The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-04-11
wnITrAKHn's EXAMINATION.
s,rong Testimony doing ie SHOW
That lie mutiiaied Himself
for Fear OF Failure la
Graduating,

West Point April l0--Cadot Whitaker
In his examination, aitor relating the oiroum.
stances OF tho alleged outrage NJ first told by
him, was asked what had been his personal
feelings within tho month M to tho proba-
blllty ofhla graduating. lilo replied, II al.
ways felt would got through" lilo said
ho never had special reason for discourage.
ment before this occurred, lie was asked IL
he had ever written my gloomy lettera 10
friends or others, llosald he wrote gloomy
letter TO bis mother about her affairs prevent
Ing him from graduating, lilo told hor ho
was sure he could lind some way to pay her
rent lie told her also no would resign.
lle wrote another lottor 10
certain party, saying that IL he could not
raise that money for bis mother, no would
resign whom he received letter In repy
rendering him the money ~ u loan, II he
would pay II after no graduated. Ho no.
copied the Offer and tho first lnslallmont came
socn after but this week, before the outrage,
mn cndoNyor was made TO connect him famil.
iarly with tho family OF colorcd boot black
of tho academy, but no testified that his last
visit TO that family was over year ago. lie
testified that no had no reasons 10 supposO
that there were prejudlces In tho minds Of
his instructors against him, and that no
has faith In getting through us far M they
were concerned, but felt that his social lsola.
ton has had no effect on him as far IA his
studies are concerned, Whore some of the
piecios Of tho belt with which no had been
tied were shown witness, il was N yoaled that
ono piece contained tho eyelets which mono
but officers belts contained, and Whitaker
had never been IN officer. His counsel
deemed this important He also denied own
ership OF black nookiio found In his room.
Inquiry In tho Whitaker case was resum-
cd this morning. Whitaker was called, and
said that no had no conversation with bis as
sailant, except to say "pleose don't cut my
ear lie had been told that his gas had
been found burning In the morning, but no
stated positively that no had extingushed II
before retiring. When tho surgeon aroused
him ho thought his assailants had returned.
The penknito and scissors found in his room
no identified as his own. Ho was shown a
white handkerchief, with the
corner cut out that was
found IN his room, and said no never saw
It before last Thursday. During his exam
nation no was taken into an ante-room
where the court examined his ears, ankle,
head, and on his return in answer TO n ques-
ton said that in his opinion an oath was
binding on his conscience to tell tho whole
truth and that he firmly believed false oath
involved future punishment The Recorder
then spoke to him as follows; II want you to
put your hand on that Bible, which YOU have
SO often read, and take oath that you are in no
way cognizant and in no way free
agent or have knowledge of or connivance
with your assailants." Whitaker took the
bible, looked his questioner souarely in tho
face, and was asked: "Do you take that oath!n
tic replied, clearly and firmly ~ do, SIR"
His testimony afterwards was short.
The two BARRIERS attached to the post were
then sworn in regard TO the cutting of his
hair their evidence going 10 show that tho
small pair OF scissors found in his room could
not have cut his ear as II il
now cut. When these witnesses
finished, at the suggestion Of Whittaker's
counsel the latter withdrew and Cadet
GeorgeR X. Burnett, Of the first class, was called
to the witness stand. Burnett's testimony
showed that he was officer of the day when
Whitaker was found He was the drst one
to enter the room and called him repeatedly,
but Whitaker made no answer. Witness
described the position in which he found
Whitaker. AS to his appearance on the
floor of bis room, witness.
by direction laid himself on
tho Nnnr hu N htaaIrh1o.l IL
the position Whitaker was in when he first
saw him. His feet were elevated ard no lay
partly on his side, and 1t seemed almost i'm
possible for Whitaker to have united the
cords about his feet from the position that
witnes' illustrated he was In, especially II his
hands were firmly bound He also exhibite
how the knots were tied, showing there was
more than one full knot, and that the
knots were Of character some
what difficult to unite. Afterwards
he tied his own wrists as he said Whittaker's
hands we're tied and then broke the bands
through. The space between his hands, after
he was tied was two inches. Whereas he tes-
titled the space between Whittakers hands
was one inch and his wrists two inches, which
would make much difference in the leverage
when pulling, Laterally in breaking tho
bands he witnessed an abrasion Of
the skin and wrists. In appearance
he Is physically stronger by considerable.
he was also bound hand and foot, as was
Whitaker, and laid beside an iron bedstead,
which had been brought into court, and his
feet tied to II, when he showed that he could
reach the knots on bis feet with his hands. II
is proper to state that before Cadet Burnett
was called to the witness stand, Whitaker,
at the suggestion of his counsel, retired from
the room and WAS not present during Bur-
nett's evidence Adjourned