The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-20
O'RYAN BACKED
AN INQUIRY INTO
ARMY CRUELTY
Had Received Complaints
and Forwarded Them
to Washington.
REPORTS ARE PUBLISHED
Affidavits Tell of Brutal
Treatment of Men in
Camps in France.
REPORTS ARE PUBLISHED

ment of Americans. soldiers in France
ty officers of the Expeditionary Force,
alleged to have resulted in their tor
ture, death and suicide, James w.
Beckman Of this city, formerly a SER
geant-major in the A. e. F., yesterday
made public letter he has sent Rep
resentative Frederick w. Dallinger in
Washington urging that the officers
upon whom he says the responsibility
lies be brought to trial. The charges
have already been the subject of Con-
gressional investigation.
II urge says Beckman in his letter.
that Brig. Gen. Hart, President Will
sons former aid and the officer in
charge Of the military administration
OF Paris, be brought to trial on the
charge Of manslaughter, inasmuch as
he is responsible for these crimes
which were committed over a period
of a year or more under his command.
ALSO that Gen. Pershing be brought
to trial for gross incompetence and
negligence that amounts to criminality
because the crimes OF the Paris Military
Police were committed right under his
rose. and there Ii no excuse or defence
which he can make for not having
known Of them or not having them
stopped, and because similar atrocities
were the rule at several other places in
France.
hA A.
ministration of Paris which presented
to you for your action and which has
been proved through your patriotic
efforts, and now admitted by the officers
il charge, Is only the first OF a series OF
cases which 1 will present to you tc
bring before Congress. I have the eN'
dence to prove each case as the frst one
was proved.
PershinS Involved.
Some OF these cases involve Gen
Pershing directly and others indirectly al
| the commander in chief of the American
Expeditionary Forces responsible for the
hioeous Prussian system which he per
| mitted to develop in the American Ex
peditionary Forces and disgrace tho
good name of America and American
| democracy in the eyes of the world"
| <ibSIoldHCS 10 tHe bpCIldi VI
| the House now investigating alleget
cruelties TO soldiers at disciplinary bar
racks and prison farms in France. botf
| before and after tho armistice, was fur
nished yesterday by Lieut-Col j. Leslie
Kincaid. formerly Judge Advocate of the
Twenty-seventh Division. who sent &c
Secretary Baker for the use OF the com
mittee a copy of a report made by him
self and Lieut-Col. ]. Mayhem Vain
wright, division inspector. Shortly after
| the Twenty-seventh Division returned &c
New York with stories OF the ALLEGED
| brutalities practised upon its men the
General Staff at Washington issued a
denial that the original report had eve
| been received by II.
| Col. Kincaid explains that the origina
| affidavits made by non-commissioned Of
fcers and privates were sent In with thu
original report, which was made Decem
ber rs and forwarded by the two ofiiceri
to Major Gen. John F. Organ. the divi
sion commander. He in turn transmitted
1. to the Adjutant General OF the A. E. F
in Paris. from whom through militar!
channels It was supposed eventually 4
have reached the General Stan IN Wash
ington.
| Report to Secretary Baker.
The report by Col. wainwright anC
Col. Kincaid. now forwarded to Secre
tary Baker, follows:
II, A number OF soldiers of this divi
sion, returning from leave. have beei
detained by the military police in Paris
For the purpose OF this report. II is as
sumed that their detention was author
lied and reasonable. and no question 4
raised on this score. although in man!
cases the circumstances surrounding
these arrests appear to indicate that tn,
arrests were unreasonable and Ill ad
lvised, II not entirely unauthorized.
Three OF the soldiers concerned. al
OF whom are men of high order o
intelligence with considerable standing
in the neighborhood In which they re
side, have made sworn statements Il
the matter. Steps are now being takel
to have the statements of other me-
taken. This was not done at Divisiona
Headquarters yesterday as the men ha'
reported to their respective commands
with the exceptions above noted.
"In reducing the statements OF thes
three men to writing. II was deemed ad
v1sable. for obvious reasons. to om
a considerable portion of their storie.
The extraneous matter would hav
made no stronger case against the In
dividuals who are specifically accuse
OF brutality. but would have tended I
jhow a most deplorable condition whic
should be the subject OF a much NOR
comprehensive and searching investiga
ton than could be made here.
"2. The investigating officers desir,
however. to call to the division CON
rnander's attention. Informally and con
fidentially, certain of these statement,
| Tba snldiars ronnlaIn that AZ fha PatI