New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-30
Mrs. Hurniston
Is Peddling Gossip,
Says General Bell
Camp Upton Commander
Refutes All Of Woman
Lawyers Charges

Major General J. Franklin Bell. ,onl-
handing officer OF Camp Upton, issued
a signed statement yesterday, in which
nc scathingly arraigned Mrs. Grace
Humiston and denied fatty her charges
Of immoral conditions Ut Yaphank and
other army cantonments.
Coming on the heels Of Secretary Of
War Bakers Characterization of the
woman lawyers sensational charges as
irresponsible SANDER" General Bells
attitude creates q singular situation.
While Mrs. Humiston has thus been
repudiated by two of the leading fig
ures in war circles, the three officials
from Governors Island Tho are in
yestigating her charges, are continuing,
apparently in good faith, their examin-
alton Of witnesses TO alleged immoral
acts.
Mrs. IUmiston declared last night
the army Investigators - Lieutenant
Colonel J. c. Johnson, Major L. II.
Gardner and q Major Reed-had re-
ceived their assignment. to the investi-
cation from Adjutant General Laid, in
Washington. After the publication Of
Secretary Bakers statement. she said,
Colonel Johnson stated he would 70 on
with the examination, unless he were
officially called OF.
General Bells statement reads in
part:
"Respeotabie persons have sufficient
reason TO be tired of reading more on
the subject Of Mrs. Humiston's IN
founded charges Of immortality at
Camp Upton. / hardly think any in
telligent person, acquainted with the
facts, really believes that even one girl
/ has died at Camp Upton because she
was about 20 become a mother, much
( less seven. Not particle Of real evil
dence has yet been produced indicat-
/ ing the existence Of immoral condition..
at Camp Upton.
Refused to Cooperate
! Though she claims TO be freely
/ consulting and cooperating with my
/ comrades in arms at Governors Island.
/ who personally know nothing whatever
( about moral conditions at Camp Upton.
| Mrs. Humiston refuses to consult or
/ cooperate with me, though ] have COM
] plete personal knowledge thereof. At my
solication she promised ten days ago
/ 70 talk with me on the subject at an
/ carly date, but she has thus far failed
/ to keep her promise. Incidentally
neither Mrs. iIumiston nor Governors
/ Island has even given me or ny camp
/ a hearing.
+ Mrs. Humiston, q shrewd lawyer &C.
customed to carefully weighing the
4 credibility of testimony. listened 10 the
random talk of "A person whom sh|
+ should have recognized as ar unreli-
able, eyil-minied gossip monGer. She
. used the same unreliable witness IN
vain effort TO bolster up hasty aad
unjustiiable assertion which she mad
evidently come TO recognize had never
had any foundation in fact.
There are many thousands OF par
1 ents. brothers, sisters and other rela-
f tives of soldiers in this camp who, dis
/ gusted ct seeing her unjust charges
continued, may wonder why some ono
does not refute them.
/ al have never known a body OF men
a. self-respecting, as morally clean as
these. Their good behavior Is really
/ extraordinary, their zeal 70 learn only
/ less astonishing than their progress:
Unless weather prevents, they VIII
soon be ready to begin training beside
their brothers in France"
Hotel Investigated
Taking up Mrs. Humiston's intima-
ton that the camp hotel was used for
immoral purposes, General Bell stated
that ne had made a personal investlga-
ton. with the following result:
"Of the siXty-eight rooms assigned,
a total of fourteen have been occupied
by persons registered as man and Wife.
OF these, nine were occupied by OF
fcers and their wives, well-known IN
this camp. Five have been occupied By
citizens registered and claiming to be
man and wife. Four OF these couples
are well known at the camp TO be man
and wife. One room was occupied on
the fourth day after the Establishment
opened its doors by q couple register
ing as man and vile from jamestown
/ Ny. have been unable TO secure any
additional information rs 10 the ldehLiiy
or actual marital relations OF TINS
couple" ,,,. A,
General Bell declared that Miss Ad,
cline Francis" a siXteen-year-o!d girl
sent by Mrs. Humiston 10 the camp
hotel with James c. Adkins, forty,
year-old man, was the only young CIR!
who ever occupied room there. Inc
pair. who were given q room after
registering as man and wife. were ar
rested By the camp authorities after
4 Adkins had been recognized. The hotel
clerk. General Bell said. had been dis
charged, not ior wrong-doing, but neg
The in.imation that Miss Francis"
had been offered money b. Lieutenant
Brown. an officer at the camp, from
some improper motive, was also nailed
BIZ General Bell.
Facts Distorted
"This was shameless attempt TO
pervert the facts and conscious effort
Ia create false impression" said the
General. "The young lady claimed she
/ had not a cent, not even ticket to re-
/ turn 10 the city. Lieutenant Brown,
/ pulling what money he had out o. his