The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1906-12-21


yesterday about the scandaIous reports
cabled from Manila in regard to his SON
in-law, Brig Gen. John J. PeTshing. Hhe
report was not new to Senator Warren.
He heard it from an army officer nearly
a year ago. This officer had. served with
Gen. Pershing, then a captain. in Zam-
boanga. He wrote to Senator Warren 10
deny and denounce as outrageous a re-
port affecting Pershing's character, and
to say that he had been Guartermaster
there when Pershing was adjutant gen.
eral and had lived in the same house
with him and in adjoining rooms.
Il know Jack Pershing 10 be Il brave.
able, high-minded man. We have cam
paigned together. slept together, drank
from the same bottle and l pronounce
this report as an Infamous falsehood from
beginning TO end"
Later Senator Warren saw this officer
in person and asked him to tell him
what he knew of the affair. What he
learned was reassuring and absolutely
convincing 1t proved to be a case of a
joke developing into a scandal
All the Result of Gossip.
ful propriety, came finally 10 the ears
of the army women and passed into the
vast volume of army gossip, and after
months OF whispered repetition reached
the United States and came to be ac-
Cepted as truth.
Last March the report got into the
White House I'm an anonymous letter. The
President was shocked by il, but gave
ii no credence. simply handing it over TO
Secretary Tart for his consideration.
Secretary Taft submitted the matter con-
hdenually 10 Mai Gen George W. Davis,
who had served in the Philippines and
had commanded the division in which
PeTshing saw service. He at once as
sured the Secretary that there could be
no truth in such story. and set about
getting the facts. He finally ran the
thing down and found it not only had
no foundation, but in almost every in
stance could be traced 20 some officer.
disgruntied because Pershing had been
selected for promotion from eaptaincy
70 be 4 oTigadier
No Letters to Senator's.
The report cabled from Manila as hav-
ing been published in the Manila Ameri-
can states that letters had been sent 10
Senators who are members of the Mill
tary Committee TO prevent the confirma-
ton OF Pershing. No Senator, however,
could be found who had received such let
ters. When the nomination Of Capt.
Pershing to be a brigadier came up some
weeks ago, Senator Warren told the com
mittee that there was controversy over
IL in the press. and that there were let
inst ,f.rs.-
that he had never asked that Pershing
be made a brigadier. but that several
years before his daughter had met him
he had allowed himself TO be interested
III the officer because OF his merit. and
had urged al the War Department. when
Secretary Root was there, that Persning
be made a major.
Senator Warren offered to absent him
self from the meeting of the committee
when Pershing's nomination came Up, but
the members of the committee were unan-
imous for confirmation and insisted that
he should remain.
The Senator and Gen. Pershing had a
frank talk about the scandal when the
latter was in Washington recently. SEMI
tor Warren said yesterday that he knew
the world well enough to know that what
his son-in-law told him was the truth and
be believed him.
Does Not Want Divorce.
The Senator spoke just as freely Of the
reports he had heard that his daughter
thought Of separating from Gen Persh-
ing, and had evidently been fully advised
of the reports current during the last few
days in Washington that Mrs. Pershing
had spoken to an intimate friend about
getting a divorce. All this, he said. had
never entered her head. He quoted "a let
ter he had received from her when the
scandalous tale first reached her Bnowl-
edge, in which she said she would never
believe anything Of the kind. In this let
ter she said to her father: You stand by
Jack no matter what infamy may be said
Of him"
The President evidently made the ap-
p0intment Of Pershing to be a brigader
with fun knowledge of the reports and
just as evidently refused utterly 10 place
the least credence in them. Gen. Perish
Ing. knowing what his enemies were do
ing, sent a large number of letters he re-
eeived from old officer friends and others
TO Senator Warren in order that the Sen
ator might have every phase of the story
in his possession.
Among other things were two letters
from z prominent journalist in New York
CITY, who wrote that he had received
letters from brotheT-in-law who was an
officer in the constabulary in the Philip
pines, giving a most circumstantial ac-
count Of Pershing's relations with a
MestizO woman. Another account came
from a war correspondent living on the
Pacific Coast. who had heard the stories
IN Manila clubs. None of these accounts
had anything but heresay evidence.
Gen. Pershing, with his wife and little
daughter, sailed from Tokyo yesterday fer
Manila.
The following telegram was received by
Senator Warren yesterday:
Omaha. NebT.. Dee. 20
CableeTsm fFem Manila stating that Pcrslling mar
ried and lived with Filipino woman and that I
was aware Of the fact is absolutely and moualiHey
false and malicious There is not enc word Of truth
in f. You ars al liberty 10 use this statement As
sou may think best THOMAS SYXOBE
Captain ard Qaartelmaster.
King HaakOn Back I'm Norway.
Christiania, Dec 30-Klng Haakon.
Queen Maud. and Crown Prince Olaf OF