The herald., 1898-06-04
w. S. MITCHELL's CASE
Statement That the Man Was Harshlv
Judged

According to the following communica
tion. signed by Col Berry Of the Seventh
regiment. It is evident that William s
Mitchell. the young Pasadena lad who 1
is said was drummed out Of camp fol
Illegally collecting money from visitors
was not guilty. but was unjustly accused
by parties trying to accomplish his un.
doing.
The young man returned to his home
feeling downhearted and rebelling under
the stigma. Mrs. Elizabeth Mowry, a
friend of the family. read Of his alleged
downfall and began working in his behalf
with view to establishing his innocence
She remembered having given Mitchell
money for his own use, as did also other
ladies' who were friends Of his family
Mrs. Mowry stated yesterday that Mrs
J. =. Hopkins and Mrs. Levy, residing
on Van Ness avenue, voluntarily gave
Mitchell funds out of friendship to the
lad Although the communication alb
solves him from wrong doing, young
Mitchell would like to redeem himself by
enlisting, and would do SO but for the Sc
we're illness Of his mother. Following is
Col. Berry's letter:
Editor of the Call-Sir: NY attention
has been directed to an article in the
Call of Sunday. May %. relating to
Wliliam 5. Mitchell of Los Angeles.
There are some inaccuracies In the arti-
Gle which in justice to the young man
l request the privilege of correcting.
do not wish to do Mitchell an Injustice
nor TO permit an injustice done him.
He is vouched for by prominent men in
Los Angeles, whom 1 know so well that
am compelled to think that perhaps
his case was not fully understood and
in consequence too harsh a Judgment
may have been passed upon it.
Mitchell came to San Francisco with
contingent from Pasadena, and in
tending to enlist in an independent hos
pital service which 1t was then pro-
posed to organize. He came in a pri-
Yates uniform which he had procured
at the armory in Pasadena, and all
who came with him got uniforms in the
same way. After coming to camp he
procured blouse from a quartermas-
ter sergeant OF one of the companies
in the Seventh infantry, the one he
brought from Pasadena being old and
ill-f1tting. This second blouse bore the
chevrons of a first sergeant. Mitchell
got this second blouse innocently
enough. but as he was never mustered
in he had no right to wear it: but if
1t were true, as he claimed (and it ap-
pears from letter l have seen from
Col. Smith of the First regiment that
It was true), that he believed he would
get into the First regiment, there was
under the circumstances no serious
offense in his wearing the uniform.
The serious charge against Mitchell
was that of obtaining money from Wis
itors at the camp under pretense of
wanting 1t for hospital purposes.
At the time investigated the charge
there appeared witnesses who said they
had seen Mitchell solicit and obtain
money from more than one source.
There was nothing to contradict ex-
cept MitchelPs unsupported explana-
ton, which at that time did not seem to
be satisfactory to me. and the prepon-
derance of the evidence was against
him. I tried to secure the evidence of
some ladies from whom it was alleged
Mitchell was seen to collect money. but
it was reported to me that they de-
clned to appear, for some reason which
I do not now remember. l have since
learned in reference to a part at least
of the money which Mitchell received
that 1t was given to him by a friend
for his personal use. 1t is possible that
other money he was alleged to have re-
ceived was given to him for the same
purpose and in the same way.
Mitchell was not drummed out of
camp, but he was ordered to go out
and was conducted to the lines.
make this explanation because do
not wish to do the young man an Unjust
ice nor to injure him without warrant.
l do not know Mitchell's reputation In
Los Angeles, but from Endorsements
that have seen of him cannot believe
that it Is bad. JOHN R. BERRY,
Colonel Seventh California infantry,
United States volunteers.