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[page 653] you didn't want to have the men discharged? A. That is the reason I suppose. Dont know as I can state that is the entire reason, as I stated before. Q. I understand your other reason. The two reasons together were the excuses were they? A. Yes, sir. Q. In the first place you wanted to shield the men from discharge? A. I dont know as I wanted to; I dont think I did. Q. Not Merrill, your friends, whose name you didn't want to give? A. I should not want to shield him if he had been reported to the officers. Q. Exactly. But didn't you want to shield him so far as not to report him yourself because you were afraid he would be discharged? A. I dont know as I took that as a reason entirely Q. Wasn't that one of the reasons why you didn't report him? A. It might have been. Q. Dont you know? A. I cannot state now in regard to that matter. Q. Have you any doubt about it? A. I have a little; might have been other conditions, being a personal friend, as you say, and that