New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-04-24

part but excused IL on the ground OF being full OF
beer at the time. Expert Paine reported that nc
had examined the specimens OF handwriting anu
could not detect smilarities sufficient to warrant
an opinion to the writer of tho anonymous note
MORE CONTRADICTORY TESTIMONY.
AN ANIMATED DISCUSSION BETWEEN MIR. TOWNSEND
AND THE RECoRDER-A MAN WHO SAID HE lad
HEARD 1.-THE NIGER WAS TO BE FIXED" BUT
AFTERwARD DENIES 1T.
fFRoM THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRIBUNE'l
WEST POINT, N. Y, April 23.-BefOre the
Court Of Inquiry convened this morning. there was quite
an animated discussion between Martin l. Townsend
and Recorder Sears with reference to two witnesses
that Mr. Townsend wished TO introduce 10 TESTIFY con-
corning the letter which he had SAID the oher ~
thut he might wish recall Cadet Burnett This letter
had not been by any member OF the Court or by the
Recorder and Us the latter the responsible manager
ofthe case he required to IN what way the test-
ony Of those witnesses peraned 10 the subject before
the Court.
Mr.. Townsend appeared to speak with emphasis and
determination, and was heard to say: am entirety
willing don't object land afterward, deoidedy
al will not do t won't back down an inch" The let
ter was finally shown to tho Recorder and was consd-
cred by him sufficient basis for the Introduction or
witnesses.
The previous testimony Of the witnesses Turner ana
Louis Simpson, was read TO them and they were then
lifted the dOOrateh high enough to open the door OF
Simpsons quarters where he saw WHITAKER enIer tuo
day after he was injured.
Simpson said that he never locked the hall door Dur
ing the night Of April he around the OarfacKS
where his father lived, all night reading or sitting ny
the fire until he went bed He heard Of the outrage on
Tuesday morning. when he saw the excitement among
the cadets who were in little knots discussing It, lie
went over to boerhouse to learn from the hremen
what was going on. He said that Whitaker knew
for several days that the witness was going
away. The detectives found him at Dis
house, No. Gil Foureenth-st., N. W., in Washington
Whttakers purpose In coming to Simpsons quarters on
Sunday night be supposed was to read the papers-hS
showing the warning note was merely Incidental ana
did not occur until late I'm his visit.
Mr. Townsend asked the witness If the Arst husband
Of the lady who employed him in Washington was
real General. He replied, suppose 80; they are all
Generals down there"
To the Recorder he said that Whitaker might have
locked the door during the visit to the witness without
his knowing 1t; but he did not think he had any occa-
sion 10 do 50.
IMPORTANT TESTIMONY THAT WAS DENIED.
Squire Van Buren, resident Of Fishklll Landing. was
called on account OF A. letter he had written to PROBES
sor Grroner which indicated that he might be able 20
throw some light The inquiry before the Court lie
bad had conversatlOn with John butcher at butchers
Junction on Sunday, April Is, who said that the id
black rascal would have leave West Point" butcher
had said that while West Point, several weeks TO
see his son. who was In the cavalry, he had had
yersatIon with a man named Brunett-nOt Burnett
whom he knew very WELL and whom he described rs"
pretty bad egg" in which the latter had said that
~ whitaker could not be got rid OF in ono
way he would be in another and that Job would be
put up him. the witness had como to West Point 70
see Mr. Townsend or Professor Groener about IT, and
witness had asked butcher whether the name were not
Burnett because he had seen the name IN the papers
10 aatA ~ a
That he knew him we'll The witness bad said EMS must
be bad fellow and butcher replied Well they think
To the Court he said he did not know OF any reward
having offered, although be took the paper every
John butcher laborer IN brickyard near butchers
next called when asked TO the conversation be
tween himself and Van Buren,. no said ION, It's
n 601 MIA Is sc4smen Aided by direct questions
be said he had hoard his taking about ono thing
the list His son had said nothing about Whitaker nor
about Burnett He had never seen Burnett or heard OF
use the expression Odd black cuss in speaking TO
gentlemen" he said, II am sometimes pretty full"
Full OF what T., ne was asked
was had a. egg. NAV have said he was pretty smart,
because hi mar IN the frat class, the first one
stand now IL was pretty bad business"
The witness had seen his son in March. and
A. was then that his showed him BurnBtts
he list Since then he had not been here. He cure
there nothing said at that time about Cadet Durnes
To the Recorder Be said that April 10, he had
this case aid that seeing &c thero ho had rcmem-
bered that he had seen IL on the list his son had shown
hun hen he was down IN Mnreh.
AN EXPERT WHO DIFFERS WITH MR.. GAYLER.
In the afternoon Joseph E. Paine, the expert in writ
Ing read awritten report in which he explained tho
difficulties arising from the smaness Of the material no
had 20 work upon. In Of the papers submitted to
him-that marked G. d. SHE found seven smilari.
whit
the same as those indicated by Mr. Gayler. In Other
papers, too, he found slight smarties But In none OF
tho papers did he nnd enough to warrant opinion
TO the identity OF authorship Of the anonymous note,
which he considered TO be decidedly IN adsGused hand
After his report was made, he was asked by the Re-
corder n the examination Of other writings would lead
TO better result He said II would not 40 tho quantity
OF questioned writing Afforded 100 little material TO
The Recorder an that in that casc unless the Court
desired he would not submit any moro papers.
Mr.. Townsend who had intended tho Court aRreelnp,
he was we'll satisfied with Mr.. Panes report that he
JolIn Dntoler was then recalled He said his son had
never told him. aud he had road III the papers,
about soldier having been sent TO the Penentary for
MED having said 10 Mr. Van Buren that no was per-
Squire Van Buren, being recalled said that when the
conversation with butcher took place. the latter APP
peared 10 be perfectly sober and bis statements were
was man OF weak mind and he had never heard any
thing detrimental 10 bis him an
honest sort OF man. He got no impression that the story
Mr.. Townsend said aiterWnrd that ne was Bausneu
that butcher had been lying.
Mrs. Hannah Simpson, now best known as tho mother
Of Louis Simpson. hne-loOking mulnttO woman, OF
perhaps sixty. with mOtherY manner and q gracious
voice, was called 10 the stand.
She had lived near West Point f0ry-lye years, and
had been kindly treated by the authorities. She thought
there had been feeling against her race;
but 1t was q general, Indefinite feeling about
o certain class Of colored people dressing too
well. She first heard OF the WHITAKER nRiir
on Tuesday morning from n boiler-man from West
Point, named Avery. She spoke OF 1t first to Mt Dem
and others. The witness went 10 RVan's place
Tuesday. The conversation turned on the Whitaker
affair She said had she thought there might be some bad
Spirits among many cadets. 1t might be that the
Republican rary had had this DONE so that they might
put General Grant for President daughter 20 which
the witness SAID: Now don't laugh"li but she knew
Grant would I've President anyhow.
Good for you" said Mr.. Townsend.