charged with violation of the
ninety-fifth article of war.
Sentenced to % Years in Prison
This charge recited that having
taken an oath of office in which |
among other things, he swore to
support and defend 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 letter concerning MS resig-
ton. The same charge was made in
connection with the other letter.
The court-martial found him guilty
and the findings having been review
ed by the Judge Advocate General,
the sentence of the court, dismissal /
from the service and confinement at
hard LABOR for twenty-five years, was
ordered carried out. The United States
disciplinary barracks at Fort Leaven-
worth, Kan, was designated as the
place of Imprisonment, and it was de-
clared that Captain David A. Hen
kes, Sixteenth Infantry, ceases to be
an officer of the Army from Febru-
ary 23, 1915"
The report was signed by Major
General William A. Mann, command
iltg the Department of the East, and
by Colonel W. a. Simpson, retired,