Year: 1877

The express train going East this MORN
ing bore with it from San Francisco, hand
cuffed and in charge of an officer, Lieuten-
ant w. W. Fleming of the United States
Army. recently convicted by military court
martial of embezzling military funds to the
amount of $1,000, and sentenced to inn
prisonment for tea years. The feature of
the trial was his confession, which, because
it tells touching, impressive story, and
carries solemn warning, we quote with
substantial fullness:


Let me then, at this supreme moment,
perhaps the eliminating one in my military
career, make frank and honest statement
to you. 1t will at least relieve Spirit that
is broken, a mind that is surcharged and
oppressed by the weight of the awful mis-
cries / have brought upon me and mine. ]
an yet young man /; I am 30 years old !;
was well born / was reared under influ-
ences and surroundings which were kindly
and propitious. I am a graduate of the
finest military school in the world. I be-
long to profession, which, thank God, in
our country is universally acknowledged to
be the finest of any of the branches of pub
lie service. My associations, companions
and friendships have been with men who
are an honor and ornament to their profess
sion, and previous to these occurrences l
was we'll thought of. / have introduced
some testimony on this subject. I have a
loving, faithful and devoted wife. Thus
briefly stated, then, stand before you a
man who should have fortune. I have
only past, and horrible past it is at this
point to contemplate. Would you know
what has wrought this ruin? It is a pas
sion for gambling. That passion absorbed
all my other passions instincts and emo
tions-my entire being. That have this
passion and have been unable to control
it. | honestly think it is hardly my
fault. tits easy for men who have no
such overmastering passion, who have
ronger wills and better balanced minds,
to shrug their shoulders and thank God
that they are not as certain other men are.
l make no claim for clemency in my case,
for there is nothing to base one upon but
l ask, nay, I entreat, that you and those
whose duty it shall be to read this record,
consider the circumstances of it as merci-
fully as you can. The Government, as
understand it, is not dollar loser by my
hand, but that lessons not one iota the
Nervousness Of my offense. did not in
tend--I have not at any time intended-to
deprive others of what belonged to them
gambled away first what was my own
and that, even. could i'll afford to lose. I
was robbed by lot of thieving sharks.
Having money which belonged to others in
my possession, my brain being frenzed
and my brain ON fire, took a small por-
tion of it, hoping, and in my foolhardiness
believing, that luck would turn in my ia
vor, and could thus, and from those to
whom I had lost, regain what I had lost.
By that act [ became. as you can all under
stand, doubly and trebly involved. as
was involved pecuniarily, I was involved
with conscience, was involved and entau-
5iou III tuduy JULIET way D. w udtSNSE iiihy
be thought or said upon the subject, the
impulse which prompted the next step was
honest in its nature. It was to restore
that which had taken belonging to others.
I knew of no other way except by tempt
ing Fate at the gaming table. did so,
on the night of March 6, and lost that
night 81, $50. need not tell the rest of
the story. save myself from the recital.
The subsequent steps were all taken in
desperation, and finally, in utter abandon
ment. The road took and the objects on
the way are familiar to you by precedent
and tradition, as the streets you travel as
you 60 to your stations or places of busi-
ness. Having in the day when gambled
what was simply my own, presclence of
the fate to which this awful passion
for gambling was leading me, often took
vows and made resolutions and pledges
that I would never gamble again. did
not keep them. could MT keep them
Coriane Record, July 6.