The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-06-08
AWFUL TRAGEDY
IN PHILIPPINES
Trooper Beacham Shoots Five Com
rades at Camp Stot-
senburg.
FOUR OF THE VICTIMS DEAD.
The Murderer Was Serving His
Fourth Enlistment in the
Army.
DUR OF THE VICTIMS DEAD.

MANILA, May 13.--The bodies OK
First Sergeant William II. Hoey and
Privates Thomas f. Woodward and
G. Wilson, Troop F. LIST Cavalry, who
were shot and killed at Camp SLOT
senburg Monday by Private Mike
Beacham, arrived in Manila yester-
| day morning and were taken to the
army morgue. No further report OF
the shooting was received in Manila
| up to a late hour last evening. 1t
| is understood that the wounded men
are doing well and that Lieutenant
| Colonel McClernand, commanding the
| post at Stotsenburg, has ordered a
rigid investigation, not only of the
| actual shooting but of the causes
which led to it.
Private Beacham, the man who did
the shooting, is not given a particu-
larly good reputation by soldiers who
have served with him. He is now
serving his fourth enlistment in the
army. He was in the Philippines
with the 9th Infantry last year and
was transferred to the LIST Cavalry
just before the departure of that reg
iment for the Philippines He is al
legged to be daring soldier and a
very good horseman. On several oc-
casions he was called on to assist
| in breaking horses for his regiment.
Not so long ago he was painfully in
/ jured by fall from one of the Aus
! tralian mounts that had recently
been received here for use of the
cavalry and which had not been brok-
en-. 1t is alleged that he was heavy
dIinker and possessed of a danger
Gus temper.
From what can be learned from
persons familiar with the enlisted
personnel of Troop F it is understood
that Beacham exercised very bad
influence over Private Edward F.
Clark, the man he shot in the head
and who is now reported to be in a
dangerous condition as a result there
Of Clark is one of the youngest men
in the regiment and Beacham and he
had been boon companions Sergeant
Hoey and Private Wilson had talked
with the young man, warning him
against the evil influence that Beach
am exerted over him and had taken
CROUCH interest in him to effect a
break between them.
1t is believed that it was the result
of the separation of the two men and
the discussion of the matter in the
bunk room of the barracks that led
to the shooting. Beacham, goaded by
the taunts and jeers of his comrades,
is believed to have become insanely
angry and to have proceeded to
wreak vengeance on all his tormen-
tiers. From the bare information at
hand regarding the affair it is believ-
ed that the shooting occurred in the
barracks and at close range. This is
based on the report that Private
Woodward who was shot through
both hips died of shock Sergeant
Hoey was shot slough the head and
Private Wilson through the shoulder
1t is believed that Woodward, Whipple
and Sampeer were shot by Beacham
while he was attempting to get at the
others.
1t is limited that the story behind
the crime is an unprintable tale and
that it is because of this fact that
Lieutenant Colonel McClernand has
determined not to make a full report
until he can get the entire history
of the case.
MANILA, May 14.-The details of
the triple murder at Camp Stotsen-
burg have not yet been received in
Manila in full. Captain Conrad S.
Babcock, adjutant of the LIST Cavalry,
arrived in Manila yesterday afternoon
and made an oral report of the af-
fair to General Mills. A board of
officers has been appointed and they
are making very careful inquiry
into the affair. 1t seems that the shoot
ing was done in the mess room of
the barracks occupied by Troop F and
that at the time of the shooting, so
far as can be learned, there were
but four men in the room. Two of
these are dead, one is badly wound
ed and the other is the murderer.
Lieutenant Colonel McClernand has
given instructions that the affair is
not to be discussed by the officers or
men at Camp Stotsenburg, until the
facts are all known.
rIOul WlldI Ids DGGu ulSClOS6u III
the official dispatches, ETC., it ap-
pears that Sergeant Hoey, with Pri-
Yates Wilson, Clark and Beacham
were all in the mess hall just before
the shooting. Beacham was eating
his dinner. 1t does not appear that
the others were eating. There is be
lieved to have been a quarrel, or ra
: thor tho continuation Of a LONG stand
: ing quarrel, In which all of the men
were involved. Beacham worked him
self into a terrific rage and rushing
! from the hall to the bunk room, took
his rifle and clip of cartridges and
returned. He opened fire immediate
ly, shooting Sergeant Hoey first and
then Wilson. Clark ran out OF the
room and Beacham pursued him tC
the barber shop where he shot Clark
the barber and the man In the chair