The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1901-05-02
CAPTAIN REEDS TRIAL
For Alleged Completely in the
Philippines Frauds.
STRONG EVIDENCE PRESENTED.
Witnesses Declare Under Oath That
the Captain Received and Accepted
rribrs. Alleging That He Was Cow
ering Up PredecessOr's Shortage.

Eribcs, Alleging That He Was Gov.
ering Up Predecessors Shortage.
Manila, April 30.-The trial of Capt
james c. Reed, former depot com.
mtssory at Manila, who was arrested
about fortnight ago for alleged par.
/, patton in the commissary frauds
was begun here yesterday, and bids
fad 70 develop into a celebrated case
Capt. Reed is charged with soliciting
and receiving bribes and with other Of
fetal misconduct.
Mr. SCHNEIDER, manager of the AL
h mDra cigar factory, testified that in
Nove- her Capt. Reed had told him
that Maj. George b. Davis, who was
the depot cOmmissary before Capt.
Reed, but who was sent to the United
States on sick leave, and whose name
appears on the books of Evans a. Co.,
government contractors at Manila, as
the recipient of 81 600, was $4,000 short
In his accounts. Mr. SCHNEIDER testi-
fed that those having profitable con-
tracts with the government were asked
10 assist in making good Maj Davis
deficiency. SCHNEIDER gave Capt Reed
$1,000. which was 212 per cent commits
sion on the cigars sold to the commits
sary department during the time that
NJ j. Davis was depot CgumiS-ary at
M.ni,d.
An officer named Franklin, who was
assistant commiasary testified to the
eject that on March IS, and following
the direction of superior officer, he
ob.ained $1,000 from Maj. bI"is and
pad this mono" over to ichlnder.
Inspector General Darlington testi-
fed that during the preliminary inves-
t'Satun Of the commissary scandals
Capt. Reed admitted to him recovering
money from Schindler and others, and
gave as an excuse that the money so
recovered was intended to cover Maj.
Davis beef 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 Capt.
Reed he went to see Castle Brothers.
contractors, who supply the commits
sary department with vegetables, ETC.,
and wanted them to give Capt. Reed
$4,000 and 10 per cent commission on
all sales. Castle Brothers dcmurred to
this proposition. Lieut.. Townley again
went to Castle Brothers and this time
only asked them for $4,000. Castle
Brothers were reluctant to hand over
this sum and LieHt. Townley explained
that Capt. Reed was in a position to
advance the interests Of the firm and
that ii would be advantageous to Cas-
tie Brothers to oblige him. Lieut.
Townley testified that he further ex-
planned to Castle Brothers that Capt
Reed might allow them the use of gov
eminent lighters, and possibly be less
rigid in the inspection of goods pur-
chased. Lieut. Townley said that he
thought Capt. Reed was doing a noble
thing in attempting to protect the
character Of a brother officer. He also
said that such transactions were not
customary in the navy. When cross
questioned Lieut.. Townley said rather
sho.pishly, that he was not so sure he
VS. doing right in taking the witness
chair.
Col Charles A. Woodruff, chief of
the subsistence department in Manila,
C%plaiued the circumstances of Capt.
Reeds appointment and described the
duties of the depot commissary, not
knowing whether the accounts of Maj.
Davis were correct or not. Col. Wood
run explained that on Dec 80 Castle
Brothers aroused his suspicious by in
tUat.ng that money was being collect
cd D.! IN officer of the commissary de-
p"rtment. Later Col. Woodruff sent
fer Capt. Reed, who admitted receiv-
ing rebates for the pdrlo7e Of covering
the delinquoncies Of Maj Davis.
Another wonder of the lcllDwSt0ne.
St. Paul, April 30.-Word has Just
been received here of the discovery Of
another natural wonder in the Yellow
stone National Dark lanes Iather-