The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-05-31
THE WHITAKER CASE.
The Verdict of the Cour5 of In
quiry.
Whitaker Charged with Inf1icting HIS
Own Injuries.

WEST POINT, May 29-The Whitaker
court of inquiry met in secret session at 8
o'clock p. m. to-day to make up its final report,
which was agreed upon and signed by all the
members of the court. After a long review of
the case and evidence, the court arrives at the
following conclusions:
1st The court is made to believe that such
slight wounds as Cadet Whitaker received
could pot have been inflicted by persons I'M the
manner and under the circumstances described
by him.
ID. 1t does not see why man with his sur
roundings and in his condition and frame of
mind, as shown by his own evidence, should
have submitted to an assault such as alleged
without summoning assistance during the as
sault or Immediately after.
Sd 1t believes that person tied as ghe was
and left as he claims to have been could have
readily released himself, had he exerted him.
self to do do to.
4th. From the testimony of the post surgeon
and others, the court is compelled to believe
that Whitaker was neither asleep or insensi-
Bile when he was examined, on the forenoon
of April 6th 1880, but that he was feigning.
9TH. The court has not been able to discover
any motive that any person other than Whit
taker could have had in making such assault,
and there is no evidence whatever to warrant
the belief that any other person did make it.
9th. We believe the hair clipping, flesh cut
ting and binding could all shave been accom-
plished by Cadet Whitaker himself.
III. Lie IucOry tlldt tn0 nOto OF warning
is an imitation of Cadet Whittaker's writing
is, in the opinion of the court, untenabe
Several tests, to which experts In handwrit-
ing were subjected, and their positive testi-
mony place it beyond doubt thatCadet Whit
taker himself wrote the note of warning, and
therefore that he is not ignorant of the person
or persons engaged in the affair. The latter
conclusion is strengthened by the fact that
one-half the sheet of paper on which this note
was written was found in Cadet Whittaker's
possession.
From the array of circumstantial evidence
from the testimony of experts in handwriting
and from the conflicting statements of Whit
taker and the lack OF veracty evinced by him
in certain cases during the investigation. as
shown by the evidence, the court is of the
opinion that the imputations upon the charac-
ter of Whitaker, referred to in the order con-
vening the court, and contained in the offic-
ial report of the commandment of cadets and
post surgeon are fully sustained
When the report was sent to General Schol-
field and carefully read by him,s he caused
the letter to be addressed to Col. LaZelle COM
mandant of the corps of cadets, directing the
arrest of Whitaker and the placing of him in
confinement in his ROOM The order was
promptly carried out and Whitaker remains
under arrest until the case is disposed of, and
guard will keep him under surveillance.
An officer in high rank being asked what
disposition would be made of him ii the find
ing of the court is approved by the War De-
partment, replied that if he was nOn-com-
missioned officer he would be tried by court
martial as urged by the recorder in his adj
dress to the court but it is probable if the
President approves it, he will be dismissed
from the academy or turned over to the civil
authorities.
Whitaker still protests his innocence.
The findings of the court will be forwarded
to the War Department tonight by mail