The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-26
Especial to The Timcs.Dispa,ch.

| u.
J Cleveland, o.. February 25.---The wo-
man who was the chief witness in the
! court martial by which Captain Guy r.
! y. Smith was dismissed from the
United states Army for the honor Of
the service. was Mrs. George l.. Bar
nett, formerly Mrs. Basil Gordon. ono
OF the far famed beautiful women of
Baltimore society. This fact Was
learned to- dag in Washington. The
judges and witnesses at the court.
martial had taken oath that the name
Ct the woman should be kept secret
licr present husband, to whom she was
married four years ago is Lieutenant
Colonel Barnett. and the incident which
caused the court martial took place
Wiiilc they were on their return trim
10 america with Mrs. Barne,t's two lit
tie DAUGHTERS, aged eight and eleven
years. on board an army transport
from Pekin. where Colonel Barnett was
", ~, coinnland OF the forces OF the Amer
lean legation
Captain Smith. who is Cleveland
man, aud graduate or West Point
| was on tho same ship. Mrs Barnett
about three days before The arri,a,
OF the vessel az San Francisco. felt
II her duty to make formal charges
against the captain Tho charge was
50 serious that he was placcd MAJ
hrrcs; and taken direc. from san
franciaco TO Fort Leavenworth. Tho
army prison. There was not a man
helow tho rank OF ma jor that tried him
IN view of the distressing position IN
/ Which Mrs. Barnett was quito limo
4 Gently placed, the court, to n man
savo a pledge OF secrecy not To revenI
/; the name OF the woman or tho naturo
! o. the charge. This pledge was adj
hered 10 absolutely, AND was main
tanned b. the War Department ana nv
PRESIDENT Taft. who approved the ma
| lnSs that Is, the dismissal or Captain
Smith. "a q
(, The relatives of Captain smitb j.,
i THIS city. including his brother rJr
/ George Zciay Smith. rnairta.n that the
! captain was absolutely innocent, AMI,
/ mat the whole affair was a distressing
mistake. Captain Smith has been at
/ Fort Crook since the court-martiai.
| with his wife and son. 1t is report
I cd ti1ey will leave there morrow. but
"hether thcE VIII return 10 Clcvcla No,
Z is not known.
! Efforts were made to reach Colonel
. barnett or his wife in Philadelphia to-
! Hlsht. but they were attending a ball.
! hno no statement could be obtained
/ from them. Senator Burton said he
thought that the death Of General
Jared a Smith, former United states
! engineer In charge OF this district. was
FASTENED by tho findings Of the court
! martial against his SON
! 1t was also tated BY the Senator
! that two officers and the seyen-year-
! old daughter Of Mrs. Barnett Were Wit
nesses TT the court-martial.
/ Mrs. Barnett has been in Wash
| inston recently. but has returned 10
! Philadelphia within n few days. Be
| fore her first marriage she was Miss
Leila Sinclair Montague, daughter Of
/ Mrs. 'owhatan Mon ,ague
| After her marriage to Basil Gordon.
| brilliant political leader and business
! man she became known as one or
the most charming hostesses Of I?aiti-
more SOCIETY, and her house parties
at her country place, Wakefield Manor,
!, Va. We're famous Mr. Gordon died
i and his widow spent some years
abroad Her marriage to Colonel Bar
nett took place In Baltimore IN 1908,
and the couple left almost Immediate
y for the coionel's new post in Pckin
There Mrs Barnett distinguished her
self By taking the ninety mile mill
tary test ride on horseback
+ When tho colonel was recalled 70
/ this country. they came by way OF
| Manila. where the Smiths boarded the
! vessel. The families were on the best
Of terms until the incident happened
which led to the arrest Of CAPTAIN
Smith. The captains record up to that
time was irreproa chaple Many OF His;
army friends are convinced Of his in
nocencs, and Il is reported that he vii,
go with his family 10 Fore IIeaven-
worth for time before he plans for
his future as a private citizen Cap
/ tain Smiths accounts as paymaster
1 were found TO be absolutely correct
5 His friends regard the charges agninst
/ him as incredible.