New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-02-05
GIN. SCHOFIELD'S TESTIMONY
WHY HE BELIEVED WHITAKER GUILTY

| NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF THE LAIE
| SUPERINTENDENT OF THE MILITARY ACADkMf'
The Whitaker court martial was resumed
\ yesterday morning at the Army Building al HOUSTON
| and Greene-sts. All the members OF the court were
present There large attendance, and among the
spectators were Martin l. Townsend, deneral D'uF'"
| and Colonel Long.
General schofeld, formerly Superintendent OF the
Military Academy told what he knew about the nndlng
of Whitaker His story corresponded in all essential
particulars with what has already been pubSheo' lie
ordered Major Lazelle. the COmmandant, he said TO
make an immediate investigation. Major Lazelle re-
ported the next day that he believed Whitaker cut him
SELF In reply to questions By Ex-Governor Chamberlain
General Schoed SAID that he took charge OF west foht
In September 1876 Whitaker arrived there ABOUT thS
| time.
What was his conduct" said Mr.. Chamberlain, "whilc
| he was thercp
"Uutl April @ knew OF nothing derOgatory to his
character as a soldier, I have since learned nothing
about his conduct before that time although may put
different Interpretation now from what md then'
upon Of his previous aots.'
How did he compare with the rest OF his class IN de-
pertinent 7"
"I shoud think he was about twentieth; but attach
little value any distinction between the first twenty
III this respect"
"Dd not Major Lazelle, the Commandant. make some
recommendations you In his report OF the inveslga
tion3"
eyes: be recommended that Whitaker be summary
dismissed from the Academy that he be granted
| Court Of Inquiry Court Martial"
"when you acquainted Whitaker with the result OF
Major Lazelle's investigation did you make any sugges
tons as to what course he ought TO pursue y
81 advised him TO tell me all about 1t. He replica
that be had told me all there TO tell. II he had
known anything would have told 1t at once he
SAID"
"How did his manner impress you y
During the first part of my interview with him 1t
| In
almost convinced that he could not have Oeeh guy
| OF what the COmmandant charged him with
'what made you form a different opinion afterwardf
"WeI began to think after while that he was too
ready demaIil for Court OF Inquiry II seemed
TO Inc to indicate that he had known what was coming
and that lie was assured OF strong backing II he got III
trouble"
"Do You mean to say that his promptness In answer
ing the charges against him af!erward became proof
to you that he to be tried and conviciedf
"What mean is that aiterward thought that per-
haps that time tue Court OF Inquiry aud
everything winch has happened since then"
do yOu think that demand for Court OF Inquiry
was a sign Of guilti"
81 did not think that boy would naturally have so
selicondence he displayed II he had been an
Old ollie + should not have been surprised at H."
You able 10 cXpl n, thcn, D- selicOnhdence Oh
auO. ner ground than tnat Oi innocence T.
support would rcceiv" outside"
- WA do mean Dy suppoI from oursid" :"
mean tnc support ~ those who originated the whole
aftiI. do not believe tuat 1t originated wlrCadct
IBID You not make a suggestion TO Whitaker about
Court of Ina TRY be ore he asked for one T.
"No was surprised at the promptnesS with which
VINO toud Lave appointed a Court of Inquiry besides
Prr,ldent Hayes could have done 1t. could not
have appointed anyone outside of West Point. unss an
officer was e.ln caliv detailed for that ddy."
" II taat Is now could any outside support have
helped mtak"r If lie was to b. trIrd al West Pom ~
YIu have only 10 OJh BACK at the hisi"fl u the ease
for le last FIX months to iedru 10" outside support
do ,nnk the Court OF Inquiry WAS Influenced by
outside nhu"t cess"
"Cuquc>tlOndbY; II yielded nOt unnatuialy 10 out
~ aa- the Inquiry changed by these .urg".tiousl"
CommIn ia 1 was complete ami mat another "xanIn g.
tion OF Ia" cadets MAS nnnrcr1s'ry. Inc Court In
In reference wmrttker, it -atis,actory bat wa
matt"
Dli You make up y@nr mnd N regard to the ont
" Far from u. don't Aho" Nhe'her | have rs yet
III ,dc ny my mind III RESPECT 10 H."
gun, or lillIcenco OF whttakcri
tod sevFa Ter9rrL' VINO fn l 10 nee me me
thrr interpretations INTO my inou "a. cert hh "dnt
Dd y"u wat the Cunt Of Injury frequently -
went hrre ume L. tinc All sd occasional |
inicr,lrW, uIrubrr~ oil H. Aui interviews |
witl tn Krcordr Of tue CONT 1t was NY cut, local
tuc att nou he court 20 any fact that would bring
liza y"un ng 1t to 20 into aud talk freely
with lts nIcmDrrrl'
mad Il I gnt tax To them IN regard TO nO-sihc
lines Of evidc. not 10 nq Ire about their v"w."
&C." yon t'l me eomc'lins aDoni Grneti O'drr' No
Ii. wncn yon issued thout wo weeks air the appoint
mrn trr Court OF Inquiry 4"
IL issued that OccA's" great many compliant chnr
t. caGtt~ dnd ,h"n feId ives thai they
gcncrty accused Throughout the country 81 com
pLcy la tue gu rigc and tnt III consequence heI hdd
licurfcd great deal 81 Odlun. said ia answer To |
mnrn A. po,.u,e fiom the disgrace The |
order removed certain RESTRICTIONS, wnicn hah been i'm
m lat j mu,ry 1hrre rr-trl tiOus were u the
cadets God bee lis, III ut of tncm took par III IT,
teI.t 1f fIleT n I'M
Sc YES. aDuui DOZEN Of them, one Of wnom Was
Cauet Whitaker. did 80"
Yes: It was t.r IN ,sl honorable course for him TO
pursu,. Ii showed TOO that he was independent rs to
tne opinou- Il otneIs."
:" what nhurncc dld the talk about The Whitaker
cas-, Ii upon you III Issuing mat order y
did It ntIe carrier than should otherwise have
doAe. wanted L. show that regsrded the cadets as
Was H., t-iS order d very emphatic expression on
your part pending tue Court OF Inquiry That the Whole
bouy .. caIrts was not guilty r.
IL Wa, lnlcnded to b. emphatic. The Court OF In-
curry not Tor the DOdy OF ca et- but for Whtakei
anew thai the cadets body were innocent. Inc
exAuluaton Ill the urt o Inquiry Of the cadets had
tnIs been Completed Ihere never was any suSpl'
cOn against me whoe Body OF cadetf ANYBODY VINO
knew would Know tudt they would not do any
"DlI tn. y trca Whitaker welll"
"In~y generally bm alone although believe that
once ,w.ce ne suffered in Iignltles."
"Tne PRINCIPAL cause of TINS was his color. was 1t
potf
Yes"
NV IL peculiar student who is treated diff
ferently from the other cadets and IL nv.ng III their
Isn't II redBUndDle 10 supOSc thdt TIL Were the
one. WIZ, would c1nmt outrage OIL TINS kindi Untll
the pAr cadets were found VINO We're guilty, must
not "a p.clvn Gu the whole bJdyF'
exuncrateu tu"m all II my Ofder but that was not
Iuconrisrnt with tue suppOsltlun that one or two
OF guilty. CXOncrdted whitaker with the
rest. Inc COdr. OI Inqury mad not announced the
of IT'S Investigations, but knew what they would
be-"
{" Did you al the counter evidence whom might
be- bro,ght iorwarJl"
"NJ, uld not D."
Tue Court tneL adjourned until Monday morning at
IL o'ciOck when the clOssexainlDatlcu OF General
5cnOneld will Ue CONTINUED.
LILLE EInnnN IN HAIIEnRNII