Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1880-05-18

legged to have been the manufacture Of a
sympathy in his behalf which would in.
duce The authorities 10 grant him auoth-
or yearat the Military Academy in the
event he should fail TO pass the approach
ing examinations. The motive alleged
against the whse perpetrators Of the
outrage (if such there be- is hatred Of
the colored race notwithstanding the
fact that cadet Whitaker is so nearly
white himself us TO make II impossible
to distinguish him from his white COM
radcs on parade, and the further fact
that Il very. large and controlling majori-
ty or the cadets and authorities and in
nucuccs at West Point are from the
northern section Of the Union.
On the morning of the alleged out
rage, Cadet Whitaker was found on the
floor of his room in the barracks, in
comatos condition, tied hand and foot,
and with injuries inflicted upon both
ears, and one hand. When aroused, lie
stated that an assault had been commit
ed upon him by certain disguised per-
sons, who, after n struggle and resistance
on his part, bad left him in the condition
in which he. was found; and that he be-
lieved he had continued in that condi-
tion for five or six hours. Upon cxami-
nation Of his pulse and the pupil of his
eye, besides = general examination Of his
person. by the Surgeon of the Post, he
was pronounced 10 be In state of nntu-
raj healthy sleep, and to exhibit no signs
Of having been at any time IN stupor.
II has been stated on oath by at least
one officer of high rank in the Army,
that the cords which bound Whiltakcr's
feet could have been easily shaken off
with one or two vigorous shakes. 1t also
appeared in evidence that his hands were
tied in n way that no human being would
tie the hands of another, but In n way
that one could and would tic his own
hands: and one of the cadets actually
did tie his own hands in the same way
in the presence Of the Court of Inquiry.
The injuries to the ears Of Whitaker
consisted of minute slit in on, and
very small piece clipped from the other.
The wound on his hand was compared
by witnesses TO u pnscratch. In a week |
after the event, II required the closest
inspection to ascertain that there had |
been any injury at all either to hand or
ear. The assault and scufle which |
Whitaker alleged to have taken place in |
the night, attracted no attention, not
withstandng there were both cadets and |
officers sleeping in adjoining rooms, and |
with the transoms Of their own and |
WhHaker's rooms open for purposes of |
ventilation.
An anonymous letter Of warming, ad- |
dressed to Whitaker, and signed "a
Friend" has been produced. This let
ter purported to come from white Ca
Diet, albeit, It has been broadly asserted
that Whitaker has no friends among the
Cadets, but has been ostraclsed by every
one Of them. A Republican gentleman
from the New York City post office hav-
ing been called in as an expert, the anon
ymolls note was submitted TO him. With
II as n basis, he constructed sentence
TO bring ont as far as possible
the same combinations of letters and
syllabes. This sentence was written
down by each cadet, IN his own hand
writing. and without knowing Why
Ont of all these specimens, the expert,
after weeks Of study aud comparison,
found no certain and reliable indications
Of resemblance 10 the handwriting In
the anonymous note, save In one In
stance, where he found dozen or more
points Of resemblance, several Of which
were very striking. The expert made
his report to this effect, in profound ig-
norance as to who wrote any of the
specimens submitted to him. Upon eX-
animation, however, II was found that
that specimen which showed the rcsem-
was Cadet Whlttaker's hand
The opinion have formed up to this
stage OF the investigation, is, either
First: Whitaker did this thing him
self with the motive MS signed above;
Or
Second; Il was done by outside par
ties with or without Whttaker's con-
'enl) for political purposes In the APP
campaign.
Taken to the Pcnetcntiary.
Capt. John Crumlcy, Superintendent
.f II, ,tn,,i..ta ~ q 4, \