Evening star., 1901-04-30
TO SHIELD AN OFFICER
MOTIVE FOR CROOKED WORK IN
MANILA CoNNIssARh.
To Make tp Shortage in His Accounts
Government Contractors Were
Squeezed.

MANILA. April 2a-The trial of Capt.
James c. Reed, former depot commissary
at Manila. who was arrested about fort
night ago for alleged participation in the
commissary frauds. WAS begun here today.
1t bids fair to develop into a celebrated
military case. Captain Reed is charged
with soliciting end receiving bribes and
with other Official misconduct.
At the beginning Of the trial counsel for
the captain objected t. the jurisdiction OF
the court. alleging that under an act pro-
mulgated in 1901 officers " the regular -s-
tablishment are ineligible as members of
court-martial to AIRY an officer Of the VOL
unteers. The defense further denied that
a state OF war now existed I'm Manila, al
legged that the provost marshal. Gen. Geo.
w. Davis, was unauthorized to convene "A
general court-martial and fntfmated that
as General Macarthur virtually preferred
the charges against Captain Reed the or
derS directing his trial by court -martia
should come from Washington. objection
was also made to the fact that several
members of the court were of Inferior rank
to Captain Reed. All these objections were
overruled and the hearing of testimoH! be-
gan.
Mr.. SchindIer's Testimony.
Manager SCHNEIDER Of the Aihsmhra cigar
factory testified that IN November last
Captain Reed told him that Major George
B. Davis was 81 900 short in his accounts.
Major Davis was the depot commissary be
fore Captain Read. and WAS sent to the
United States on sick leave. This name. il
was alleged, appears upon the books Of
Evans q Co. government contractors at
Manila, as the recipient Of lon. Con-
tinuing, Mr.. SCHNEIDER testified that those
having profitable contracts with the gov
ernment were asked to assist I'm making
good Major Davis deficiency. Mr. Schmd-
lie 81 "a t.,fn a.i an hfal,
2l2 per cent commission on the cigars sold
to the commissary department during the
time Major Davis was depot commissary at
Manila.
Former Assistant Cammlssary Franklin
testified that on March rs following the
direction of superior officer, be obtained
$1,000 from Major Davis and paid this
money over to Mr.. SCHNEIDER.
Inspector General Darlington testified
that in the preliminary investigation OF the
commissary scandals Captain Read admit
ted recovering money from Mr.. SCHNEIDER
and others and gave as an excuse that
the money SO recovered was intended to
cover Major Davis shortage.
Lieut.. Richard H TOwnley OF the navy,
at present superintendent of the Manila
Nautical School. testified that as the result
OF a conference with Captain Reed he went
to see Castle Bros. contractors who sup
ply the commssary department with vege-
tables, and wanted them to give Captain
Reed $1,000 and 10 per cent commission on
all sales. Castle Bros. demurred at this
proposition. Lieutenant Townley again went
to Castle Bros. and this time asked them
for only $1,000. Castle Bros. were reluctant
to hand over this sum Lieutenant Town
ley explained to them that Captain Reed
was IN position to advance the interests
of the firm and tha. It would be adNau-
tageous to Castle Bros to obifge him.
Other Advantage. to Follow.
He also explained % Castle Bros that
Captain Reed might allow them the Use
of government lighters and possibly be less
rigid In the inspection of goods purchased
Lieutenant Townley said he thought Cap
tain Reed was doing a noble thing in at
tempting to protect the character of a
brother officer He also said that such
transactio were NOT customary I'm the
navy. When crosse questioned, Lieutenant
Townley stated that ne was not so sure
he was doing right In taking the witness
chair.
Col. Charles A woodruff, chief Of the
subsistence department IN Manila ex-
planned the circumstances of Captain
Reeds appointment. He said that on de-
cember 50 Castle Bros. aroused his supi-
cions by intimating that money was being
by an officer of the commissary
department. Later Colonel Woodruff sent
for Captain Reed, who admitted receiving
rebates for the purpose Of covering the de-
1fnquencies of Major Davis. The testi-
mony of Colonel Woodruff was left unfin-
ished when the trial adjourned for the day.
Lieut. John W. HausseTmann Of the :,4th
Infantry is Judge advocate Of the court:
Major Thomas L. Hartigan of the 3oth In
fantry and Capt. Charles II. Maple of the
10th Infantry are the attorneys for the ac-
cuSed.