The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-05-31
Last Nights Dispatches.
WHITAKER.
The Conclusion ana Findings of the Court

1
| WEST POINT, May 29.-The court o
Inquiry in the case of Cadet Whitaker
| met in secret session to-day and agreed
upon a final report which was signed bJ
all the members of the court. The con
clusions are as follows:
|. The court is unable to believe that
such slight wounds as Cadet Whitaker re-
ceived could have been Inflicted by persons
| in the manner and under the circCmstan-
ces described By him.
2 Does not see why a man with his sur
roundings and his condition and frame OF
| mind should have submitted TO an assault
such as is alleged without summonine as
sistance during the assault or immediate
ly thereafter.
1t believes that a person tied as he
was could readily release himself bad he
exerted himself to do SO.
4. From the testimony the court is COM
PEELED to believe that Whitaker was neith-
er asleep nor insensible when examined on
the morning Of April 6. 1880. but was
feigning.
5. The court is not able to discover any
motive that any person other than Whita-
ker could have had in making such an as
sauit, and there is no evidence whatever
to warrant the belief that any other per-
son did it,
6. 1t believes that the hair clipping,
flesh cutting and binding could all have
been accomplished by Whitaker himself
Z. The theory that the note of warning
is an imitation of handwriting, is in the
opinion OF the court, untenable. The Sc
we're tests to which the experts in hand
writing were subjected and their positive
testimony, place it beyond doubt that
Whitaker himself wrote the note of warn
ing and therefore that he is not ignorant of
the person or persons engaged in the
affair. The latter conclusion is strength
ened by the fact that halt of the sheet of
paper on which this note is written was
found in Whittaker's possession.
The opinion Of the court is as follows:
From the strong array of circumstantial
evidence and conflicting statements of
Whitaker. and lack of veracity evinced
By him in certain cases during the investi-
cation, the court is OF the opinion that the
upon the character of Whitta-
ker referred to in the order converting the |
court and contained in the official reports
of the commandant Of cadets is fully sus-
tanned.
When the report was sent to General
Sehofeld and read by him, he caused the |
commandant OF the corps of cadets, direct
ing the arrest of Whitaker and placing
him 10 confinement in his room. The
order was omptly carried out. and Whit |
taker will remain under arres. until the
case is disposed of, and guard will keep
him under surveillance.
All officers in high rank being asked |
what disposition would be made of him i'll
the findings of the court we're approved By |
the War Department. replied, that if he |
was non-commissioned officer, be would |
be tried by court martial, but il is prob |
able, it the President, approves, he will be |
dismissed from the Academy or turned |
over to the civil authorities. Whitaker !
still protests his innocence.
The finding of the court will be forward |
ed to the War department tonight.
What Professor Greener says.
WASHINGTON, May 3O.-professor |
Greener arrived bere from West Point to-
day. Of the Whitaker INJURY and fed
ing of the court be says, Whitaker has |
been prejudged on suppositions, assump |
tiops, insinuations, and expert testimony,
upon which, according to military law,
little, if any reliance should be placed. |
he says the Academy dexterously shifted |
the responsibility by having Whitaker
call for court of inquiry instead of hav-
ing it come from the President. By doing
so they place Whitaker alone in position
Of accused, while had the President order
ed the inquiry the whole corps of cadets,
W hittaker included. would have been
placed on trial. Professor Greener in
tends 90 follow the case up with the Secre |
tary of War. as be has already been as
sured by Secretary Ramsey that an op-
portunity will be offered him to criticise
the methods of procedure and fnding of |
the court.