Omaha daily bee., 1902-05-22
DIETRICH FLAYS PATTERSON
Nebraskan Accuses Colorado Man of At
tempting to Defame the Army,
LATTER ScORNFULLY DENIES CHARGE
Patterson Then Vents His wrath on
Lodge, saying He Has Menaced
Corporal O'Brien Through
out His Hearing.

-
WASHINGTON. May 21.-The hearing Of
Corporal O'Br1en before the senate COM
mittee on the Philippines was enlivened to-
day by a very acrimonious controversy be-
tween Senators Dietrich Of Nebraska and
Patterson Of Colorado. The discussion was
precipitated when Senator Dietrich asserted
that Senator Patterson had done every
thing he could to injure the army without
doing anything TO protect or preserve its
good name. This brought a prompt re-
joinder from the Colorado senator, in which
he sharply and angrily denied the imputs-
ton.
Corporal o'Brien, formerly OF the
Twenty-sixth volunteer infantry. produced
the alleged "dum-dum'' or explosive bull
lets. He said they we're not like the or
binary bullets, because they did not have
the letter ~" on them.
General Grocer. chief Of ordnance, was
called and testified that the cartridges
were the same size as the regulation Krag-
Jorgensen. He explained that sometimes
the action Of the bullets produced serious
wounds.
General Crozier, chief Of ordnance, was
produced by Mr.. O'Brien we're not different
from the ordinary regulation cartridges.
Asked II they we're dun -dum' or explosive
bullets, the witness replied in the negative.
They are perfectly normal bullets" he
said.
o'Brien was recalled and questioned con-
corning certain features of his previous
testimony.
o'Brlen was then questioned by Senator
Beveridge, who required the witness to go
into minute details respecting his charge
that a number of American officers had
violated the person Of a Spanish woman at
the time the town NJ Ipaharaa Was hurnad
Four Men in the Affair.
The witness said that in addition to
her husband, there were several servants
residing in the house with this woman.
He said also that she lived in a house OPP
posite the convent, where the troops were
stationed. that he had frst heard Of the
woman in the ease, because Of the talk OF
her exceptional beauty, but that he could
not remember whether the husband, when
he told him Of the crime that had been
committed, had given the name Of any Of
hcers connected with 1t. The man had
stated, however, that there were four Of
them engaged in the affair. Questions by
the senator brought out the fact that there
were Just four American onicers In the
town Of Igabaras.
Consequently" said the senator, 'If the
statements made by the woman's husband
are true, these four men are guilty OF the
crime charged"
The witness assented to this inference.
He related that some Of the privates had
told him Of their relations with the woman.
He did not remember the names of these
men, but he gave the names of two privates
as being those whom he thought had told
him the story. This he did only after a
good deal of discussion between himself and
Senator Beveridge and among the different
members OF the committee.
Conflict is Started. .nt ,N
When the names had been given Senator
Patterson protested, saying hat to compel
the witness to mention them under the
circumstances and in view of his protest
was a grave injustice to the men whose
names had thus been dragged in.
Senator Lodge retorted that he believed
that instead OF doing an injustice the COM
mittee was on the road to doing justice.
This statement caused Senator Patterson to
say with evident appearance of warmth that
the attitude Of Senator Lodge had been
that OF menace toward the witness ever
since he had taken the stand.
my attitude" responded Senator Lodge,
has not been any more that of menace OF
the witness than your attitude has been
that OF defense of him"
Mr.. Patterson: 81 deny the imputation. -
Mr.. Lodge: And / deny that 1 have in
any way attempted to menace the witness. q
4 Dietrich Flags Patterson.
Senator Dietrich charged Senator Patter.
! son with having done all that he could to
i injure the army and with having done moth
V ing to protect and preserve its good name
Mr.. Patterson resented this statement
D sharply and angrily.
T THE senator from Nebraska" he said
Should be ashamed OF himself. He knows
{ that the truth is exactly contrary with
. what he has stated and that what he has
: said is positively untrue"
= Senator Dietrich: "I know that what ]
. have said is true and / repeat that the
senator's efforts have been to bring GU,
everything he could against the army."
Senator Patterson: THE senator should
) be ashamed to make such a statement. M
man is more anxious than ] am to present
the army in as true a light and develop
/, whatever good may be said of it. / have
not hesitated in my course in that respect
!, Denes Patterson TO Prove II.
Replying. Senator Dietrich said he dehet
l. the Colorado senator to prove the truth o.
e his remark. to which Mr.. Patterson re-
! piled that the minority had made an homes
and faithful effort to get at the facts and
that he was convinced the present inten'
{ tion was to divert IL from that course. II
: this connection he declared that no gentle
u man would make such a statement as hat
been made.
Senator Dietrich closed this phase Of tn
controversy by saying that a gentleman
engaged In such an inquiry such as Thu
would try to bring out things in the In
terest Of the army other than matters Of
contrary character.
VaIue of Cuban Imports.