Arizona republican., 1919-07-16
MEN M|STREATED. IN PRISON CAMPS EX-SOLD|ERS GAY
Lieut.. Frank Smith, One of Men Convicted for Out rages, Is Phoenix Boy Investigation B ri n g to Light Many Cruel Acts By Camp Officers

WASHINGTON, July 15.-Six for mer American soldiers. testifyinS to- day before a special house committee Investigating alleged cruelties to mill- tary prisoners in France, declared that merciless assaults were committed without provocation by arrogant off cers in charge of the prisons and camps. Only one of the witnesses, all of whom were charged with being ab- sent without leave, was convicted, the ohers having been acquitted or the charge dismissed.
 "The bastile" the stockade" "pris on farm No. Q" and "St. Ann's hotel also known as "The Brig were the places named by the witnesses as the scene of the alleged cruelties which were said to have extended over seV- eral months in 1918. Some officers in charge of the prison camps, it was said. had been convicted by court mar tial, and others were awaiting trial.
 Lieutenant Hard Boiled" Smith, one of the prison camp officers, was mentioned freely, while others named were Lieutenants Mason and Sullivan.
 Smith Is Phoenix Boy
 When Lieutenant Hard Boiled" Smith was tried at Tours early this year. a hundred witnesses appeared against him, and he was convicted, testified Sidney Kemp New York city.
 Fifty witnesses whom I can name will verify everything said here, and tell more, too" asserted Kemp.
 Several of the soldiers testified that in addition to being beaten food in small amounts and of poor quality was ., poor, sometimes the mattress being in mud under small tent.
 "A prisoner was smiling and an off cer says, Take that smile off or I will" A. P. Mendleburg, Baltimore who served with base hospital AZ, tes- tified. "The officer did by rolling the man in the mud" Mendleburg asserted.
 When telling of poor food, Mendle- burg said that If you asked for an extra piece of bread you were flat on your back" Meals he and others had he said, consisted of stew made from canned beef one slice of bread and part of a cup of coffee. Sometimes only the stew was served, witnesses said.
 Lieutenant Frank Smith, mentioned by the members before the house in- vestigatin9 commithtee. is a former Phoenix boy and is well known here. He was formerly employed on The Re publican as a proofreader Later he was employed by the city as night su- perintendent of streets.
 Smith comes of a prominent family His father. Joseph Smith, was secre- tary to William Mckinley during the latter's administration as governor of Ohio. When Mckinley was elected to the presidency, Smiths father practi- cally dictated the political patronage in Arizona. Joseph Barker, brother in-law of Smiths father. was citizen member of the board of control during . McCords s administration in this state.
 Frank Smith is well known by for mer soldiers in Phoenix. Hele it here on May 9. 1916, as first lieutenant in r company of the First Arizona infan- try. The company was composed en- tirely of Indians from the reservations near Phoenix and while in that or ganization smith first gained his nick name as Hard Boiled" Smith. Later he was transferred to K company of the same regiment, from which com pany he was detailed as provost mar shal of Bisbee while the regiment was stationed at Naco.
 While in charge of the military po- lice at Bisbee. Smith first gained mo- toriety as a hard man to run up against While he was on duty there Sergeant Joe Bush, also mentioned in the dispatches, was under him. Bush, who is from Tucson returned to the regiment with Smith and became first sergeant of K company when Smith took command.
 Both Smith and Bush bore the repu- tation in the regiment of being unusu- ally strict. When recruits first started coming to the l5Sth regiment, formerly the First Arizona. Smith was placed in charge of their instruction, with Bush as his first aid.
 Charles Goldberg, New York City d corporal in company c, 3Stn infantry, said while at The Brig" he was knocked by an officer and one of his teeth knocked out when he refused to surrender his money belt
 "Once when I was scrubbing a floor, a sergeant swung a club at my head every five seconds" testified Goldberg.
 Paul Boggs. Baldwin, N. Y, 31Sth field signal Battalion, said men on the farm were often hungry; that they we're glad to eat dirty potato deal ings." He said he dipped a tin cup in a swill barrel so as to get some grease that he would eat with a relish. p
 Instead Of giving a command, it was generally with a club" asserted
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