The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-07-24
MARCH ADMITS CRUELTIES EXISTED; WOUNDED VETERANS, DECORATED FOR BRAVE ACTS, DISGRACEFULLY USED

Washington, July 2i---General Pey- ton c. March, Chief of Staff, appear ing yesterday afternoon before a spe- cial war Investigating committee of the Housa, gave facts about cruelty to enlisted men confined in army prisons abroad and the punishment by court martial of those found guilty.
 A report made by Colonel T. Q. Don- a1fson. Inspector General. stated that the allegations made July 12 in a let ter read on the floor of the House by Representative Dailinger of Nassa- chusetts were correct in practically every particular. These allegations concerned Prison Farm No. 9. iu charge of Lieutenant Hard Boiled" Smith, now imprisoned at Governors Island as Q result of brutality toward prisoners.
 A cableEram from General Pershing told in detail of the results of the brials of Hard Boiled" Smith, LIeu- Senant Mason, and Lieutenant Help henstein. who. like Smith, were att toched to the 15Sth Infantry. anu in charge of the Prison Farm. In addi- ton. General PershinE sent details of the trial of Sergeant Clarence l.. Ball Of the 10th Infantry. who was also stationed at tho farm.
 All these men were accused of cru city to prisoners. beating them un- mercifully. taking their property. and using vile language to them. It ap- pears from the record that while Smith is now serving his term. Ball received a sentence of six months at hard labor and Mason and HeIphcn- stein were condemned to dismissal from the army.
 In addition, reports from Brig. Gen. Ercgcr. the Acting Judge Advocate General of the American Expedition ary Forces, recitCd the cases of other commissioned and on-Comnissfoned officers who had been tr ed in connec- ton with charges of infamous conduct at prison camps. These reports re- vealcd the names of several men, who ha1 not been mentioned in the dis closures previously made. Represent ative Royal Johnson of South Dakota, who heads tho Investigating commit tee before which General March ap- peared expects to bring out further testimony.
 The treatment of men from the 27th Division at the Prison Farm. and at army prisons in Paris was denounced in a report by Lieut.. Col. J. Leslie Kincaid. and Lieut.. Col. J. Mayhew Wainwright. They said that Prison Farm No. was not only wors., than German prison camps. but ri- vailed those of Siberia.
 This report contains statements that crucifx was stolen from a sol u4tIs NAlAle lIlc pllOLOEIuDIS or thGT mothers and sweethearts were wrenched from others Men were drilled in front of machine guns and automatic rifles, and could not com munimcate with the outside world.
 Veterans of tho SOth Division, who went over the top in the Hirdenburr drive, with the 27th Division, shared the same fate at Prison Farm No. as New Workers. The Petit RouRet in Paris was commonly known to the American soldiers as tho Bastile, on account of the conditions there.
 Major Gen. O'Ryan. commanding the 2Tth. appended statement say ing that he had asked, two months previous to the report, 10 have con ditions at the prisons altered. He demanded that the Wainwrig ght-Kin- csid findings be sent to General Pershing.
 The report of Colonel Donaldson stated that the Colonel commanding the 15sth Infantry, who was stationed near Prison Farm No. 2, said he vis- ited the place once a week. At the hearing today General March agreed | that this officer was responsible for conditions there. as he was the supe- rior of '1Iardboiled" Smith. who was fin charge of the camp.
 Colonel Donaldson's report stated that all officers responsible for bru- 
 for court martial, and all were tried except the Colonel. It appears that he was brought before an efficiency board. the result of which does not appear fin the testimony of today, or fin the records submitted.
 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 Greger show that Colonel Edgar B. Grinlstead was Lieutenant He1phen- stein's superior officer when Heiphen- stein was tried and also that Colonel GrimsteaG gave 'IIardboiled' Smith orders to prevent ''by all means'' the escape of prisoners from tho farm. Colonel Grimstead, with "Hardboiled" Smith. and other officers. testified that FIebphenstein's reputation was good as an officer and gentleman" Says Lfcutennnts were the Goats
 Indignation was manifested by Representative Bland of Indiana, be- cause, as he declared. little lieuten- ants'' had been made the goats while the Colonel was allowed to es- cape with an appearance before ar efficiency board.
 General March gave the name oi Colonel E. S. Armstrong, a cavalry of ficer. as president of the Efficiency Board saying that he was now in Washington. Colonel Armstrons will be summoned before the sub committee. General March said thai because an officer had escaped pun tshrnent thcre was no reason why hG should mot bo tried if still in tho army. He said of the Colonel Of tine .sSsth Infantry that the officer show ed ~sr-osg dereliction of duty" or was incompetent
 The name of Colonel John Henry Parker was given by General Marct as the officer who replaced Grem stead over the 15sth Infantry at the prison farm in December. Colone Parker is on sick leave an Washington and w.fi be called to testify.
 While most of the documentarJ evidence concerned Prison Farm No 9, the Donaldson report mentioned l. A,pa in Parfa tn,