National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1880-04-15
THE WHITAKER TRIAL.
A Lesson in West Point Etiquette
Impaired.
Hon. Martin I. Townseud's Audaclty-He
Touches tho Garment of Recorder Sears
and is Rcbuked 80 Examination
OF Post surgeons Condition
of "the Accused" when
First Discovered.


An Unwelcome Intruder In Court
WEST POINT, N. Y, April 1i.--At the open.
ing of tho court sensation occurred. Hon.
Martin l. Townsend entered tho room. sat
down n moment and glanced about and thon
stepped 10 the side OF Recorder Sears, who was
asking witness q question. Mr.. Townsend
leaned over and spoke to the recorder.
The recorder did not seem to know him,
and turned and said something to him not
clearly understood at the press table, but II
was thought to be sharp. Mr.. Townsend, In
distinctly audible voice, replied, looking at
the recorder: II am In the habit of being
treated like u gentleman, sir"
Recorder Sears addressing the court, said In
substances Tho gentleman was interfering
with the examination and charges me with
treating him uncvilly.
Mr.. Townsend--I came here this morning
by direction of the Secretary of War; from
whom received n telegram instructng mo
to come here. have only just arrived, and
have only asked the privilege of conference
with this gentleman tthe recorder).
The President Of the Court--I suppose, sir,
the recorder thought you were one of the uu-
diencc, aud had no authority to interrupt
Mr.. II am not ono OF the audience.
came here against my wish. All l did that
was uncivil was to touch the recorders arm,
show him paper and ask tho privilege of
conversing with him. If I have been un-
civil II is because, with my imperfect civil
CuuClllOn, uOn I KNOW WHAT Delllg unClNll IL.
The RccOrder-lt is customary for gen.
tleman who appears by authority to announce
himself
Major Mordoca president Of tho board,
said there was q misunderstanding between
the gentlemen, when the recorder suggested
recess for conference, aud q recess was
ordered for brief period, after which the
cross'eXamination of Post-Surgcon Alexander
was resumed. General Schofeld then on
tered the room and recognizing Mr.. Town
send, the two shook hands and left the build
ing. Returning again shortly, Mr.. Townsend
watched the testimony closely and asked the
witnesses questions.
Mr.. TOwmscnd's examination OF Mr. Alex
ander referred in the main to the probable
quantity Of blood Whitaker lost. The Wit
ness said 1t was about an ounce and a-half or
four tsblespoonfuIs. lie did not think that
tho upturning Of the eyeballs could be con-
sidered as one Of the symptoms of shamming.
This was important because Cadet Burnett
swore that his first reason for suspecting that
Whitaker was shamming was because he kept
his eyeball turned up. The witness said that
q sleep coming after the loss of nm ounce and
a-hulf of blood would be u troubled, nervous
sleep. In reply to a question, he said it would
be inconsistent for man to claim that he was
hit OH tho head or face If he knew that after
ward no marks would show IT, Whitaker
| told witness that he had had no difficulties
recently, and had always been unmolested.
lie applied this to the cadets.
| DR.. Henry Lippincott, assistant post SUR
geoU, testified that lie made minute exami-
nation of Whittaker's wounds and found no
| signs of violence on tho body. If Il struggle
occurred Whittaker's eyes would not have
| been in the normal condition that they were.
| His examination of Whitaker occurred twelve
hours after he was found. Tho witness did
not think Whitaker "a strong, healthy man,
nor Is he delicate. lie found no internal
signs in Whittaker's nostrils Of bleeding ut
| the nose. In reply to Mr.. Townsend witness
said that blow on the side of the head might
! produce homorrhaee high up in the nostrils,
and the Clotted blood might be removed by
| ablutious. This was brought out in roply 10
| the theory that there were no signs of Whit
takers nose having bled from a blow. Wit.
ness thought the wound on the clipped ear
| would be a permanent Disagreement. He
thought 1t unlikely that man could 90
through such struggle and not become un-
conscious, tlen allerward become unconscious
through fright aud that the mere loss of two
ounces of blood would hardly affect the pulse.
| Louis Ostheim cadet, whose room is next to
Whittaker's, testified that he heard no noise
that night. He went TO bed at 10 p. M. and
did not wake up until 6 q. IN. Sometimes he
| is awakened by people walking up and down
stairs. Ii c could not say that he would be
awakened by a call given In an ordinary tone
or in tone of an officer giving an order.
| While in his own room he has heard conver-
sations in WhittalieI's room, but could not tell
what was said.
! DIR. Lippincott made a statement in his tes.
| timony this afternoon which Mr.. Townsend
dee ms highly important, namely, that twelve
| hours after Whitaker was found there were
plain indCntures ON his wrists and ankles
where lie had been tied, Mr.. Townsend claim.
| ing that this shows that he had been tied very
| tightly and for Il long time. Adjourned.