Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-07-30

| New York July e9.-Scores Of in
! stances CT brutal treatment Of An
! ericzn soldiers IN the prison camps
| II France. described in some cases
as amounting 10 4 system Of torture.
responsibility for which was placed
by the witnesses on high army CT
! GERS. were related today before the
congressional Investigating sub-cor,-
nlEtee On disciplinary system Of the
A Z F.
! The committee. consisting Of Rep
-eserrauve ROYAL c. Johnson Of
| SoUt., Dakota and Representative
| Oscar E Bland CT Indiana NET IN
| the Disciplinary Barracks on Gov
| ernors Island The third member o.
the subcommittee. Representative
/ Henry Flood Of Virginia was not
/ crsse--
! The men higher "" who were Ill
I rectly charged by witnesses With re-
I spoEslhE2a-y Of the Prison conditions
! Included Bri-aszar-Ean. ". II. Es-tx
former commander on tire american
! troops n rh- Paris district: Ma5cr
! Gen Frederick Smith SCcsg of the
/ a1Er Division: Colonel EG-ar Crime
/ stead commander OF the 15s1- In
/ fanrrT- ard Col J. 3 Maui Of the
+; Field Artillery. A number Of carta5 ms
a-a laSSlr=-alz1S also were named as
nav1rg rakan Al actual part In tie
brutal treatment OF prisoners.
-
sentative Jo,-scr- WHO IS chairman
! Of the subcommittee announced that
ali cases II which charges were made
would be placed befcre the inspector
general IF the army and every eff
fort made 10 bring the guilty men to
punishment
From the evidence before the corr
rnattee, SAID Nj johnson. 1t seems
Z clear 10 as that Il hsle ser-eanrs and
/ EsutPna-cs ware punished they were
merely Tire Scaregoats of higher Of
I nce-s- We want 70 discover who
were tire men higher I'D and we viii
. 90 everything In CUR power to see
that they ara brought 10 trial Il
IS apparent that this was rot a case
oT brutality II an individual prison.
1 bur that similar conditions existed in
practically all the prisons II France
The principal witness at the hear
ing today was Colonel T .. Donald
son. Of ire Inspector -eneraTs de-
pa---a17- wno made AT official IN
vestlgaCior 0f the prisons after the
first charges Of brutality were made
public Under close questioning by
Representative Bland and with cbvi-
& ri =
r1i-t=d that responsibility fer the
conditions In the Paris prisons. con-
corning winch some Of the most ser
sauonal charges of brutality have
neer made. must be laid ID Gen.
Ha-tZ He vas then questioned
sharply as 70 the reason why Col
Gri7estead- who has been n charge
or the Prison Farm No - rad never
been brought to trial. although Col
Donaldson II his report had RECON-
Ee-6ed MS court martial for neglect
CT duty.
Is u possible. asked Mr. Bland,
that high officers took the Position
/ that they would net convict a mar
Of tie rank If coioneI-'-
~on. no"
And that trey rad a grod xoa- i,
the person Of Hard Boiled Smith
have nothing 10 say about that
Do you knew of any reason" per
sisted Mr., Bland why Col Grir-
stead should net have been brought
/ 10 trial.
II suppose the superior of.scerz
had some good reason" replied the
witness.
IT is serious reflection On the 4
Z. F. commented Mr.. Bland. IT
sentry goes 70 sleep On duty he Is
shot but II an onscer goes 70 sleep
CT duty and hundreds of boys are
beaten NJ. ne Is given an honorable
discharge"
Mr. Bland then asked the witness
L the fact that Col Grinstead came
from Phoenix Ariz.. that Hard
Eoi1ed7 Smith came from the same
tcEn- and that the two were init
mate did not suggest that Smith ha.,
BEEN willing to take the blarne e,r
things ne might have passed ID n
ms superior.
TT would look that way" replied
Col Donaldson
Lieutenant 2. Il c@Eara-bc,re5.-s
Smith. who was In direct command
of Farm We. . admitted On the stan,s |
that terrible Brutality was rrac-8
ticed IN the French prison Gamma /
bur iasired that his camp was a /
pleasure resort" compared To the
others He said he had not long I'm
I've and wanted 70 tell the truth
while he was alive.
Smith in his testimony had assert |
ed that he had been told by Colonel
Grinstead that General Strong had
ordered prisoners 10 be treated with /
the most ruthless severity" He said
il was his understanding that these
men were to be treated In such III
Way thar they never would GOMEZ
back 20, Paris OF pass through these
farms again
Smith was sentenced 10 thrua /
years lmpE4snumenf ON eharren Rt
Dsaf1ng pr1sOnerz and ss1n11ng snnfe
fConxSnuod - - E-GnI u