The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-05-03
TRY TO HUSH
UP ARMY
SCANDAL

Washington. May 3.-Every effort is be-
ing made in army circles to hush up a
scandal which is in some respect coun-
terpart OF the Dreyfus case in the French
army.
The matter is now considered closed by
Lieutenant General Chaffee, chief OF staff,
debating scathlng letters to Lieutenant
Guy f. Manning and Captain Willard ID.
Newhill. both OF the Artillery Corps.
The scandal was threshed out at the
court martial OF Assistant Surgeon John
J. Reilly on a charge of making false
statements to an officer and later ma
ligning the officer to an enlisted man.
Reilly was cxonerated, and II was al
legged that his trouble had been brought
about by a conspiracy hatched by other
officers at Jackson Barracks, near New
Orleans.
Herbert Gordon, a private In the bat
terry commanded by Captain Peter 9.
Hams, Jr, died while under treatment by
DR.. Reilly He was reputed 10 possess
ample means, and was credited with
making frequent loans to officers. al
though such proceedings are not per-
mitted by the rules OF the general stan.
1t was generally believed In barracks
that Condor had made will leaving the
bulk OF his property 10 Theodore Jimi-
son a major OF artillery.
Captain Newbill, under military law as
commanding officer. was required 20 pro
duce all the effects OF Gordon, and he
called upon DR.. Reilly 10 produce the
will. DIR. Reilly displayed a testament
made by Gordon a few days before his
death, but unsigned.
Captain Newbill demanded the signed
will. hut Or. Reilly said he knew nothing
about any other than the unsigned viii.
An Investigation was made which re-
suited in Lieutenant Manning delivering
the true will He said that at the re-
quest OF DR.. Reilly he had taken the will
TO New Orleans for safe-keeping Major
Unison, the BENEFICIARY said he had pro-
cured the will from. the hospital upon DIT.
Reilly's advice.
At the court-martial of DR.. Reilly Lieu
tenant Manning testified that the state
ment he had made against the surgeon
was false and that ne had been coerced
into doing It,
Following Or. Reillys vindication a
conspiracy charge was made against Cap
tain Newbill now stationed at Fort Tot
ten. New York; Captain Peter c. Hams.
Jr.. First Lieutenant s. ID. McAhster and
First Lieutenant Marion r. Wilholt. now
at Fort Totten.
During the investigation of the charges
against the four officers Lieutenant Man
ming said he had been "sweated." threat
ened with arrest and refused leave OF
absence 10 visit his dying mother unless
he made the statement rejecting on DR..
Reilly.
Colonel Hobbs, who took over the CON-
nand OF Jackson Barracks after the
transfer OF Captain Newbil, wrote 70
General Jesse NJ Lee. department com
mander. that there was a conspiracy OF
such malevolent influence that had any
other man at the post been subjected
10 its pressure he would have acted as
did Lieutenant Manning"
The causes which led 10 the alleged
conspiracy against DR.. Reilly are guard
ed with the most scrupoulous care. Al
though acquitted the matter has preyed
so heavily on DR.. Reilly that his health
Is impaired. A report on the investiga-
ton in the case has been made 10 Secre-
tary Taft and To the general staff.