Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 October 1897 — THE FORT SHERIDAN OUTRAGE. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE FORT SHERIDAN OUTRAGE.

Inhuman Cruelty Perpetrated Upon an Enlisted Man. ‘ There has been as much solemn pondering at Washington over the LoveringHamanond outrage at Fort Sheridan an

if the captain’s life hung in the balance. When Maj. GenBrooke’s report from his chief aid-de-camp’s point of view tvas received by the Secretary of War that official consider,ed it well and wrote rout his recommendations to lay before the President.' The adjutant general also examined the report. When the President

saw the same report he thought of hi» general commanding the army and suggested that it be laid before him. Gen. Miles read the report and returned it to the Secretary of War with a few oral comments on the action which the Secretary proposed to take. Then Gen. Alger carried the report under his arm to the cabinet meeting, and the much-handled document was discussed by that body. Captain Lovering’s act at Fort Sheridan is very generally considered as one of inhuman 1 cruelty. —The Fourth regiment of infantry, Col. Hall commanding, is located at the fort near Chicago. Saturday Capt. Lovering was officer of the

day. Among the prisoners confined in the guard house was private Hammond. Hammond is not connected with the Fort Sheridan command. He is stationed at Plattsburg, N. Y., and a few weeks ago asked for leave of absence to visit his mother, who lives in Chicago. It was denied him and he left without permission. There is a rule which makes it desertion for a soldier to be absent from his

post longer than nine days without permission. Hammond came to Chicago, and on the ninth day surrendered himself at Fort Sheridan, and asked the officers to notify the Platts-, burg Post. He wasp placed in the guard’ house to await thej reply. The following morning he was notified by the officer of the day, Capt. Lov-1

ering, to report for work. He refused on the ground that he was not a regular prisoner. Capt. Lovering sent four men to take him out of the guard house. Hammond lay down and refused to move. Lovering then directed the men to cross his legs and tie them with a stout rope. This was done and then, under direction of the captain, the men dragged Hammond out of the guard house. Down the steps of the guard house Hammond was bumped. The four soldiers soon became sick of their task. They hesitated when they had crossed the road and got on the stone sidewalk. The captain would have no delay. He prodded the prisoner several times so that in pity the four soldiers hurried on with their terrible task. None of them had ever seen a soldier treated in such a brutal way and they obeyed through fear of similar punishment. Hammond’s face was distorted with pain and blood was oozing from several wounds as he was dragged along up the stairway to the summary court. There a light punishment was meted out to him. It is said that Lovering prodded Hammond with his swotd as he was dragged along the road.

CAPTAIN COVERING

DRAGGING PRIVATE HAMMOND TO COURT

PRIVATE HAMMOND.