Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-06-05
SUSPICION On NILES
Thought to Be Responsible for
Making Public War Depart
ment Secrets.
An Investigation Will Be Made
and a Court Martial May
Result.
If Miles Is Guilty the President
will Put Him on Retired
List.

| Washington, June 5.-Quite sensa-
ton has grown out of the reading by
Senator Cuberson in the senate yester-
day of secret official reports relating
| to alleged outrages ordered to be COM
mitted by Lieutenant T. f. Arnold,
Fourth Cavalry, upon natives at Pasay
and Calaca, Luzon. An investigation
| will be ordered to determine the re-
sponsibility for making public these
papers, which rests between Secretary
Root, General Miles, General Corbin
and Judge Advocate General Davis.
There Is strong suspicion in admin
istration circles that General Miles has
been instrumental in placing this re-
port in the hands of the democrats
but as yet nothing has been brought to
light which gives any foundation for
this suspicion. With the investigation
it can be proved General Miles was re-
sponsible for giving out secret reports
OF the department President Roosevelt
will place him on the retired list as
soon as he has secured satisfactory evil
dence
President Roosevelt has ordered
thorough investigation of the charges of
cruelty lodged against Lieutenant Ar
mold, and if the facts justify action that
officer will be tried by court-martial at
Jefferson Barracks, Mo-, where he is
now stationed, or in Luzon, where the
alleged cruelties were committed. Lieut..
Col. Enoch Fl. Crowder, assistant to
Judge Advocate General Davis, has
been ordered to make the investigation.
Lieut.. Col. Crowder was selected to
make inquiry because he Is regarded
as one Of the most capable Judge advo-
Gates of the army. He recently in
vestigated the charges that the British
were maintaining a military camp at
Port Chalmette in violation of the neu-
trality laws.
When the report which has caused
the trouble was received by Gen. Miles
he recommended not only the court
martial of Lieut.. Arnold but of Sergt.
Edwards and other enlisted men who
We're involved in the tortures alleged to
have been committed. This recon-
mendation was not acted upon and was
ignored, as have been all other recon-
mendations made by the commanding
general. Instead of ordering a court
martial the department decided to first
ascertain If 1t We're possible to obtain
evidence sufficient to convict Arnold.
Gen. Miles is absent from Washington,
and no statement could be obtained
from army headquarters relative to the
consideration and action he took in the
matter of the charges against Lieut.
Arnold.
From the department, however, It
was learned that Gen. Miles received
from the uncle of Andrew K. Weir Jr..
private of Troop G, Fourth Cavalry,
then at Balayan, Luzon, letter writ
ten by the soldier, in which the writer
spoke of the dreadful cruelties perpe-
trated by direction of Lieut.. Arnold
Gen. Miles referred the letter to Gen.
Chaffee for investigation and report.
Gen. Chaffee directed Captain p. w.
West, Fifth Cavalry, then an acting in
spector general, to make an investiga-
ton. and he reported that a thorough
investigation would substantiate the
charges made by Private Weir.
Gen. Chaffee did not order Arnold's !
court-martial, but allowed him to come
to the United States with his regiment, |
which was ordered home. The report
of Captain West was submitted to
Gen. Miles, who was not satisfied with
the inaction which had been shown,
and he referred it to Lieut.. Arnold, |
with instructions to make an explana-
ton.
Lieut.. Arnold replied it was some-
times necessary to use harsh measures
in order to obtain Information of value.
He did not deny the charges with that
detail which Gen. Miles considered de- |
After fully considering Lieut..
response Gen. Miles formally
that he be tried by court |
martial. The war department is anx-
ious to know how Senator Culberson of
Texas obtained possession of the private |
Fyn kr8 ~