The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-19

Davis said that these things could be
done on payment OF $1,000.
Young Whitehead, now conducting the
affair on his own hook and without let
ting even his own left hand know how
much his right hand pants pocket con-
tsined, "dickered." Finally he got Full
Lieut.. Benjamin Davis to agree to meet
him in a suite in the Hotel Plaza. And
In the meantime he had told other naval
intelligence men of what was going on.
He didn't tell the regular navy men at
$50 Broadway because some time before
this the whole investigation OF Lieut..
Davis's misdoings had been put in the
hands Of civilian investigators OF the
Naval Intelligence Department at Is
Wall street To this shift OF activities
from the Third Naval district headquar-
tiers to the "cits, in Wall street may be
attributed some OF the glum looks dis
rank at the Stewart headquarters yester-
day when a SUN reporter entered and,
seemingly. began to speak out Of his
turn while naming names.
Lieut. and Medical Examiner Ben1a-
min Davis was on hand at the Plaza
Hotel suite on the appointed time. Be
| fore he had got there. however. various
civilian Investigators of the Wall Street
| naval intelligence bureau had entered the
suite and installed a dictaphone with a
receiving end In an adjoining room. Also
young Joe Whitehead had a pocket OF
his humble uniform stuffed with $500
bills. And every bill was marked.
Lieut.. Benjamin Davis accepted the
marked bills after a long palaverins.
| Every syllable was taken down by the
naval intelligence men at the other end
OF the dictaphone. Then. the conference
being ended. Lieut. Davi, stepped out
into the corridor OF the Plaza.
Seizure or Davis.
Somebody seized Davis firmly by the
shoulder. Somebody else dug quickly
into pocket and brought forth the $500
in marked bills Davis was so overcome
| that he almost collapsed And he told
a historical story while his captors held
him firmly under tho armpits to keer
him from failing.
His wife. he babbled, was wealthy
She had Just had a baby. He, however
had only his salary to live on. He knew
and loved Broadway In the nighttime
There he had tried to keep up the pace
In the cabaret restaurants. but found
his fnances unequal to the constant tax
| And 30 he had begun TO take variou,
sums from young men within the draf'
ago limits who wanted to escape tho
army by getting into the navy.
Immediately he was asked for hi,
bank book. When he turned Il over y
was found that Davis had made within
recent months deposits Of $50. $3.50
! 500. $500 and like sums at frequent in
tervals. Immediately he was tried by 6
court-martial at the New York Nav.
Yard. The court-martial found him guilt,
and recommended" him for Dismissal
The findings OF TIE court-martial were
| brought before Secretary Of tha Nay1
Daniels. The Secretary went back ovei
the evidence and grew angry. He ordered
the court-martial to reconvene and init
| mated that not dismissal from the ser
vice but a prison sentence was wha
Davis deserved. The court-martial re
convened, and after again finding Lieut.
Davis guilty sentenced him to a nava
prison for term OF three years. which
he Is now in the first stages OF serving.
Efforts to get even SO much as a wore
| of comment from Col. and Mrs. Kell,
Evans. parents OF the efficient young in