Private Len Harris
Cincinnati Enquirer, Saturday, 29 May 1875, page 4
DESERTER-Len A Harris Jr. is just now experiencing what it means to belong to the Regular Army O. He slept last night in the guard house at his old quarters in the Newport Barracks. The prosecution failed to make their case of grand larceny against him in the Police Court yesterday and Judge Lindemann discharged him. The Chief of Police, however, retained him in custody as a deserter from the United States Army.
The mother of the young man then hastened down to the Circuit Court and sued out a writ of habeas corpus, which Judge Emmons granted. The prisoner was at once brought before His Honor, but the attorney in the case, Judge Pruden, was not prepared to argue the question and asked that the writ be made returnable today. Judge Emmons complied with the request and the officers started back to the City Buildings with their prisoner.
At the foot of the Custom house steps they were met by a Lieutenant and five of soldiers from Newport Barracks, who took young Harris in custody and conveyed him across the river. The young man's mother, who was present and saw her son once more in the hands of military authorities, became hysterical and created quite a scene. For tow years and more she had spared neither money nor means to keep her boy beyond the reach of the Government troops. Therefore when she saw him marched off a prisoner her grief and agony found expression in shrieks, screams and tear. Inasmuch as the writ issued from a Federal Court and is made returnable, the Government officers will be compelled to bring their prisoner before the court today.
Then if Judge Emmons decides that he is illegally detained he will be free to go lately about without fear of future arrest. Otherwise he will be returned to Newport Barracks as a deserter and punished accordingly.