The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-05-21
SECRETARY GARRIsON's REPLY TO
DIR. GILLs NOT IN THE LEAST
ENLIGHTENING.
STILL IN THE DARK
RICHMOND MEMBER OF ARMY
MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS
DOESN'T KNOW YET WHY HE
WAS DISMISSED.

without knowledge of charges or the
formality of hearing, DIR. w.
Armistead ellis. of Richmond. yes
terday gave out the correspondence
which passed between himself and
the secretary of war Prior to ad-
dressing himself to the head OF the
department and prior to the order
Diminishing him, DIR. ellis had filed
charges against subaiterns of Surgeon
General Torney's department with
that officer, and obtaining no salts
faction. he appealed to Adtutant
General Andrews and later to Cen
eral Leonard Wood. chief of staff.
Receiving only discourteous replies
and finally dismissal, DR., ellis APP
pealed to Secretary Garrison. and. as
that officials reply will show. is still
as much in the dark as before as to
why he was dismissed. Now, DIR.
ellis is submitting his case to the
Virginia delegation in the effort to
secure justice at the hands of con-
gress.
Presents Case to Department.
The letter to the secretary of war
and his reply follow:
Richmond, Va. May 3. 1918.
Hon. Lindley NJ. Garrison,
Secretary of War.
Washington.
Sir:
The matter which I have the honor
TO invite your attention has been al
ready brought to the attention of
General Geo. Torney, General Geo.
Andrews. and to General Leonard
Wood. ON yesterday. since writing to
General Wood, find that he will be
absent from Washington and that the
matter is of a serious character. /
feel that it is proper to now ask you
to act. This explanation is made In
accordance with military courtesy
and custom, which l intend to OBJ
serve.
on April 14th as a matter of self
respect. | placed in the hands of Gem
eral Geo, Andrews serious charges
versus the surgeon general and his
assistants. did so reluctantly, but
ii was forced on me. l. explained
then, that l would advise him when
to proceed
Finding that l could not get justice,
and that the accused was determined
not to see my side of the case, Hon.
Geo. Hooper. attorney at law, wrote
and asked certain questions of Gen
eral Geo. Torney. which was on
April 23rd. He replied as follows:
THE information you seek is evil
IDENTIFY based upon action against me
and my assistants. etc. This shows
clearly. that he was cognizant that |
had preferred said charges.
Like a bolt from a clear sky comes
communication from the surgeon
generals Office, dated April 2eth. six
days after he had acknowledged that
he was accused:
Lieutenant W. Armistead ellis Is
dismissed from the service of the
tinted States +hONarahfy dis
charged
Why was / dismissed? Just any
reason at all. Why did it not pre-
cede the charges?
Please allow me to ask. how could
it have been Honorable"
Is this not prima facia evidence of
guilt and that l was telling the truth?
And that they desired to get me out
of the way, in order that / could not
appear as an officer against them, and
losing what prestige that my uni
form might carry at the proceedings?
II / am guilty should be punish
ed. and l stand ready to take it as
an officer and American citizen. If
| have falsified in said charges. would
not the officers accused want their
names cleared, rather than smother
the case? AS is their evident in
tention.
Nothing, whatever, has ever been
charged against me. No complaint
or reproof ever intimated No OPP
portunity of defense given. Just a
plain summary dismissal
The order reads: by order of the
secretary OF war. by order of the
president etc. / know of similar
case, in which an officer was treated
! in the same fashion. But. 1T de-
/ hat .e kn
quoted had any knowledge. whatever,
| of the transaction.
| 2. Certainly, l cannot think you are
going TO publicly disgrace the name
| OF an innocent man. This order will
| be published to the entire army. l
am not allowed defense at all.
| ! respectfully invite your attention
! to the seth article of war:
| NO officer shall be dismissed or
discharged from the service, except
by order from the president, or by a
sentence OF general-court- martial:
and in time OF peace no officer shall
be dismissed except in pursuance of
the sentence OF a court-martial or
In mitigation thereof"
! Further--Manual OF the medical de-
| partment. United States army, para
graph IS, section Z: THE commits
sions so given shall confer upon the
holders all the rights and privileges
| of officers OF the like grade. in the
medical corps Of the United States
army"
/ Would an officer "of the like grade
| be so treated?
/ The law even gives to the humblest
private In the army an opportunity to
''be heard in his own Defense" to
substantiate this l invite attention to
/ paragraph 1873 United States army
regulations, and, to the fourth article
of war for 1.-The authority. and in
whom vested"
i have declined to sign the paper
which the surgeon general has sent
for my signature. but standing up
for my rights as an American citizen.
| II you desire to know Of my repu-
tatfon as . man and physician. l re-
fer you to Hon. A.. j. Montague. NJ.
G. (ex-governor). who appointed me
to the army medical school. To HIN.
Claude Swanson. United States SEN
ate. Under ordinary conditions. 1t
would be out OF place to give such
| reference, but, II the surgeon gem
iorara ruling ~ ~ ~tard