Great Falls daily tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1895-1921, 1919-12-11
Bound Offenders Brut-
ally Beaten Is Testi-
mony Offered Before
Army Court Martial.
Desk Sergeant Says SUI
perior Beat Victim AT
ter Torturing Him Into
Lying Himself Guilty.

New York Dec. 10.-Testimony that
Captain Karl w. Deter has struck mill
tary prisoners in France in the face and
ordered his sergeant to beat them up.
in order to force Confessions" was given
by three witnesses when he was placed
on trial at Governors island
The offense with which Captain Det-
ger is charged occurred while he was in
charge Of Criminal investigation in the
I.emans area The defendant was in
command of the 30Sth military police
company.
George E. Williams, of Corning Iowa
a discharged private, asserted that af-
ter he had been slapped by Deter the
captain ordered Sergeants j. $. Madden
and Frank /. Hoyt. ''to take him out
in the yard and make him come clean.
Beaten while Tied.
Williams declared that while his hands
were tied behind his back, Madden beat
him until, fearing he was to ''bc killed
he signed a statement which he believed
was to effect that he had stolen prop
erty.
Private Thomas J. NJ McAdams, now
attached to the Fifth guard company at
Governors Island, testified that, after he
was picked up" as an attending patient
at base hospital ,he had been beaten by
Sergeant Hoyt. Deter, he said, came
into the room, asked him why he did
not confess to a certain crime so that
he would not be beaten any more and left
after Hott said:
Get out of the room. captain, Whhe l.
give him some more.
Feared Murder.
McAdams said he had signed a state
ment prepared by Hoyt because he was
in fear Of his life. not from the beating
he said he had received. but from the
appearance of Captain Deter and his
mon. EARNED with guns and blackJacks.
Samuel g. Roth, Of Chicago. who once
had been Detzar's desk sergeant. testifi-
ed. thar he had seen Deter violate his
own order by striking two prisoners. lie
also testified that Sergeants Madden and
Hoyt had kept Mechanic William g.
Warner standing at attention for long
period and that after he had still re-
fused to tell the where abouts Of a
stolen pistol, Warner had been beaten
nm" although not. so far as he knew, by
Detzer's order.
Beaten Because Innocent.
He said that finally Warner had CON
f.ssed.' but that when this confession
had been found to be untrue, ne was
beaten again
He added that Deter had seen War
ners condition, but that the sergeants
had been allowed to remain in the com
panv. He also testified that prisoners
mad been deprived Of sleep and food.
Accused Man Denies All.
In outlining his case for the defense.
Lieutenant Thomas II. Hefferman. de-
cared that military police committee
had to be organized Mt Lemans because
many complaints had been received from
the French Of dangerous criminals.
Captain Detzcr appeared in court in
uniform wearing two gold service stripes.
He is more than six feet tall and weighs
200 pounds He appeared unmoved as
the charges were read and to each Of the
- specifications entered a plea Of not
guilty.
Sergeant Madden, Of Pittsburgh, once
member Of the Pennsylvania state con-
stabulary. will be tried at the end of the
present case. Sergeant Hoyt has not
been arrested and. according to the
judge advocate, deserted in France.