The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-02-09
The Whitaker Court Martial.

New YORK. Feb. 4.-The Whitaker Court Mar
tial resumed this morning. Among the specta-
tors were Martin i. Townsend and several military
officers. The room was two small to accOmmO-
date all who came to listen TO the proceedings.
In the audience were half dozen colored men and
one or two women. Sometime was occupied by
the Judge Advocate in reading the testimony of
the previous session to allow the witness to make
any corrections he desired.
After the reading of the records of yesterday :
proceedings concluded, General Schofeid.
who was in command al West Point at the time
of the occurrence OF the alleged outrage. was
called. He had just arrived in the city in ad-
vance of his baggage, and, in order to facilitate
business. he was permitted to appear before the
Court IN citizen dress, contrary 10 the usual Gus
tom in Court Martial. He was on his way to
New Orleans to take command of the department
| to which he had been assigned, when he was sub
penaed to appear before this Court.
The fact that there Is in some quarters i'm
preston that his removal from the command at
West Point was brought about owing to the dis
satisfaction of the Government at his official
d uct, III matters relating to this case, caused
peculiar interest to be taken III his testimony.
During the course OF his testimony regarding the
Court of Inquiry held at West Point, General
SchOfeld said he didn't think that outside SUP
port had anything to do with the result of the
Court OF Inquiry, but great deal with the course
of the Court.
The witness was asked if the Court was not
master of itself. to which he replied THE Court
/ yielded, and properly, | think, TO those who
were higher in authority"
Question-DO you mean those persons higher
i'm rank than yourselfs Answer-It was only
through such persons that this outside influence
attempted to make itself felt
General Schofeld'S examination occupied the
remainder of the session. and the Court ad-
jourEed until Monday.
NEW YORK, Feb. The Court Martial for trial
of Cadet Whitaker reassembled this morning. all
! the members being present
Major General SchOfeld, the witness on Fri
day, appeared to-day in full uniform.
| Judge Advocate Garner read the testimony OF
! the previous session for review and correction.
General Schofield then made slight addition
| to his testimony He said after the outrage
/ had been committed on Whitaker the Cadets
generally expressed most intense indignation,
and were generally anxious to secure the detee-
/ tiOn of the perpetrators 1t was reasonable TO
suspect the Cadets of any knowledge of the out
rage TO suspect the guests OF any frstclass ho-
/ tel of completely or sympathy with a great rob-
berry committed in the hotel" He said he 'be-
believed the affair had its origin beyond the linn
/ its of West Point. and he should continue to in
veStigate the matter long as he lived, until he
reached the TRUTH At this point Henry Ward
/ side the railing.
General Schofeld continuing. said ''His theory
of the origin of the affair was independent as 10
whether Whitaker did ii or not. He had his own
theory and suspicious. He thought the motive OF
outside parties was much stronger than any mo-
tive Whitaker could possibly have had
Major Piper, the officer in charge of West Point,
was the next witness. He gave long account OF
the finding OF Whitaker in his room, and is still
under examination.