New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-04-14
NO ADDITIONAL LIGHT.

NOTE or WARNING.
| FROM THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT THE TRIBUNE.l
WEST POINT, April 13.-While the Whit
taer Court Of Inquiry investigating the alleged out
rage according TO the forms Of military law, many
friends OF order and justice Interesting themselves
in behalf OF the oolOred CADET Several lawyers have
offered their services Whitaker and his friend. Pro-
fessor Greener desre but the latter says he Is sats
fed with the way the s being managed, and does
not consider outside help necessary were It pos
sibe to introduce counsel into military Court Of In
| quiry. prominent law firm in New-York has offered
to take the case aud pay expenses Assistant District
Attorney Fero told TRIBUNE correspondent that he
had Whitaker, who took him 10 his room TO ex
anime the OF the attack HIM. Before any
| thing else had been done Mr. Fiero said to him that
| he was In earnest about the matter, and suddenly
asked MIN, with view to startle him. TO tell frankly
what he knew. Whitaker said Il have already told
all know several times II you mean, have had any
thing 10 do with 1t, getting tired OF that accusa-
ton. BRING in Bible and will swear that did not"
The attendance at the court Is large every day. At
least thirty Of the ladies OF the post and vicinity attend
regularly. They sit together IN the alcoycs Of the IL
brary with their fancy work, their novels aud their
| newspapers with which they occupied when the
testimony becomes uninterestDg. Officers and profes-
sors of duty brighten the with their uniforms. the
gold lace the artillery red aud the cavalry yellow CIV
Ing a variety OF brilliant color. Professor Greener,
Whittakers friend and Distrct-Attorney Fiero sat in
court to-day consulting Lieutenant Iyess treatise on
Military law, taking Of the proceedings. The
Recorder and Lieutenant Knight conferred several
| times With MI FierO
TESTIMONY OF MAJOR PIPER.
The court mot at 10 O'Clock and went the quarters
OF Cadet Whitaker where they examined the relative
positIOn OF objects In the room Returning the library
they called as the first witness Major Alexander Piper,
assistant instructor of artillery tactics, who was Ot
Ger In charge when Whitaker was found After ne
had sent Cadet Burnett officer of the day. to inspect
/ ,sl,kfn
he went to the room arriving before anyone ese except
| two cadets who entered with him. His 1rst thought
| was that Whitaker dead. Major Piper explained
that he was quite shocked during all that morning. and
that his recollection Of many details, and the order OF
events was uncertain. He sent for medical assistance
| Cadet Burnett seemed TO be cutting the cords with
knife lie sent several cadets to be witnesses and
sent for the Commlndant. Ho said: " Gentlemen this
is bad OF affairs want YOU to see the condition
| of things" his impression was that WHITAKER had
beeu mntrelted by persons. He described the 10
cation Of the articles In the ro0m rs other witnesses had
Whittaker's head looked 1t had been mashed in
with sOule Instrument" lie said, land looked at the
hand also looked for traces that might have been
left behind. On the OF paper found IN the room
we're o the Bible There we're also some marks OF
liquid around and thought that POSSIBLY an pa, attempt
feet The first remark the surgeon made after he arrived
Keep the eye cosed when he tried open Whitaker
said In an unconscious sort OF tone % don't cut mo
RsI% suy sSmssnR nc tSSs would "& lead to he
discovery OF tue perpetrators. When tho commandaut
WbtnRer take you are not hurt 40 mrch' And ~ he
opened his eyes and got up the surseo" said That Is
ker he did recognize any Of the voicesf be did
NOT know the voices Of most OF the cadets. He said
no SIR there are the cadets do not know by
name dld not question him very fully, as soon saw
more Intelligent and cuunected account than could be
| got from dlsjOlnted sentences at that time My mind
Sna "s made "a all my examinations with that idea did
not hear the surgeon say anything about Whttaker's
| walked in an unusual manner, that there was any,
thing peculiar in the expression Of his face
Of paper headed 'Tnird Relief would be likely to be
in the OF Of the cOrpOras sergeants Of
the guardn0t OF first sergeant Of the company from
which the men we're detailed nad the impression as
have taon place could hardly have occurred without
attracting attention, the transom over tue door being
made on Cadet Whitaker by persons other than
himself, during which there had been struggle. mod
slighincss his injuries thought he must have given
| in ut once, being cOwed."
| MR. GAYLOR's INVESTIGATIONS.
In the afternoon James GaylOr, the expert in hand
writing to wlOm several papers submitted yester
day. was placed the stand The Recorder said that
one of the letters given Mr. Gayor was written fifteen
years ago. by the person Louis Simpson, who re-
gently wrote the record Of baths, also submitted Mr.
Gaylor reported he found resemblance between
them and this note sent 10 Whitaker His opinion wns
1
person.
~ sent back for additional specimens OF writing yea.
t.rday" he aald "because found several reSembanCes
I'm one of the papers shown and the note. thought
then that these smilarites Offset by certain dis
simlarities. examined them again, nnd before
giving a decided opinion wOuld wish TO examine still
| further. TIE note was probably written by man. The
writing was an attempt to disguise the hand. There
! were several words or parts OF words IN which the
hand 70 aye on Dse N 9ef Scr Sse te %0gGS
the date. There no individual handpeculiarties
Mr. Gayor then compared court the Simpson letter
Of fifteen years and the DlthreeOrd nut cOuld n0t
AFTERNOON each OF the 800 cadets was given sentence
| TO wife in which, uDDeknOwn to them, were words
TSe aSe sentences were given to superintendent ayOr
who TOOK them to and win report IN day or
| writing In the note OF warning.
THE POST SURGEON ON THE STAND.
Major Charles T. Alexander, the post surgeon, was the
next Witness He detailed the circumstances Of his
beiuR called to attend Whitaker and OF the condition
IN which he found him. at saw" he said that there
uas no reason 20 suppose he insensble he a
neared TO be- The blood him came from the external
ear went out and meeting Colonel Lazele, told him
that Whitaker was felgnng and returned with him to
the room shook Whitaker again, who woke to per-
feet and complete sensibty and told us what had hap
nened told him to act liko man and get up which
he did and washed himself, and attended his wounds
while he was dressing. At the hospital he again told me
vhat his assallans had said, and he then added to
| "Let's mark him the expression like we do
| hoos down South When first found him.
his pulse was beating full regular Such an expert
anna IA he described to would have disturbed his
nuse Mental excitement or fear might have the same
ekeef Texaunned Whitakers loft eve, to discover II
he we're suffering from conclusion Of tho Drain put
ala not Hnd the symptoms OF that There was muscular
Tesistance to my opening the eye; and when it was
the pupil dlated, responding Freely 70 tne acon
II the light lifted the arm there was po reeetancoI
but It Tas not inert There was normal tsmperatnREe arc
10 inc feet There Wab no appearance of palor IN tne
{sea or unnatural color the feet he walked naturally
without iimpinR. was struck by his Vonderinly sen
ma cut on his right ear was klmoat superficial,
Certainly not more than oneighth Of an inch deep at
he deepest part The LEFT ear wes shaved at the lower