National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1880-04-13
THE WEST POINT KU KLUX.
Singular Mode Of Proceeding by
the Board.
Whitaker Apparently On Trial for Deing
Colored-Erort to Evado Detection OF
tho Oncndor- InsInuations Of the
Recorder Against "Tho Ao-
cused"-A South Caro-
lima Trial In Progress.
Further Progress of tho Investigation.

WEST poIST, NJ Y, April 12.-supcrip.
tcndont Taylor, of the New York postofiice
was first sworn this morning MS an expert In
comparing handwriting, then the note Whit
takcr said no found Ia bis room the night be-
forc the assault wal placed in the silpcrin-
tcndcnrs possession, as also pages from twenty
five different cadets books, Whittakers among
tho rest, whom tho superintendent left TO ex-
anime them. This was to show if possible that
the handwriting Of tho note of warming was
WhitlalScr's.
Cadet Burnett being recalled said ho sus-
pectcd the affair was hoax when he saw DR.
Alexander move Whittakcr's eycids, and
Whitaker showed that no had coutro Of tho
muscles of his oycs This was tho first tino
that he entertained any suspicion. lie after.
ward noticed other things.
On his eross-oxamination Burnett said he
did not know the normal position Of persons
| eye whom the person is unconscious and lying
partly Oh the side and partly ON the back AS
TO- strength, he said ho was stronger than
| Whitaker This was apparently brought out
| to account for his power to break the straps
| with which lie was bound on Saturday. Ito
thought the blood spot OH the wall could not
| have gotten there unless there bad been 4
struggle, which would have been heard in the
| room below.
| Most Of the time of tho morning was con-
sumod In reading Salu rday's testimony.
AT the opening Of the court ia the afternoon
| Itccorder Sears desired to have placed on
record that Cadet Whitaker was not kept in
the courtroom continually. for the reason that
his standing IN his class is not such that he
can Afford to lose any time, especially so in
philosophy. Speaking Of WhittulrGr's posi-
tion before the court, the recorder desired it
also to 20 on record that il was customary TO
speak of persun In the position he is as tho
accu scd; NJ least ho has become accustomed 90
| TO do In several OOurt-murtials; but in Whit
takcr's case he had carefully rerranud from
80 doing, but had inadvertently made lavse.
| lie sald he did not consider himself in any
way prosecutor lie had no opinion no theory,
and desired 10 DO so understood. lie said ho
considered WHITAKER rs the accused inasmuch
as the order directs the bOald of inquiry ito
examine and investigate imputations cast
npon his character"
Superintendent Gayler was recalled Be-
fore lie testified tho recorder stated to the
Court that in addition to the twonty five pages
of cadet writing handed Mr. Gnyler In tho
morning, he had handed him several pages of
n particular cadets writing Mt Mr.. Gayler's re.
quest, to compare with the writing in the noto
of warning. Then Mr.. Gaylcr in response to
a question by the recorder said 81 have com.
parod the note Of warning with the pieces Of
writing handed me, and find no resemblance
sufficient to justify me In The opinion that tic
note was writtcu by any one whose writing
appears on the paper handed mc.n This ovi-
donce seemed to establish puint in Whitta-
ker's favor, as 1t had been reported that there
was disguised similarity between the writ
| ing in tho nOtO OF warming aud his own. Tho
recorder then handed Mr. Gayler more spcci-
mems Of handwriting aud three anonymous
letters, two Of which he said had been received
by counsel for Whitaker, and one by tho
| Judge Advocate with the last named papers.
The witness left the building to examine
them and compare the writing with tue no.o
of warning.
class, who was tho second cadet to enter
Whittakers room, corobomtod considerable Of
BuTnetts evidence, but differ ed with him in
some OF It, Burnett saw no blood that was
not fresh This witness said tho blood ON the
Indian club was ooliulated as WAS also somo
OF the blood ou the left side of tho bel and
tue left car, but not in the right lie also SAW
a spot of dry blood two inches in diameter
on the mattress, which was all the bedding
that remained on the cot