New-York tribune., 1919-12-10
A. E. F. Private Chief Wit.
ness Against Carl Deter,
Who Faces Court Martial
ON Torture Charge To-day
100 Others to Testify
Long List of Brutalities
Are Laid to Officer and
Top Sergeant i'm France

Forcing an American soldier con-
fined in an A. E. F. prison to swallow
lighted cigarette is one method of
torture charged against Captain Karl
w. Deter, who goes to trial to-day be-
fore a general court martial at Gov
ernor's Island. Relevations Of cruelty
to army prisoners in France to be ad-
duced are expectedito overshadow those
in the case Of Lieutenant Hard Boiled"
Smith, now serving sentence at Fort
Jay.
Captain DETER, formerly Fort
Wayne, Ind, newspaper man, was at
tached to the 30Sth Military Police
Company and had charge of criminal
investigations in the lie Mans area,
largest A. E. F. concentration center in
France. 1t is alleged that his methods
were directed chiefly toward extorting
confessions from soldiers accused of
crimes and thus swell his own record
of convictions.
More than 100 witnesses have been
brought from France and various parts
OF the United States, at a cost to the
government of about $4,000, to testify
against Deter and his first sergeant.
U: $: Madden, of Pittsburgh The trial
OF Madden, who is nephew of John
y. Madden, Kentucky horseman. will
follow that of Deter. A third alleged
accomplice, Sergeant Frank L. Hoyt, it
was stated at the Judge advocates Of
nee deserted in France and has not
been apprehended.
Examples of Punishment
funlshment said to have been in
filcted by Deter and his subordinatcs
on prisoners included making them
stand at attention for ten of every
fifteen minutes over a period of thir-
ly.six hours, keeping them confined
without morsel of food or drop of
water until starvation and thirst
brought confessions, pulling them to
their feet by the hair and striking,
kicking and threatening them with re-
volvers.
The man alleged to have been COM
pelled to swallow lighted cigarette
which he had been caught smoking in
VIOLATION of prison rules is Private
Marcello Gonzales, Of the 10th Ma
chine Gun Battalion. Many of the vic
TINS, 1T Is stated, spent weeks in the
hospital after the treatment they re-
ceived
The alleged offenses cover several
weeks. beginning last February. They
first were inquired into by the inspec-
tor general at lie Mans. While he was
investigating soldiers returned to this
country with complaints and Secretary
OF War Baker ordered Major General
Frank Mcintyre assistant chief of
staff, to investigate them.
Prisoners Threaten Deter
Deter reached the United States
from France last October and was
sent Immediately to Governors Island
In the guardhouse he was recognized
by several men who had been inmates
Of one of the prisons under his juris-
diction overseas. They greeted him
threateningly and since then he has
been kept separate from the other
prisoners.
The court martial comprises Colonels
William H. Allaire, William T. Wilder.
Samuel c. Jones, John L. Bond and
Robert S. Knox and Majors William A.
Carleton and Robert g. Rutherford ir
Captain Robert E. Manney and John
NJ. Weir will assist Major William E.
Kelly, judge advocate, in the prosecu
ton Fielder Wilbert, Campbell e.
Barranco and Lieutenant Thomas L.
Hetfernan will defend DETER.