The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-07-14
TERRIBLE ABUSE OF
 S0lD|E KS BY ARMY Y. POLICE IS RELATED
sLACKJACKING OF MEN ARRESTED IN PARIS BY MILITARY POLICE OF U. S. ARMY WILL FINALLY BE
 INVESTIGATED.

Washington, July 12-A shocking story of army disciplinary brutality was brought to the attention of the House today by Representative Dal- finger (Mass.) in a statement and ac- companying letter telling of condi- tions in the disciplinary institutions of the American Army in France.
 The letter, containing a few of the incidents which came under his op- servatfon, was from James w. Beck- man of New York, former sergeant major. It was accompanied by aih- davits, according to MT. DallinEer' and further was supported by testi- nony of American troops returning from overseas. who told MT. DalhnSer that conditions complained of were common knowledge.
 These and other charges of cruelty in France will be investigated next week by a subcommittee of the special House committee which IS conducting inquiry into war ex- pendftures Representative Dalling- CT asserted he had become convinced there was truth in the reports Of cruelty, and promised to furnish the committee with information regard ing tales of barbarism which were a fitting parallel to the horrors of the Middle Ages and the tragedy of the French Revolution"
 Representative Dallingsr urged Democratic and Republican members of the committee to unite and con duct an investigation which would result not only in the punishment of the responsible officers but in the enactment of reforms In the War Department.
 Beckman's letter to Mir. Dallinger in part follows:
 When a man was picked up In Paris without pass or with pass that had expired by members of the American Military Police he was taken to the Provost Marshal in St. Anne's hotel. Paris. At this place he was given no opportunity to explain his case. but was accused of being absent without leave, a. thing that was true in only n comparatively few cases Most of these men were cas- uals returning from hospitals or travelling under military orders, but through lack of Knowledge of the Prussan military regulations of the American army governing Paris. fell victims of the unspeakable American military police system of Paris.
 "Prisoners were usually detained at St Anne's hotel about one day. when they were the Bastile. However, on one occa- sion nine men were forced to stand on the roof of this hotel two days and two nights If they faltered or fell from exhaustion they were beaten up hy the military police under officers orders.
 "One night when some soldiers were brought there and were waiting to be assigned to cells a soldier did some trivial thing. non-commis- stoned officer ordered a sergeant to hit the man. The sergeant In the most casual manner reached over and hit him on the head with a club. It wae a common thing at night to hea- men grooming. When any one in uuired what was the matter he was told that the men were being beaten by prison guards.
 "One man charged with d theft of something like sO.0o0 francs. about s15.0oo, escaped from the prison. The first night of the day of his capture he was beaten unconscious and then revived with cold water and beaten again. This treatment was kept UT for three days. The man went about the BastfIe with his face all bandaeed up and looked like a human wreck.
 Men were ordinarily kept here only ono day. However. on one occasion i've or six men taken in the prison ir a detachment of prisoners were held there 16 days because their papers haC been lost by the military police. Dur ing the entire 16 days fin the prtsor these men tried every way they cou1t to have an interview with office1 but were refused. At last in a genera check up of the number of prisoner 1t was found there were five or sf1 more than were accounted for. Ther' were about 1000 soldiers in the place It was thus that these men were dis covered and sent out to farm No. g.
 Farm No. 2 was then run by Ca K. 15sth Infantry of the 10th division Lieut. Smith was the officer fin charge This lieutenant was known as liar Boiled smith Farm No. was French farm outside of Paris used b the American Army as a prison camp
 There were many stables, three quarters of which were used by mel of Company K. which numbered abou 35o men- The other quarter of tn stables was used for the prisoners who sometimes numbered 200 mer These men were quartered in some thing like ten stalls, each about tn size Of a two horse stall. and 1of just above these stalls. The overno, was put in pup tents in a small yarc About Is men slept in a single sta1 The unsanftary conditions were fright < full.
 -,dany of the men had been in tn lines where trey had fought the Hu to defeat and usath. They had ae qufred many souvenirs from German killed in battio or taken prisone Thsse soux cri-s were grabbed by tfl DergeAnts and of1cers with great e1
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