MUTINY. In Criminal Law. The unlaw ful resistance of a superior officer, or the raising of commotions and disturbances on board of a ship against the authority of its commander, or in the army in opposition to the authority of the officers; a sedition ; a revolt. See Whart. Cr. L. § 1876.
Art. 22 of the United States Articlee of War pro vides: Any officer or soldier, who begins, excites, causes, or joins in any mutiny or sedition, in any troop, battery, company, party, post, detachment, or guard, shall suffer death, or such other punishment as a court-martial shall direct. Art. 23: Any offi cer or soldier who, being present at any mutiny or sedition, does not use his utmost endeavors to sup press the same, or, having knowledge of any in tended mutiny or sedition does not without delay give information thereof to his commanding officer, shall suffer death, or such other punishment as a court-martial may direct.
Sedition is the raising of a commotion or disturb ance with a view to create a mutiny or to incite revolt against military authority. Davis, Mil. L. 390
As to mutiny, see U. S. v. Smith, 1 Has. 147, Fed Cas. No. 16,337 ; U. S. v. Kelly, 4 Wash. C. C. 628, Fed. Cas. No. 15,616; U. S. v. Borden, 1 Spra. 376, Fed. Cas. No. 14,625.
Art. 4 of the navy provides the punishment of death, or such other punishment as a court-martial may adjudge, for any person in the naval service "who makes or attempts to make, or unite with any mutiny or mutinous assembly, or, being wit ness to or present at any mutiny, does not do his utmost to suppress It ; or, knowing of any mutinous assembly or any Intended mutiny, does not imme diately communicate his knowledge to his superior or commanding officer." Mutiny, revolt, and the endeavor to make a revolt or mutiny, on board merchant-vessels, are made criminal, and a punishment provided for them; R. S. § 4596 (amended 1898); U. S. v. Nye, 2 Curt. C. C. 225, Fed. Cas. No. 15,906 ; U. S. v. Peterson, 1 Woodb. & M. 306, Fed. Me. No. 16,037; U. S. v. Cassedy, .2 Sumn. C. C. 582, Fed. Cas. No. 14,745.