The Washington herald., 1911-02-27
SHIELDED WOMAN
IN COURT-MARTIAL
Mrs. Barnette Indignant at
Publicity Given Case.
BLAMEs DISMISSED OFFICER
Wife of Marine Corps Commander
Regrets Fact that News Leaked
Ont In C1eveIand-TroubIe Started
on Board Transport on Pacific.
Done for Sake of the Children.

Philadelphia, Feb. 26.-Although shrink
Capt. Guy H. B. Smith, of the Fourth
United States Infantry. who was dis
missed from the army after a secret
court-martal, Mrs. George l. Barnette,
Wlte or the lieutenant colonel of the Ma
rine Corps at the Philadelphia Navy
Yard, learned to-day from Cleveland re-
ports that Capt. Smiths friends declared
he did not receive fair play She de-
clared the evidence presented against the
accused army officer was so strong that
there is no possibility that he will secure
a new trial.
Mrs. Barnette was unwilling TO talk of
the charges against Capt Smith. for two
reasons. One was that every person
promise to keep the facts secret, and the
other was her horror of being named in
connection with such an affair.
Capt. Smith received fair play said
Mrs Barnette. He received more than
fair play. Other charges could have been
made against him. and he might have
faced something more serious than losing
his commission in the army.
Sought to Shield Woman.
'"The secrecy of the proceedings was
solely for the purpose of shielding the
name OF a woman, and 1t is a terrible
thing that my name should be forced
into such unmerited prominence"
Col Barnette would not admit that he
had stated to-day that Mrs. Barnette
was not Capt Smiths accuser and that
the dismissed captain had been charged
with scandalous conduct with another
woman on board an army transport on
the way from Manila to San Francisco.
Mrs Barnette was the chief witness
against Capt Smith," he said. He re-
fused to discuss the report that one OF
the five witnesses called to testify before
the secret court-martial was a seven
year-old child
When Mrs. Barnett expressed wonder
as to the source of the information con-
cernfng the court-martial which is leak
ing out, Col Barnette said:
Some one who promised to keep silent
concerning the facts has broken his
pledge Senator Burton would not be 50
well informed concerning what took place
pledge of secrecy"
Gen. Edward S. Meyer. who acted as
counsel for Capt. Smith. Is from Cleve-
land. where many OF the court-martiaIed
captains relatives live
Occurred on Board Ship.
The trouble which resulted in Capt
Smiths dismissal from the army oc-
CURED while a number Of army officers
and army officers wives were voyaging
from the Philippines back to America
Three days out from San Francisco Capt
Smith was placed under arrest and or
landing he proceeded to Fort Crook. New.
According to information credited tc
Senator Burton, Mrs. Barnette the evening
before Capt. Smiths arrest, called the
officers aboard the transport together and
informed them that had her husband or
any officer been present at the time
Capt Smith would have been shot, She
is also quoted as having added that she
would follow Capt Smith to the end OF
the world ''on account OF the children
IT appeared before the court-martial
with extreme reluctance and consented
to testify only when assured that 1t was
my duty to do so,'' said Mrs Barnette
to-day. ''Since the court-martial / have
observed the pledge of secrecy given. and
unworthy as / believe Capt Smith to be,
presented to the officers who recon-
mended his dismissal. I cannot under
stand how the information, which ap-
peared to come from Cleveland, Ohio,
and Washington, was given publicity"