The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-01-04
Mrs. COrnwallis-West and
High Officers Are Off
cially Censured.
LORD FRENCH INVOLVED
Central Figure Was MOther-in-
law of Winston S. Church
Ills Mother.

LONDON. Jan. 3.--An army scandal in-
volving the exercise OF influence over
high officers by n prominent society
woman. is described in the report of a
court of inquiry issued tonight. Mrs.
Cornwallis-West. wife OF Col. William
Cornwalls-West, is officially severely
censured.
Mrs. Corvallis has been
power in English society for many years.
Her mother was Lady Olivia Fitzpatrick
and her grandfather the second Marquis
OF Headfort. Her husband. who was born
in 1s35, Is a grandson Of the second Earl
of De La War;. Her eldest daughter mar
ried Prince Henry of Pless; her second
the Duke Of Westminster. and her son.
George Cornwallis-West. married Lady
Randolph Churchill. formerly Jennie Je-
rome, who was somewhat his senior. In
same age as his stepfather. Lady Ran
dolph divorced Cornwalls-west, and he
! married Mrs. Pat Campbell, the actress.
InVestigation Demanded.
| The investigation was instituted when
the late Sir Arthur Basil Markham, Lib
eral member of Parliament for the Mans
! field division of Nottinghamshire. who
died last August. demanded an inquiry
| IN the House OF Commons, and was Sec
onded by Irish members. who declared
! that a young Irish officers honor was
| involved. 1t has since developed that
| the officer was Lieut.. Patrick Barrett OF
| the Welsh Fusiliers
! According to n statement in the House
! OF Commons before recess. he was com
pletely exonerated: his commanding of.
| ficer, Lieut.-Col Define Radcliffe. was
removed from his command, and Gen
Sir John Cowans was censured, but wa:
returned because of his good work. Gen
Owen Thomas was vindicated.
Barrett was a sergeant in the Welsh
Fusliers Col Define Radcliffe ant
other officers recommended him for {
commission late In 1915. and this wa.
supported by Col. and Mrs. CORVALLIS
West and several prominent civilians.
Soldier Remonstrntes.
Probably before this time, and Ger
tainly later says the report, Mrs
. Cornwallis-West began TO take NOR
than ordinary interest in Mr.. Barrett
to which he consistently failed TO respond
Eventually he wrote her in Februar
last 4 letter of remonstrance, which sh
placed in the hands OF his commandin
officers
5 Barrett was severely censured by HI
commander without the opportunity o
stating his case. Soon after that he wa
: transferred TO another battalion on IN
demand OF Mrs. CORVALLIS West Ger
Cowans. who aided the CORVALLIS West
in obtaining Barrett's transfer is Ger
sured for interfering with discipline
Gen. w. II. MacKinnon, who was ais
concerned in the correspondence. is crit
cised for interfering with the affairs {
the western command. after he relir
quished his command. but is not di,
ciplined. because he has since retired.
I Boasted OF Her Power.
The court OF inquiry. which consiste
of Field Marshal Sir William Nicholso
formerly Chief Of the General Stan
Major-Gen. Lord Cheylesmore, Justi,
: Sir James Atkin and Donald MacI.ea
u member of Parliament for PEBBLES ar
u Selkirk. reports regarding Mrs. Cor
n walls-West:
J. 1--WE have no doubt that her injud
n cious boasting of the power she WELD.
r a, the War Office-which was co
l. firmed to an appreciable eXte
by the wording OF some OF S
n John Cowans's letters-was Gale
j. lated to bring hin: and the adminstr
'r tion at the War Office into disreput
lie We feel obliged TO record our opini,
'r that this lady's conduct. as revealed
this case, has been highly discredtat
l. both in her behavior toward Seco,
ID Lieut.. Barrett before his letter of 4
a 14th of February, in her vindictive q
I'd tempts to injure him afterward and
y. the untruthful evidence she gave befo
le us
se Engaged In War Work.
1T appeared in the evidence that Il
A. 4, lady holds positions of some importar
III in the County of Denbighshire In vario
n associations OF public character for
~ sisting in war work. In our opinion
w Is to be regretted that she should III
such positions"
The court also investigated repo
that Gen. owen Thomas, who took
ge prominent part in recruiting In Wal
m was transferred from the command o
to Welsh brigade to n lesser comma
"a. through Mrs. Cornwal!is-Wests inf
no ence. This proved to be unfounded,