Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1880-05-25
The West Point Denouncement
CADET wHITTAKER's ExpLANrIoN, ETC.


WEST PoNT, N. Y, May 1.-THE re
port of the experts identifying the 'not'
of warming" which Cadet Whittake
said he had received, with the handwrit
ing of Whitaker himself, ia the mail
topic Of interest. In an interview to
day Cadet Whitaker stated that las
evening he was invited to Gen. Scho
ield's house, the latter saying he hat
sent for him to say that there was con
siderable hard feeling against hin
(Whittaker), and asked him If he hat
anything more to say or wished to make
any confession, and If he did that woult
be a good time TO 10 1t. Whitaker re.
piled that he had nothing further to say
that he had told all he knew, and It vas
the truth, and that If he had not told the
truth, and desired to confess anything,
Gen. Schofeld would be the first man
he would go to on account Of the Gener-
ais uniform kindness towards him.
Whitaker said the General advised him
TO collect all the letters he had written
lately, because in that way 1t might be
possible to ascertain who II was had SIM
ulated his handwriting. lie said the
General told him hc had his good wishes
and Whitaker judges from that remark
that he ia innocent, or he never would
have said 20. Whitaker was asked how
he accounted for some Of the discrepan-
cies in his statements, and he said he
could not account for them. He argued
that the presence of discrepancies show
ed he was honest. "For," said he, "if
had invented the story | would have
learned II by heart and then there would
have been no discrepancies. lie was
asked how II WIS that he never noticed
that the writing IN the note Of warning
was like mis- own. He replied that he
never thought of It, aud that II he had
written II he would have exhibited II to
four or five persons. He WAS asked
what he thought Of the experts discov-
cry that both of the sheets were Of one
paper. lie said tllst amounted to Moth
ing as all the cadets used the same Kind
of paper, and that he wanted to way that
he found the note Of warning on the
chair by the aide Of his table In the even
ing. lie was In the habit Of tearing
whole sheetH into halves to write on, and
the person who wrote the note might
have come to his room and taken piece
Of his paper, and, with many samples Of
his handwriting before him, might have
forged the note.
The details of Mr.. southworth's dis
covery are thus told more accurately
He had among the papers given him u
requlsltlon for postage stamps by Whit
taker, two sheets Of letter Of Whitta-
ker to his mother, and the note OF warn
Ing. lie accidentally discovered that
the two half sheets, on one Of which the
letter to Whittakcr's mother wa writ
ten, had never formed one sheet, but the
requisitlon and one of the sheets on
which was the letter TO his mother had
once been whole sheet. That led him
to compare the other two pieces Of pa
per, and he found that the other sheet Of
the letter TO Whittaker's mother and the
note of warning had been one paper.
When he made that discovery he took to
his bed with excitement, aud WIS unable
to read his report In court.
Recorder beers says that the papers
when placed In jurtaposltion will be
photographed aud entered on the min
utce Of the court.
The last session for the hearing Of tee-
timony will occur tomorrow, unless In
the future some minor points may have
to be inquired into, The argument by
the Recorder and Lieut.. knight, Whit
takers counsel, will follow, when the
court will make up It's report, finishing
II probably before June I.
General Schoneld says that as the re-.
port Of the court Il to be presented to
him, he does not want to say anything
on the subject. Any reports of fears Of
disorderly action by the cadets against
Whitaker are premature, as II is the un-
derstandlng among them to allow the
court to tnkc care Of the whole case.
Professor Greencr etill claims that
whitaker Ia innocent, aud says he has
sone important points which he intends
to make known over hls own signature,
hul nsi ~ tho eAnrt