Chapter 23, "Court-martial of Stilwell" Summary

Maryk shows Willie the Red Cross letter that states Stilwell's mother is not dying. Captain Queeg orders Stilwell court-martialed with Willie as court recorder. Keefer, Harding, and Paynter are the court. Queeg approves Willie's promotion. They discuss Stilwell's court martial. Willie's role is to get the whole thing typed in book form. Queeg wants Stilwell to get a bad-conduct discharge. Fraud like his calls for a stiff sentence. Queeg hands Willie poor Stilwell's written confession. Willie reads the confession . He tells Stilwell to plead not guilty. A court-martial on the ship cannot convict him. The Red Cross letter proves nothing. The court cannot make Stilwell testify against himself. Stilwell buys his own copy of Courts and Boards, reads it, and talks to men on the other ships. Willie tells Captain Queeg that Stilwell wants to...