Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-04-17
| >C0LORED CADET CASE.
PROGRESS or THE INVESTIGATION,
testimony Of cOmmandant Lalslle, Of the
Gsrps-he Does Not Believe the
0Utrsge Was Committed
by Cadets.

wEsr / SSr, n. ", April l6.-on the
opening oAthe Whitaker case to-day
the Recorded read an official letter de-
fining MartiA I. Townsend's position
before the couS as adviser and counsel
for the Recorder The frst witness called
was Commandai I.aIelle, OF the corps
Of cadets. lie u ssiRed to orders he re-
ceived to investisse whittsker's case
and how he proceeSd. He called each
cadet before him, puAhim on his honor
and each one denied \all knowledge of
the affair. The pieces d belt with which
Whitaker was bound Arre examined,
but found no marks them which
would give any clue To Interpretations.
lie went 10 Whittaker's roim, aud with
the free consent OF Whittaks examined
his correspondence, and ais, compared
the handkerchieis in his possassion, but
found none tO correspond with the one
found in Whittaker's room. He had
the building searched TO see II sny citi.
zens' clothing could be found. In the
package brought Whitaker from the
laundry he found two handkerchieis
which correspondedw with the bloody one.
He Was at the hospital when Whitaker
was examined and saw no bruises on
him as the result Of the investigation.
He made a written report, based upon
such thorough investigation as limited
time would permit. When asked To state
tee, repOrteda Joint resolution Tor the dis
what he saw and heard when he enter
eel Whitiakcr's room he detailed the
story already told ia previous dis
patch. Whitaker said he did not rec
ognize any Of his asssilants as cadets,
but they seemed 10 be familiar with the
things in his room. Whitaker said 50
far ~ known he hadn't an enemy in
the corps. IL was by order OF witness
that Whittaker's rOoM was cleans ell al
ter the affair occurred.
At the afternoon session Col. LaZelle
gave reasons why he thought Whitaker
was shamming lie was strongly inn
pressed with the idea that the hand
writing of Whitaker compares closely
with the handwriting in the note OF
warning. The finding Of the necktie
WAS, he thought, against Whitaker, be-
cause no person IN civilians dress
would have brought it there Whitta'
ker's manner since the occurrence has
been oi uniform irankness and candor,
extremely 80, and 50 have all tho cadets
been frank and candid. lle thought
Whitaker could have freed himself.
All the pecullarities oi his case could
have been the result of practice. lie
had no reason tO doubt Whlltakcr'S Yer.
acity outside oi this affair. lie believed
II civilians had done the deed they would
have brought cords to bind Whitaker
with instead Oi using strips oi belts. lie
did not think the belts used were
brought into the room.
Townsend questioned the witness,
who, in reply, said he thought a vlgor'
ous kick would have broken the fasten-
Ings on Whittakers feet. A man who
would do such deed would not hesitate
Ia deny H. lie thought It improbable
that one cadet would do IL and lie. still
more Improbable that two cadets would
do II and lac, Or thOt three would do 1t
and lie; and yet he. thought cadet
bad enough to do il, that u cadet
would not hesitate Ia lie He
said that il there were reasons
why others should have com-
mittcd the outrage to drive
Whitaker away, there we're equally
strong reasons why he should have
done It himself to stay, as witness un-
dsrsloOd he Was steadily going back IN
his studies.
Adjourned.