Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-04-12

THE WHITAKER OUTRAGE
Progress Of the Inquiry.

WEsr PoISr, April l0.-Tbe inquiry
In the Whitaker case was resumed to-
day, and Whitaker was recalled. He
said he had no conversation with his
assailants except to say, please do not
cut nv ear" He had been told that
the gas was found lighted in the morn
ing, but he had positively extinguished
it before retiring. When the surgeon
aroused him he thought his assailants
had returned. A penknife and pair Of
scissors were found in his room which
he Identifies as hia own. He was shown
a white handkerchief with the corner
cut out that was found in his room,
but he said he never saw
it before Thursday last. During
his examination he was taken into an
ante-room, where the court examined
his ears, ankle and head, and on his
return, in answer to q question, said
that in his opinion an oath was binding
on his conscience to tell the whole
truth, and that he firmly believed a
false oath involved future punishment
The recorder then spoke to him as fol.
lows: 81 want you to put your hand
on that Bible which you have 80 often
read, take oath that you are in no way
cognizant, in no way free
agent, or had any knowledge
or connivsnce with your assailants.'
Whitaker took the Bible, looked his
questioner square in the face, and was
asked, "Do you take that OATH" He re-
piled, clearly and firmly, 81 do, sir.
His testimony afterwards was short.
Two BARRIERS attached TO the post were
sworn in regard to cutting of hair. Their
evidence went to show that such a pair
of scissors as found in Whittaker's room
could not have cut his hair as it is now
cut. When this witness finished, at the
suggestion OF Whittaker's counsel, Whit
taker withdrew, and cadet George X.
Burnett, of the first class, was called to
the witness stand.
The witness was the officer OF the day
and the first one TO enter Whittaker's
room. He called him repeatedly, but
he made no answer. Witness saw him
lying in a peculiar position and thought
he had fallen out OF bed; his feet were
tied near the foot OF the bed and his
hands tied in front OF him. At first he
looked as il his throat was cut. Witness
took his head in his hands and turned
it over to see underneath and saw blood
trickling down his face. 1t
first appeared as though run
ming out of his ears. but
the examination showed it came from
cuts on his ears and had run into his
ears, and the back of his head looked as
il it had been crushed with something
There was q looking-glass lying on the
floor broken, and some pieces OF it were
spattered with blood. There were also
burnt pieces of paper lying about the
floor, and pool OF water and blanket
and comforter lay on the floor at the
foot of the bed. There was blood on the
blanket, and large blood spoton the mat
tress, and blood on the wall next TO the
bed. The latter looked as il it had been
daubed there. His stockings lay at the
foot OF the bed saturated with
water. When the surgeon arrived
he shook Whitaker, and the latter
said, "Please do not cut me-" He asked
him what was the matter, and he said
again, "Please do not cut me; ] never
injured YOU" Witness said that when
the doctor tried to open his eye, Whit
taker appeared TO keep his eye ball out
OF sight. His pulse was quite regular.
Witness also noticed punches OF hair
lying in his room, and located them on
the spot where Whitaker said in his
testimony his hair was cut. Witness,
by direction, laid himself on the floor
and showed the position Whitaker was
in when he first saw him. His feet
were elevated, and he lay partly on his
side. II seemed to some present almost
impossible for Whitaker to have united
the cords about his feet from the posi-
ton the witness illustrated he
was in, especially il his hands were
firmly tied. The witness also
exhibited how the knots were tied, show
ing that there was more than one full
knot and that the knots were OF char
acter somewhat difficult to unite. Al
terwards the witness tied his own wrists
as he said Whittaker's were tied and
then broke hands. The space between
witness hands after he was tied was two
inches, and between his wrists three
inches. He testified that the space
between Whittaker's hands was
one inch and his wrists two
inches. In breaking the bonds
witness suffered abrasions Of the skin on
both wrists. The witness in appearance
is considerably stronger than Whitaker.
The witness was also bound hand and
foot, as was Whitaker, and laid beside
an iron bedstead (which had been car
ried into COURT and his feet tied TO it,
when he showed that he could reach
the knots on his feet with his hands.
Whitaker was not present during
Cadat Rurpatt,a evidance