Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-08-31
ARMY men Want
FULL FACTS IN
GCASEKNOWN

has been eXonerated O. any coonec-
ton with the death rf Miss Florence
Berg, and suspicion shifted to a Ger.
man officer interned as 4 prisoner at
Schofield, that tIs public demand that
the same efforts be made by the civil
authorities to press the case against
the suspected officer with the same
energy that they lid to toist the re-
sponsibility on DR.. Ludy, LieEt.-Col.
Edger and Lieut.. Col Bloombergh Of
the medical corps attached to the de-
partment hospital have written to the
Star-Bulletin a communication setting
forth that the entire sympathy and
loyalty Of the army remained with DR..
Ludy in the hour Of his trial. The
communication follows:
Editor of the Star.Bulletin.
Sir: 1t will be remembered by your
readers that following the publication
of statements apparently involving
Captain Ludy in the abortion case,
there was a flood of newspaper com.
ment, editorial and correspondence.
which clearly showed that he was
generally considered to be the guilty
man. Women asked high officials to
convict not the criminal but DR.. Ludy
and a charitable woman was heard to
remark that she hoped they would
get that horrible doctor at the De.
partment hospital" Furthermore q
woman who knew that DR.. Ludy was
attending, at the risk OF, his life, a
young man who was suffering from
a deadly contagious disease, was
heard to remark that she was sending
the clippings from the newspapers to
the young mans mother SO that she
might know what sort of a man was
taking care of her son. merely men
ton these matters to show what dam
age has been done.
Now that the evidence involving the
German has been forced into the
hands of the civil authorities and
kindly given publicity in your columns,
1t will be interesting to see If the
public and the press will take the
same sustained-mayI say vindictiye?
interest in the case as was shown
when the culprit was supposed to be
only a captain in the Medical Reserve
Corps Of the United States army. -.
Although the civil authorities must
have been aware of the fact that
military Investigation had cleared DR..
Ludy and declared that his actione
we're those of gentleman, no. action
was apparently being taken to secure
the evidence brought forward and to
secure the retention Of material wit.
nesses in the island. Was this
stupidity? From whom came the
.scandalous remarks about the value OF
Major Hawkins investigation? Is II
not reasonable to believe that certain
individuals in this city are intent in
protecting German interests, that Ger.
man honor-dear sweet words-is 3
German interest, and that II suspicion
pointed strongly toward German be
ing implicated in the abortion case,
there would be alien sympathIZers who
would spring to his defense?
1t is time that your readers should
know that the associates of DR.. Ludy
are devoted to him and that since the
beginning of his newspaper troubles
there has been no change in their at
titude, only a deepening Of their af-
lection for him. So efficient is he
known to be and so honorable is he
believed to be that without his knowl-
edge a request signed by all the reg
uiar medical officers of the staff of
the hospital was made to the surgeon
general to recommend him for ap-
pointment to the grade OF major; in
its nature an action SO unusual as to
be taken only for the great good Of
the service. He is a college and uni:
versity man, and his friends-and
every member of the Department hos
pital staff is his f!+end-have always
found him to be one of the highest
moral principles.
The name OF the bungler who per.
formed the operation may never be
known. And Honolulu will speculate
about the inefficiency Of official in
yestigations which resulted in nothing
but disrepute for an innocent man and
wonder il some sinister influence has
not been at work to obscure the issue.
B. J.. EDGER, JR~,
1t. Col. Medical Corps, q. s. Army.
II n ri 00MREPGH