National Republican., 1880-04-24
THE WEST POINT INQUIRY.
Beginning TO Look Beyond Whitaker
for the Culprit.
A Fond Fathers Testimony Repudiated by
His Hopeful Sou-Recorder Sears and
Mr.. Townsend Agaln-The lex
pcrrs Testimony Uncertain
a Touch OF Politics--A
Witness Prophecy.
The WHITAKER investigation Yesterday.

Ihe Whitaker Investigation Yesterday.
WET PoINT, N Y, April 23.-The court had q
consultation before business was begun this morn.
ing after which the testimony Of Turner and simp-
son was read over.
Simpson was further questioned and adhered to
the statement that the room In the b0th-house In
which he and Whitaker were the evening Cfter
the Outrage was not locked. Witness said he be-
came acquainted with Mrs. Brooks in Washington
through his wife, the latter being Mrs Brooks
har.dresser. When asked If Mrs. Brooks first hus
band was General. he replied Il suppose so there
are Generals down there in the Southern county,
lie replied to question that he was never charged
with crime In Highland Falls nor In Washington
until this Whitaker affair came up. lie said he
was In his own room on the night of the out
rage from $3.50 until o'clock in the morn
ing, and that between and o'clock two
boys were in his room with him. The first
he heard OF the outrage was by seeing knots of
cadets talking and then going to the boiler-house
to learn the cause of the excitement he had an i'm
tempt would be made to put the Outrage on him,
though he did not know as the West Point author
tiles had charged him with doing 1t.
man named Squire Van Bnren went on the
the witness stand lie Is from Fshkill Landing
New York. Ho snid on April is man named John
butcher and he hnd q conversation at butchers
Whitaker, that the d. black cuss had to leave
before long he said he had been to West Point
to see his son, and had n conversation
with Cadet Burnett: witness asked butcher
what sort Of q fellow Burnett was, and he replied,
Hes id bad egg and that Burnett told
him ir Whitaker did not leave shortly lob would
be put up on him and he would have to leave;
witness said butcher stated that ho was going to
put the d-d black cuss out of the place some
way: witness did not say anything to anyone
about this but came to the Point to tell Mr. Town
send oft, or Mr.. Greenor, because he had seen
their names in the paper; he did not know that he
would be allowed to approach court, and did not
think any reward was offered.
John butcher was put on the witness stand and
denied Van Bnrcn's story IN rambling half-in-
coherent manner. He testified while geStculating
considerably, that it was wild talk he had had with
Van Buren,; he had been to see his son,
who is cavalry man on the Point. The
recorder pressed him to repeat what he told
Van Buren,. lie replied disconnec,edy "My SON
had heard one thing or another" Tho recorder
asked him If he forgot what he, told Van Buren,
and he answered NO" He said that he did not
speak, of Whitaker rs id black cuss" or
anything like IT. he was pretty full of beer when
he talked with Van Buren,: he did not remember
speaking of Burnett as "d-n bad fellow but
represented him as "a smart man" because he saw
his namo In the list of the first class.
Recorder-Are you telling the truth
WitncsS-I am sure am telling Gods truth.
told 1t.
Recorder-You seem sorry.
Witncss-oh, 1 am sorry; you bet am id
sorry.
mated conversation took place between
Mr.. Townsend and the recorder with reference to
the purpose of two witness, Van Buren, and
butcher. Mr.. Townsend resented any inquiry
about thenl, as pryng into his affairs, such as de.
string to know what they would testify, but
Recorder Sears being responsible as the manager
of the case that witness should be sworn unless
he would testify TO something with the case. and
no previous witness having been admitted without
such information being given, insisted, and Mr.
Townsend showed him the letter received from
Mr.. Van Buren, and under it the above testimony
was given.
Mr. Paine, the expert was next called to the
| stand. lie said he found resemblancos in certain
paper, the numbers Of which he did not montion
but not enough on which TO base an opinion. The
dissimilaritcs Offset the similarltes lie thought
the anonymous note was disguised and especially
in the capitals, but 1t was disguised throughout.
The recorder-As Mr. Paine has said, no fur
ther results can DO attained in the matter | do
not see any need of pursuing the questioning Of
this witness longer.
Mr.. Townsend said he intended to call an expert
of his own choosing but AFTER hearing Mr.. Puine's
evidence he would not do so.
The recorder recalled John butcher and said
to him. DO you know think you were sober
when you had that conversation with Van Buren,
and you can tell it to M In order that you may
escape the crime Of perjury! | now give you a
chance"
Witncss--I know no more. never knew Bur.
nett.
Squire Van Buren was recalled and said he did
not think butcher was intoxicated when he was
conversing with him. nor did he think butcher
had weak mind, and he never knew anything
The colored woman, Mrs. Simpson, testified that
she first heard of the outrage from ono of the boiler
men: who had heard 1t from the milisman, Haight
she detailed her conversation with Mrs Ryan In
the luters house, and thought there might be some
bad spirits among so many cadets, or It might bo
that the Republican party had had this done so
that they might put General Grant in for President
Laughter The witness said: "Now don't laugh
but / know Grant will be President anyhow"
lLaughter,l
Mr. Townsend Good for you.
1t was after that she said "John Sherman
would move heaven and earth to get the colored
vote"
NO" said the witness; John Sherman"
She was asked by the Court II She knew colored
Cadet Smith. She replied why, Major MOrdec0i
wicTc smith now is. and replied With
dead. | don't think he has been fairly treated
lIo could have passed, but thoy did not want him
here; but let that all be buried with him; he told
Henry butcher who, according to his father Is I'm
the icsyalry, was next called. lie sw0Te that
when his father called to see him IN March he only
talked with him about that affair of Fayberg at
tempting to blNckmall Cadet Burnett: he also
showed him a list of the standing Of the cadets:
Whlitaker's name was not mentiOned he made no
remarks which would lead his father TO suppose
Cadet Burnett was bad fellow; he might have
said ERyberg was q id bUd fellow, or did not
know whether his father got tho two names mixed
or not he did not know much about his
times IN six or seven years witness never
heard Burnett say anything about Whitaker or
anyone else say they would fix Whitaker:
this morning witness fathor told him all he knew
about the matter he had read In the newspapers ::
he asked witness for no advice, nor did witness
ler any; witness told his father, however not to
use his name amy more than ho could help, be-
cause he would rather keep ont Of tho law and tho
him badly he does not know Burnett better than
any other cadet.
William Monahan testified Tie had told Mrs.
Brannlgan that he heard tho mil kmln llaight say
three cadets We're at Ryan's tho night of tho out
rage; /. Fred. Palmer heard such u story from
Fisher Pierce, the hackmGni he had no other au-
thority,
Adjourned.