The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-10-09
COURT MARTIAL
HEARS LAST Of
THE TESTIMONY

The court martial in the case OF Lieut..
Woodwork OF the Machine Gun Battery
heard the last Of the testimony and the
arguments for the defence at last eve
nings session, and the trial will be ended
on Saturday afternoon with the argument
OF the judge advocate
Lieut.. Martin s. Tanning. the first wit
ness, confirmed previous testimony as to
the events OF the Wakefield shoot. par
ticularly as TO the filing of protest
against the ruling whereby Lieut.. Wood
worth was deprived Of his full number OF
shots In competition.
Capt. Harry Wolcott and Lieut.. Francis
o. Allen gave testimony favorable 10
Lieut. Woodworths conduct and charac-
ter as an officer and a gentleman. Capt
Charles Weaver of Battery A. testified TO
the same effect. Lieut.. William A. Stat
ford failed to appear. but his testimony
as to character was admitted.
Lieut.. Woodwork recalled, testified to
the existence OF I'll feeling between-Gapt
Bixby and himself.
In response 10 Capt Grams question.
Lieut.. Woodwork admitted that on one
occasion he had gone to the adjutant gem
eral, had sought his advice as TO the pos
slbiity OF settling the trouble i'm the bat
terry and asked II IL was possible 10 get
rid OF Capt. Bixby.
At the same time, the lieutenant said,
he had placed his own resignation in
the hands OF the adjutant general His
first feeling OF suspicion toward Capt.
Bixby, the witness declared. began in
1900 when he learned that the captain
was trying TO force him out OF the bat
terry
The captains animus toward him, the
lieutenant said was based on the fact
that he knew too much about Capt. Blk
by's management OF battery affairs and
his personal record.
Lieut.. Woodwork made some sensa-
tional charges against Capt. Bixby.
Among other things he accused the cap
tain OF mismanagement OF the accounts
OF the Machine Gun Battery, Of drunk
enness on the field and OF causing ball
cartridges 10 be Issued and fired at the
opposing force during a sham battle.
Mr.. Beagan offered in testimony the
original copy Of the charges filed by Capt.
Bixby and 10 which Lieut.. Woodwork
first pleaded
Frank j. McManus was recalled in re-
buttal. He testified I'm contradiction 10
the testimony OF Lieut.. Woodwork. that
the lieutenant had helped load the grain
brought back from camp I'm 1905 into the
baggage wagon, and that during the load
ing the wagon was paced back Of the
stable where IL could not be seen from
headquarters, by direction Of Lieu. Wood
worth.
He admitted, on question from Mr..
Beagan, that he had made no report Of
the secret loading OF the grain TO Capt.
Bixby. although he knew that IL was be
ing concealed from him.
Edward McElroy and Patrick Grady,
hired drivers with the battery at Quon-
het Point. confirmed the testimony Of the
preceding witness as TO the part taken by
Lieut.. Woodwork in loading the grain.
Capt BiXby was recalled and denied
the truth of the allegation made by
Lieut.. Woodwork that he was drunk In
the field. He also denied that he read
the charges against Lieut.. Woodworth be-
fore the assembled battery previous TO
preferring them, and that ball cartridges
had been issued TO ana fired by the bat
terry at an opposing force in sham battle.
Sidney Lee, company clerk Of the Ma
chine Gun Battery, produced the com
pany records, showing that at the bait
terry meeting I'm question Lieut.. Wood
worth was questioned as TO his conduct
In the matters of the grain and the Wake
field match, and that after admitting mis-
conduct his resignation was requested.
The prosecution closed its case here.
Lieut.. Woodwork. recalled, denied hav-
ing any conversation with McManus as
testified or taking any hand In the load
ing of the grain.
Argument for the defence was made by
Mr.. Beagan, who declared that the
charges against Lieut.. Woodwork had
not been proven by the evidence
advanced and entered upon a care
full examination OF the testimony In sup
port Of that contention.
owing 10 the lateness of the hour at
which the defence ended II was impossi-
BILE for Capt. Cram to present the case
for the prosecution, as was at first in
tended. and the final argument went over
to 3 o'clock Saturday afternoon.
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