Chapter 88
CHAPTER 88. The hour of ten in the morning had arrived, and the officers constituting the Juno court-martial were all present, when General Orthod said, before the prisoner was in court, Gentlemen, I have had some very strange forebodings since we have had
that interview with the heroic prisoner, who is about to be arraigned and tried before us this morning. And as I am the presiding judge in the case, it is my duty to act according to the usages in such cases. Otherwise, I would much rather be excused in having a part or parcel in the case that we are called to pronounce upon. This man Juno is,
to say the least, a brave enthusiast, and I believe that he feels that he is in the right. But that cannot save him from summary punishment at our hands. I agree with the General, said Colonel Sanctabloir, son of Judge Sanctabloir. But I am determined not to falter in the rigid performance
of duty. The General then ordered the prisoner to be brought into the court, after which the doors were thrown open to spectators, who crowded the room to its utmost in a moment. Dr. Juno was brought into the court by four officers, who assisted him to walk, having been too lame from
the wounds he received at the head of his army to walk without considerable assistance. He was placed into an easy chair, which the sympathetic physician of the hospital had ordered to be provided for his august patient, whom he desired should be as comfortable as he could make him whilst he lived, even if he would be shot afterwards.
After everything was arranged and the court called to order, a lengthy silence ensued, which partook of the nature of a Quaker meeting, causing everyone to feel as though a solemn hour was at hand and more solemn work. At last General Orthot said in a tremulous voice, The court is ready to proceed with the trial of the prisoner. Are
counsel ready to proceed? The prosecuting attorney responded, We are prepared to proceed. Dr. Juno was asked to stand up when the clerk of the court said, Victor Juno, you are charged with high treason and murder. How say you,
guilty or not guilty? Not guilty, responded Dr. Juno in a cool and composed manner. Dr. Juno, have you counsel engaged? asked General Orthot, to which he replied, No, sir. I will be fully competent to act as my own counsel. The court
is ready to hear the case, said General Orthot. The prosecuting counsel rose and spoke as follows, Your Honor and gentlemen of the Commission, it becomes my painful duty to charge the prisoner at the bar with felony of the highest grade. Firstly, this indictment charges you with high treason and
inciting to mob law. Secondly, it charges you with cold, premeditated murder of innocent persons who have fallen into the hands of the rebel horde which you claim to control. Thirdly, it charges you with riot, robbery and malfeasance of office. The line of prosecution which I propose to pursue is that of the second charge, cold, premeditated
murder, which is ample to find a verdict for the states for murder in the first degree, the penalty of which, in times of rebellion, is death by shooting. I will not ask this Commission to hear useless testimony. Neither will I take up their precious time with the discussion of minor charges as found in this bill, but content myself with proving that
you, Victor Juneau, the prisoner at the bar, are guilty of shooting men dead, contrary to the usages of civilized life. Will George Henry Atkinson take the witness stand? After being sworn, the witness testified as follows, I was in the next to this last battle which was fought in the southern part of the State of Ohio. Myself and several
thousand other soldiers of the Union were taken prisoners and, after the fray was over, as Dr. Juneau's officers marched us toward headquarters of the prisoner at this bar, Dr. Juneau, I slipped away and returned by good luck to our own army. The rest were all shot by the order of Dr. Juneau.
Prosecuting Attorney, were there any of our generals taken prisoners? Witness Yes, four. P.A. Name them. W. Generals Cadwell, Stu, Paney and Pierce. P.A. Were these four generals also shot?
W. Yes, sir. P.A. Do you know whether our wounded men were kindly treated? W. Yes, sir. They were very kindly treated, and were very skillfully doctored, were very soon cured up, but were shot as soon as well enough to stand upright.
P.A. Did this Dr. Juneau, the prisoner at the bar, himself, order them to be shot? And did he not give them a chance to defend themselves? W. He did himself order all to be shot, but he gave them only this chance of defense that they should voluntarily take his oath of
allegiance and go into his army at once, if well enough to do so. If they refused, they were shot. P.A. Cross-examine. Dr. Juneau. Did you see anyone shot, with your own eyes, in the manner you have
stated to this commission? W. No, sir. I did not see anyone shot, but I was told so, and read your proclamation and army orders to that effect in the newspapers. Dr. J. You should not swear to what you hear or what you have read in the
newspapers. It is not a sound doctrine. That will do. I have no more questions to ask. William N. Snigelfrits, sworn. Prosecuting attorney. What do you know of this man, the prisoner at the bar?
W. I know nothing but what I have heard and read in the newspapers. P.A. That is not legal evidence. That will answer. General Orthod. Mr. Snigelfrits, were you a soldier for the Union in this present conflict?
W. No, sir. Not exactly a soldier. But I have been with the Army. G.O. What did you do with the Army? W. I sold liquor and tobacco.
G.O. To whom did you sell liquor and tobacco? W. To anyone that would buy. G.O. If I catch you again at that work, I'll have you court-martialed. Mind
me. W. Yes, sir. Gustav Fierce, sworn. Prosecuting attorney. Where are you from and what do you know of Dr. Juno, the prisoner at the bar? Tell us all about it.
W. I will. I was a spy in the Army of the working men and saw all your drunken soldiers shot in battle and after battle. Dr. Juno was always doing his duty and he was always sober, too, a thing that I cannot say of the Union Army.
P.A. Interrupting him. Stop, Fierce. You talk entirely too fast and too much that is irrelevant to the subject. Tell us, did you ever see or hear the prisoner shoot or order anyone to be shot, who was a prisoner of a
war? W. Yes, sir. I have seen the prisoner shot and I've heard the prisoner say to his men, be sure you shoot well, aim well, shoot fair and quick. In fact, the prisoner is a practical, clear-headed and sober
man, which is more than you can say. P.A. Stop, stop. W. Yes, sir. I'll stop, but—
General O. You must not speak any more than you are asked. W. I don't, for he told me to tell them all about this matter and I simply complied with his request and told him what I knew to be a
lie fact, for really I consider Dr. Juno the best soldier and purest man living. P.A. Now stop, sir, or I'll send you to prison. W.
Oh, goodness, do you think that you can scare me with prisons? No, sir, I'm a native-born naturalist, although I do not belong to the secret order of naturalists of which Dr. Juno is the founder and father. P.A.
That will do, I have no more to ask. W. But I have not yet finished. P.A. Never mind that, let go, leave the stand.
W. I won't do it. Dr. Juno. Your Honor. May I be permitted to cross-examine this witness?
General O. Certainly, sir. Dr. J. Mr. Fierce, were you in our army when Generals Cadwell, Stu, Pancy and Pierce were taken prisoners?
W. Yes, sir, indeed, I was at home at that hour. Dr. J. Do you know if these Generals, Cadwell, Stu, Pancy and Pierce, are alive or were they shot?
W. They were alive three days before I was shot. W. They were alive three days ago? You know that you retained them as hostages.
Dr. J. That will do. This testimony of one of their own witnesses, a loyal saint, as they thought, and one of their own spies, who spied, however, more for Juno than for them, put a damper on their feelings.
Which caused the laying of heads together all around the courtroom, and the astounding exclamation could have been heard everywhere, General Cadwell, Stu, Pancy and Pierce held as hostages and not shot. Great heavens!
