The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-01
THE CASE OF COLONEL PETT1TT.
No Official Report of His Arrest Re-
ceiyed Here,

Numerous enquiries have been made re-
Gently at the War Department about the
reports from Manila that Colonel Pettitt,
of the Thirty-first Infantry, had been
placed under arrest and would have to
undergo a cOurt-martial on charges in
volving the killing of Filipino prisoner
Secretary Root and Adjutant General Cor
bin said yesterday that no official COM
munication had been received from either
General Otis or General Macarthur about
Colonel Pettitt's case.
Whether or not he has been tried by
court-martial is yet unknown, as it is
not customary for the commanding officer
to report by cable until the court has con-
Guided its finding, and then OILY in i'm
portant cases. 1t is claimed that Lieut..
Col Webb Hayes has been responsible for
much OF the criticism of Colonel Pettitt,
and some of the Manila correspondents
have asserted that the former officers
resignation from the Army was prompted
by his -disapproval OF Colonel Pet;itt's
action. This is denied by Colonel Hayes.
That Colonel Pettitt is in trouble is
shown by a letter from him just received
at the War Department by an officer Of the
Army. Colonel Pettitt's letter is dated
Zamboanga, April 8. 1900. 1t says:
Last December the presidente OF this
to cause an outbreak and turned him over
to the guard The next day the presi-
dente asked to have him released, promis-
ing to make him leave the country, and l
directed that he be turned over to him.
The Malay rascal went for him that night
while l was out on the Yorktown, and.
with true Philippine instinct took him out
in the woods and shot him.
1T was reported to General Otis and
General Bates was ordered to investigate.
and l am in arrest waiting the result of
investigation. The man who did the bad
work is apparently not TO be touched. l
do not much fear the result of trial, and
full investigation. but | am greatly morti-
fed and depressed over the notoriety. |
have been in command of this district since
December and not a single American sol
der has been hurt, and the very best
feeling now exists between Moros and
Americans and Filipiros. | don't think
there will be any trouble here. II any
reports come to you about this don't be-
heve any discreditable to me. | don't
know the end, but | don't want to lose
the confidence of my friends.
II is known that this letter was shown
to Colonel Hayes Tuesday night. and that
he Immediately cabled long despatch TO
Colonel Pettitt. An Army official declared
today that the tenor OF the cablegram was
to cheer Colonel Pettitt up and to show
Colonel Hayes friendship, he explained
that the cablegram cost about $50.
Colonel Pettitt's record in the army is
excellent. He is graduate of West Point
and Regular Army officer. For num-
Der of years he was military instructor at
Yale University, where he made num-
Der of friends. He served during the war
with Spain as a colonel of an immune
regiment, and 1t was in recognition OF his
merit and ability that he was made colonel
of the Thirty-first Volunteer Infantry and
sent to the Philippines. The Connecticut
delegation in Congress has become in
terested In his case, and Representative
Sperry of New Haven. has determined to
push the enquiry In his behalf.