Obligations of Subpoenaed Witnesses
- Duty to appear when duly subpoenaed by the general court-martial.
- Must qualify as a witness and testify or produce documentary evidence legally subpoenaed.
Penalties for Non-compliance
- Willful neglect or refusal to appear, qualify, testify, or produce evidence is punishable.
- Punishments include a fine up to five hundred dollars (U.S. currency), imprisonment up to six months, or both, at the court's discretion.
Procedural Responsibility for Enforcement
- The general court-martial must certify facts of non-compliance.
- The appropriate fiscal or prosecuting officer is mandated to file a complaint and prosecute the offending individual in the proper court.
Witness Compensation
- Witnesses are entitled to a daily attendance fee of one dollar and fifty cents (U.S. currency).
- Travel expenses reimbursed at five cents per mile for each direction to and from the place of trial or hearing.
Protection Against Self-incrimination
- No witness is compelled to incriminate themselves.
- Witnesses may refuse to answer questions that may lead to self-incrimination.
Expediency of Enactment
- The act was expedited due to public necessity under the existing rules for legislative procedure.
Effectivity
- The Act took effect immediately upon its passage on April 28, 1904.