New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-05-18
PROCEEDINGS IN THE COURT.


typoM THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE J
WEST POINT May 17.-Commandant Lazelle was
recalled to-day, and testified that soon after the
affair Whitaker told him that the night Of the
outrage the gas was burning low In his room. This
was the reason why he could the person take the
handkerchief out of his pocket. Surgeon Aiexande
testified that when he called to attend to Whit
takers wounds the cadet became faint, and seemed
to be greatly affected. The examination was there
fore suspended for time. In a serious case, how
ever, he would have been able to continue the ex-
animation. In answer to question by Recorder
Sears, he said that even strong men sometimes
tainted at the sight of their own blood.
Walter Mitchell, the negro servant with whom
Whitaker was familiar. said that few minutes
before IL q. M. on April IA, he went to Highland
Falls to ask Ryan about the story In regard TO the
three cadets He came back at about II m, ana
saw a man under q tree at the side OF the
road, leaning against stone wall Ryan
mentioned the names of the three soldiers who
had been at his saloon the Saturday before. and
thought that the story must have been started by
one of them. There had been some trouble that
evening. He did not 60 to Ryan's by Nugenfs
orders, but merely to find out what Ryan knew.
Recorder Sears explained how the guards were
posted around the post and said that all OF those
who were on duty on April had been examined.
but had seen no suspicious characters around. Muir
ply, however, one OF the men on guard
that day, had been discharged tby Cap
tain Raymond before the examination. II any sus-
picous persons, either singly in groups had been
seen they would have been reported in the regular
course of duty. The cadet-guard was relieved ut
1910 D. m and the cadets did not go guard
again until the next day.
At the request of Professor Greener Recorder
Sears was asked if Whittakers letter to his mother.
from one sheet of which the note of warning is
claimed to have been cut among the papers
originally given to the experts. Recorder Sears
said that it was not, because the con-
tents would have indicated that Whitaker
wrote it. 1t was, however, of the
papers of set /, which Mr.. Gayler, Mr..
Ames Mr.. Pain and Mr.. Southworth, reported more
nearly resembling the note of warning than set
2. President Mordecai then read a request from
Professor Greener that Lieutenants Taber aud
Bxby be called to the stand. The latter is in
Paris but If it is deemed necessary by Lieutenant
Knight he will be summoned home.
THE DETECTIVES PUZZLED.
The two detectives, Thomas Sampson and Thomas
Fisher, were then examined, but they added little
to the information which has already been OBJ
tanned. The general drift of the questions indi-
Gated that an attempt was being made to show that
some of Whittaker's statements to the detectives
were inconsistent with his testimony before the
Court The detectives, however. said that the
story he told on the stand was similar to what he
had told them.
Mr.. Sampson said that he had been detective
twenty-seven years, and he had come to West Point
at the request of General SohOheld. He said;
I was told to work without any bias. examined
sixtyfour cadets, and they acknowledged that they did
not Ike Whitaker on account o. MS eSTT Watched
Twas acquainted with some OF his friends; and woTld
mentioned McDOnald and Blake, but said that he did
not suspect them Ny interviews with |hi 6 LED
have no, found the vs Least ths f. 8 chow
a dTf with Mcdonald. how the later had
i. WHITAKER explained Also BiSkes manner toward
and tn turned his head when WHITAKER passed
him. He seemed anxious to dsaDus9 o,d my mind mind
or Mcdonald Cadet Burnett went with me TO whitta-
found S% S4D bound and SeedHS Sohng n
consistent between the facts as drew them from whit
Court. to WHOM listened carefully.
Ny experience tell. that persons who to do such
70 nd at the doors Of the houses they 20 TO-
Any one going to nc hun would I have taken aiken
used straps which are not so easily tied. only
recall De people 6 Gno R s
her jeweIry was stolen Her feet but not her hands
by her sister. whom she had given It. The other
was that OF a woman whose husband ddnt come home
cords and the ruse had abe desired effect Her husband
stayed at home after that
The details of this caused considerable amuse-
ment. Whitaker. the witness continued, said that
after hearing the slight noise at midnight he went
to sleep again. Mr.. Sampson told him this was
strange, after he had received the note
of warning coward would have lain awake
through fear and brave man would have prepared
for the worst. Lieutenant Knight asked If, after
he had been warned and had watched
night ne wouldn't relax in his watchfu-
ness the second night, and the witness
said that he would. Lieutenant Knight also drew
out the fact that in his interviews with Whitaker
the detective had repeatedly directed his attention
TO Mcdonald and Blake, asking the cadet many
questions about them.
The detective said, also. that he had always
worked among criminals, and did not wish to be re-
Carded as an expert among such classes of men,
supposing that the outrage had been committed by
cadets. He never knew of case where the
persons about to commit crime had warned their
the Whole matter would be cleared up.
Whitaker said that the outrage might
have been done by outside per-
sons The witness talked with Cadet Andrus about
his dispute with Whitaker, which took place in the
ranks He thought Audrus said 1t grew out of the
fact that Whitaker used some peculiar hair oil
which smelled badly.
Detective Fisher corroborated this testimony in
its main features. He had nothing new to
add He found nothing at highland Falls
worth bringing to the notice of the Court
He talked with Whitaker many times
about his troubles with the other cadets.
At one time he said that the outrage might have
been committed by outside persons for political eff
feet but he did not explain how the effect was to
be produced. 1t might have been done by cOlorcd
persons living away from the post.
On April IA he was near Ryan's saloon in High
land Falls, from 10 a. m. until p. IN. He was
away about half an hour during MONDAY. While
1 =. tharn M Tnountad naraoua stonned ut