The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-05-30
THE WEST POINT OUTAGE.
The Court Finds Against Whit
takeF and He Is Arrested.
Lo, the Poor COIOred Cadet

Lo, the Poor COIOred Cadet!
West Point, 29.-The court oil
inquiry in the case of Cadet Whit
tsker, me. in secret session to-day,
aud agreed upon 8 final report,
signed by all the members. The con-
clusions ere: First, the court is IN
able to believe that such slight
wounds as Cadet Whitaker received
could have been inflicted 5y persons
in the manner aud under the circum-
stances described by him; second, it
does not see why mau with his
surroundings. and in his condition
and frame OF mind, as shown by his
Own evidence, should have submitted
to assault such as is alleged without
summonlng assistance during the
assault or Immediately thereafter;
third, it believes q persDu tied as be
was and left as he claims 10 have
been, could readily have released
himself; fourth, from the testimony
OF the post surgeon and others, the
court is compelled 10 believe that
Cadet Whitaker was neither asleep
nor iusensible when he was examined
on the morning of April 9th, but was
feigning; fifth. the court is not able to
discover any motive that any person
otner than Cadet Whitaker could have
had in making such an assault, and
there is no evidence Hhstsver to war
rant the belief that any other person
did il; sixth, it believes the hair clip
ping, flesh cutting and binding could
all have been accomplished by Cadet
Whitaker himself; seventh, the theory
that the note of warning is an imita.
ton of Cadet Whittakef's handwrit-
ing Is untenable. The severe tests to
which experts in handwriting were
subjected, and their positive testi-
moDy place beyond doubt that Cadet
Whitaker himself wrote the note OF
warning, and is therefore notignoraut
OF the person or persons engaged in
the affair. THIS latter conclusion is
strengthened by the fact that one
half of q sheet of paper on which this
note is written was found IN Cadet
Whittaker's possession. From the
strong array Of ciIcunstanlial evil
dence, from the testimony of experts
10 handwriting, and from the con-
fiicting statements OF Cadet Whitta-
ker and lack of verAciy evinced By
him 10 certain cases during the inVes-
legation, as shown By the evidence,
the court is OF the opinion that
the imputation upon the character of
Cadet Whitaker, referred to in the
o:der converting the court and coz
tanned in the official reports OF the
commandment of the cadets and post
surgeon, is fully sustained. When the
report was sent to Gen. Schofeld and
read by him, he caused the letter to
be addressed to Colonel Lazeile,
commander of the corps of cade!s,
directing the arrest OF Whitaker and
placing him in confinement in his
room. The order was promptly ca;-
ried out, and Whitaker will remain
under arrest until the case is disposed
of and 8 guard will keep him under
Surveillance. Officers in high rank,
being asked what disposition would be
made OF him if the findings of the
court are approved by the war depart
ment, replied: II he was a non COM
missioned officer be would be tried
by court martial, but it is probable,
if the President approves, he will be
dismissed the academy or Turned
over to the civil authorities.
Whitaker still protests his inno-
cenCe. The findings OF the court
will be forwarded TO the war depart
ment tonight.