Evening journal., 1919-07-25
VICTIM TO EXPOSE
MORE ARMY ABUSE
Former Prisoner Declares
He Saw Officer Knock Men
Down With Blackjack

Harding OF Ohio, and referred 20 the
senate military committee for consid-
erng cancellation OF all military SEN
tences for Offenses not felOnies under
federal statutes.
The letter was from Frank Woods
OF YOUNGSTOWN who MAS dishonOrably
discharged from the army. after having
served ten months Of three-year SEN
tence. Woods declared he saw Lieu
tenant DisiOrdan "a prison officer, knock
down prisoners with a blackjack.
81 also saw Lieutenant Colonel Maui
take a prisoner out, hancun and
shackle his feet, and gag him and spread
the eagle win him, because ne tried
20 get a letter Go his people telling them
Of the treatment he received at the
prison camp" said Woods, adding that
he himself gol twenty days solitary
confinement on bread and water for at
tempting TO advise his relatives OF his
sentence.
Prisoners fen down from starvation
Woods declared. and were glad 20 get
bread from Chinese labOrers
A Captain Dewey. OF the Eleventh
Regiment Of Marines. which was doing
guard duty at Ole camp issued black
jacks TO his men and ordered them TO
so as far as they liked" Woods wrote.
you could see dozens Of men going
TO the hospital every day 10 have their
heads bandaged from the frequent use
OF these blackiacks," said the letter.
Efforts 10 FIX responsibility Of supe-
riOr officers for the msltreatment Of
American military prisoners in deten-
tion camps and jails in and near Paris,
will be made by a House war investi-
eating committee next week. Chairman
/ johnson announced tonight that former
/ Sergeant Clarence Ball, who is serving
a six months sentence at Fort Jay, y.
Y. for mistreating prisoners, while he
was a guard at one Of the camps,
would appear before the committee
Monday.
Beat the prisoners or be beaten
: yourself" is the choice that Ball says
was given him b. superior officers, ac-
cordng 10 a letter written by Ball toI
Representative nallinger, OF Massachu-
setts who turned Il over 10 the com
mittee. At prison farm No ., where
Rail was an assistant" OF Lieutenant
Hard Boiled smith, who also Is I'M
prison for mistreatment Of soldiers,
Rails letter asserts that he and other
guards did their best not 10 misuse the
prisoners. and It did not suit Smith 4
Il admit that hit prisoners, wrote
Rail. hut the orders came from higher
than any sergeant.
Balls letter mentioned only Lieuten-
ant Smith, but the former sergeant
said 81 could tell YOU a lot more II
could only talk with YOU
Other witnesses also will be called by
Tohnson's committee i'm the inquiry, the
chairman announcing that every effort
would be made to flX ultimate respon-
/ sibillty.
While Ball Is before one committee
/ Homer s. Cummins, Democratic ma
| tional chairman. Is expected TO appear
before anOther-that headed by Repre-
sentative Frear, OF Wisconsin charged
with inquiry into aviation eXpendl-
tures Mr.. Cummins is to be asked
about publicity said 10 have been IS
sued bv the Democratic committee IN
which the proposed visit Of the Frear !
commimttee 10 the Northwest for in |
vestigatlon Of spruce production was /
referred 10 as a 10y iunket' and inti- !
mated. according TO Republican COM /
mitteemen. that the whole inquiry was /
for partisan purposes. Mr.. Frear viii /
ask Mr.. Cummins. a Republican mem |
ber Of the committee said. 10 sub
slantiate the charge Of partisanship.
Concerning the charges os cruelty 10 /
enlisted men. General Peyton C. March, /
chief Of staff presented facts as found /
by court-msrial that tried the accused /
officers. before the special war investi- /
eating committee yesterday. These were !
supplemented by REPORTS from officers
commanding various overseas contin-
gents.
The treatment Of men from the ,
Twenty-seyenth division at the prison I
farm and at army prisons in Paris /
was denounced i'm a report by Lieu
tenant Colonel ]. Leslie Klnkaid and /
Lieutenant Colonel J. Mayhew Vain
wright. They said that prison farm
No. , was not only worse than Ger
man prison camps but riNaled those of
Siberia.
This report contains statements that ,
a crucinx was stolen from soldier,
while the photographs OF their moth
ers and sweethearts were wrenched
from others. Men were drilled in front
Of machine guns and automatic rifles,
and could not communicate with The
outside world.
Veterans Of the Thirtieth Division,
who went over the top in the linden
burg drive with the Twenty
Division. shared the same fate at
prison farm No as New Workers.
The Petit Rouget in Paris was com
monty known TO the American soldiers
as the Bsstile, on account Of the condi-
tions there.
Major General 0Ryan. commanding
the Twenty-seyenth. appended a slate
ment SAYING that he had asked, two
months previously TO the report. 10
have conditions at the prisons altered
He demanded That the Wainwright
Kincaid findings be sent 10 General
Pershing.
The report by Colonel Donaldson
stated that the colonel commanding the
i5stR Infantry. who was stationed near
prison farm No. ,, said he visited The
place once a week. At the hearing
yesterday General March agreed that
this officer was responsible for condi-
lions there, as he was the superior Of
'Hardboiledn Smith. who was in charge
Of the camp.
Colonel Donaldson's report stated
that all officers responsible for brutal
ity at this camp were recommended
for court-martal and all were tried
except the colonel 10 appears that he
was brought before an efficiency board,
the result Of which does not appear in
the testimony or IN the records sub
mitted.
The name Of this colonel was not
given at the hearing General March
said that he did not know IT,
The records submitted from General