The weekly Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1872-1887, 1880-05-30
The Whitaker Farce.

The following questions aud answers
before tho Court of Inquiry il the West
Point outrage will be apt to Impress the
practical, thinking mind With the idea
that young Whitaker Is nothing more or
less than fraud; aud that the outrages
were committed by his own hand; his
object being To avepge himself for some
fancied ~roaS or neglect; BY brinsing
diShonor upon the institutions:
''In u letter written April g." said
Recorder Sears, tho letter to your
mother. not mailed. but which you gave
me. you uSe tie expression. i have a
queer foreboding of some i'll. though /
hardly Imagine the cadets could do me
bodily HARM Did you have such u
foreboding?"
81 did. SIR" said the cadet. II was
thinking aud referring to tho note had
received warming the Of danger"
ibid these thoughts occur to you
when. n few hours later, ycu were
awakened by noise at the latch Of Your
door?" he Was asked.
mo. SIR" he snid.
"Arc you not surprised that this did
not occur to yong"
No. SIR"
After this the Recorder askrd where
the man who spraus upon the witness
while in bed placed bis hands. Whit
tnkcr said near the neck aud shoulders.
lie said when his ears were being cut
he struggled and moved his head 10 AID
fro.
Major Mjrd.ca asked Whitaker TO
explain Why the cuts were 30 clean.
Whitaker could not explain it, be said.
L. curGcr Sears. i'll the course Of the
eIaniIution came to Whittaker's $ trunk.
belt like those with which Whitaker
was tie. rhis one was tied around
the cadets light trousers. 1t was
marked with Cadet Affords nnme, and
came from The couImissary's where the
trousers were iurnde... The cadet said
he did not know that he had it. Tho
Recorder again referred to the trunk to
say that: although Whitaker said he
had bought black nccktic like the
one that formed part Of his baudnses
none was found in his trunk. Finally.
| tue Recorded announced that the post
| commander or any officer in command
Of military body. either OF soldiers or
cadets, hHs perfect right to INSPECT
all baggage OF luggage Mt nuy or nll
times. This Is II part Of military disci.
pline.
Capt. Raymond asked Whitaker Why
when man WAS Oh him in bed with
his hands on his shoulders be did no.
strike his nssailant2 Whitaker replied
that lie did struggle, but thnt tho man
had him down. Hu Ind no purchase to
draw back and strike. Tue Captain
asked hun whether his hands ard arms
were fire." when his cars were being cut.
Whitaker said they We're, but that he
d.d not hit anyone OF his assnilants.
lie threw up his hands to protect his ears
but he did not strike ont.
"Do you mean to say that with your
head free, your hands free. aud your
arms free your were enrs cut.
II was struggling. sir, all the time"
the carict replied. lie added that the
man who cut his ears held the candle in
one hand, cut his snrs, with the Other
nnd at the. same time assisted another
man to hold bin down.
Prof. Greener was the other witness
Of the day.
"Hnvc you any reasonable suspicion
in regard to any one who may bc con.
nectod with the assault upon Cadet
Whittnker-nnything of such n nature
MS would warrant your bringing il before
this couii?" ho was asked.
Il have" he replied. 81 should pre-
fer giving II to the COUNSEL" said the
witness.
Then the Court ordered that his aus.
| picious bo handed to Lieutenant
Knight in writing, over the Professors =
signature ms quickly ns possibly.
Finally the Recorder announced ihat
he had no inrre evidence TO submit, nnd
that ho could not prescn. his argument
on the evidence until Monday next. by
which time ho hoped the counsel for
Mr.. Whitaker would be ready with his
presentation Of the cadets side Of the
case. lie said that the testimony in the
case covers $500 pages.