New-York tribune., 1919-07-24
me, the report being dated December
Delay in Official Action


were committed in November and De-
cember. None of the information sub
mitted indicated that anything was
done with offences against military
prisoners committed some months be-
fore
Colonel S. T. Ansell resigned for
mer Acting Judge Advocate General,
made his first appearance at this hear
ing as counsel to the subcommittee
and conducted part of the examina~
tion Of General March, shaping hls
questions to bring out admissions from
the chief of staff that the history Of
the cases indicated defects in the army
system of Justice. A sensational clash
between the two was expected, but
both kept themselves we'll under con-
troll.
Chairman Royal Johnson directed
his examination of General March to
much the same purpose, endeavorlng
to show by these admitted instances OF
the miscarriage of discipline and JUS
tice that an injured private soldier has
small chance of securing vindicatlon or
justice. In answer to Mr.. Johnsor's s
question as to whether "Hardboiled'
Smith was a regular officer General
March said that he was Kentucky
National Guardsman.
Some Officers "Unft"
Ge.- raj March expressed the belief
that in general the rights of private
soldiers are we'll guarded, but that a
man whose commanding officer was
such as "Hardboiled" Smith did not
have much OF q chance. He called at
tention to the fact that soldiers have
the right to communicate directly with
the Secretary of War and that large
numbers of complaints from privates
loJ l., a.. !,
that in the hasty assembling Of an
army of 100000 men it was impos-
sible to avoid selecting some unfit Of
iicers
Momentariy diverted from the sub
ject in hand by Representative Brand,
General March undertook to refute the
recent testimony of Colonel Hude-
koper, to the effect that the armstice
came just in time for the American
amy. He denied that the transport
service had broken down and said that
the army would have kept on going.
that nothing could stop it--"that was
the trouble with it."
Pershing Explains Situation
General Pershing's cablegram, dated
July 10, in answer to a request from
gave an account of Prison Farm
No. 2, at Chelles, and its prison stock
ade and the investigation that was
started in December. "Thc result of the
investigation" he said, "can be set
forth by giving the gist Of the charges
which these men were tried. They
were the principal, if not the only Of
( Tenders"
( Continuing. the cablegram details
the charges made against the officers
! and non-comm ssioned officers accused
m q trao cO1I IL,
cluded the use of vile and abusive Ian
guage, various forms of physical vlo-
lence, robbery of prisoners, retention
OF their personal effects, etc
First Lieutenant Frank ("Hard
Boiled'D Smith, 141st Infantry. who
was the commanding officer at Chelcs,
was tried on some forty specifications.
found guilty of number of them and
was sentenced to dismissal and three
years imprisonment at hard labor, the
sentence being reduced to eighteen
months by the confirming authority.
Two Lieutenants Convicted
Second Lieutenant Charles J. Mason
OF the 158th Infantry, another Of the
subordinate officers at Chelles, was
found guilty of being drunk and dis
orderly and also of perjury, and dis
! missed from the army
Lieutenant Helphenstein, of the same
/ regiment. was found guilty of using
provocative language to prisoners and
OF ordering subordinates to infiic,
brutal discipline. He was sentenced te
dismissal, but the sentence was disap-
proved by the confirming authority.
Sergeant Charles f. Ball, Compan,
M, 10th Infantry, was found guilty o.
using provocative speeches and strik
ing, kicking and slapping prisoners
and was sentenced to dismissal and 81,
months Imprisonment at hard labor.
General Krcger's report, dated Jul,
To- mentioned convictions not noted b.
General Pershing. One was that o
Sergeant Savo Ragnovich, Company K
158th Infantry, sentenced to dishon
orable discharge and hard labor fo
six months, and another was that O
Sergeant Fred W. Wolfmaier, Compan
l X, 158th Infantry, convicted Of tn
! same offences and sentenced to on
I years Imprisonment at hard labor an
| dlshonorable discharge.
Vilified Prisoners Sister
L Details Of the charges against Rag
novich show he was alleged to hav
used the vilest language in referenc
; to a photograph Of prisoners siste,
Other specifications charged him viii
striking prisoners in the face. kickin,
them and hammering them with hi
fists.
Testimony in the case Of Sercean
Ball, as reported by General Krege,
reveals that loaded blackjack, abou
one inch in diameter and foot lone
was his favorite weapon. He is ac
cused of striking four men with thi
blackjack. Ball testified to the cour
he had been ordered to treat 'cr
rough" to maintain discipline.
Lieutenant Helphenstein was accuse
Of directing a sergeant with regard t
500 prisoners to keep them that wa
for five minutes and drag out every -
that moves"
The records show that Genera
Bethel, the judge advocate, disapprove.
the sentence of Lieutenant Helphen
stein and directed that he be released
The reviewing authority said o
Prison Farm No. that testimony wa
introduced showing the conditions q
the farm as terrible. There were a
high as 1900 men there while ther
was billeting for only 450. 1t wa
also said that the morale Of the pris
oners was very low.