Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1901-05-03
THE MANILA FRAUDS
Trial Of Former Commissary
Reed Begun.
CHARGED WITH RECEIVING BRIDES.
Defense objects to the Courts J"ris-
diction and Handsome Dnm"S-
ing Testimony Brought Out
on the Opening Day.

MANILA. April 30-The trial of Cap
+o;n lanes c. Reed, former depot com
missarv at Manila and who was arrested
about a fortnight ago for alleged partlcl-
nation in the commissary frauds, was be-
gun here Yesterday and bids fair to devel-
CD into a celebrated case. Captain Reed
is charged with soliciting and receiving
brides and with other official misconduct.
AT the beginning of the trial counsel fol
the defendant objected to the jurisdiction
of the court, alleging that under an act
promulgated in 1901 officers of the regu-
lar establishment are ineligible as mem
bers of court martial to try an officer of
volunteers. The defense further denied
that state of war existed in Manila to
day and alleged that the provost marshal,
General George w. Davis, is unauthor
lied to convene Il general court martial
and intimated that, inasmuch as General
Macarthur virtually preferred the
charges against Captain Reed, conse-
qucntly the orders directing his trial by
court martial should come from Washing
ton. The defense further objected to the
fact that several members of the court
were of inferior rank to Captain Reed.
All these objections were ovcrrulcd, and
tie hearing of testimony was begun.
bra cigar factory, testified that in Novem-
Der Captain Reed had told him that Ma
jor George b. Davis, who was the depot
commissary before Captain Reed, but
who was sent to the United States on sick
leave and whose name appears upon the
books of Evans e Co.. government con-
tractors at Manila, MS the recipient of
81 600, was $1,000 short in his accounts.
Continuing, Mr.. SCHNEIDER testified that
those having profitable contracts with the
government were asked to assist in max
ing good Major Davis deficiency. Schin-
der gave Captain Reed 81 $50, which was
21a per cent commission on the cigars
sold to the commiSsary department during
the time that Major Davis was depot
commissary at Manila. An officer named
Franklin. who was assistant cOmmissary
testified to the effect that on March Is
following the direction of a superior
officer he obtained 81 900 from Major
Davis and paid this money over to Schin-
dler.
Inspector General Darlington testified
that during the preliminary investigation
of the commissary scandals Captain Reed
admitted to him recovering money from
SCHNEIDER and others and gave rs an eX-
cuse that the money so recovered was
intended to cover Major Davis beef
shortage.
Lieutenant Richard II. Townley of the
navy, at present superintendent of the
Manila Nautical school, testified that as
the result of Il conference with Captain
Reed he went to see Castle Bros, con-
tractors, who supply the commissary de-
partment with vegetables etc, and
wanted them to give Captain Reed So
600 and 10 per cent commission on all
sales. Castle Bros. demurred to this
proposition. Lieutenant Townley again
went to Castle Bros. and this time only
asked them for $1,000. Castle Bros
were reluctant to ham. over this sum-
and Lieutenant Townley explained that
Captain Reed was in Il position to adj
vance the interests of the firm and that
it would be advantageous to Castle Bros
Colonel Charles \. Woodruff, chief OF
the subsistence department in Manila
explained the circumstances of Captain
Reeds appointment and described the
duties of the depot commisSarY, not
knowing whether the accounts of Major
Davis were correct or not. Colonel Wood
ruff explained that ON Dee 80 Castle
Bros. aroused his suspicious 10y iutimat
ing that money was being collected by
an officer of the commiSSary department