Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-07-24
ADMITS YANk s
BADLY TREATED
IN PRISON CAMPS
Minor Officers Convicted of
Bruta|ities, March Testifies
-"Hard Boiled" Smith
Near Breakdown.

Washington, July 23-Admission
that American soldiers held in prison
camps in and near Paris suffered
brutalities, for which several minor
officers were convicted in court-mar-
tial proceedings, was obtained from
General March, chief of staff, by a
special house war investigating COM
mittee.
The prisoners, as far as the rec
ords showed, were held because of
absence without leave late last year
from their military units and a ca
blegram from General Pershing, sent
three days ago from Paris, declared
some of these men were among the
hardest characters in the American
expeditionary forces
General Pershing's cablegram dis
closed the conviction against four
officers at prison farm No. 2 and
its adjoining stockade. Two of the
officers, it said, were imprisoned
are being found guilty by court
martial. Conviction of four other
officers was disclosed by reports of
Brig. Gen. Edward A. kreger, act
lng Judge advocate general
Lieut.. Frank H. Smith, the we'll
known hard boiled officer in
charge of farm No. 2. it was dis
closed, is serving an l8-month sem
tence at Governors Island, because
of his maltreatment of prisoners.
Smith, the chief of staff explained,
CAME from Kentu ~, and was sent
to Europe after he had tried to get
commission i'll the Philippine
scouts. Smiths original sentence of
three years was reduced by review
ing authorities.
Officers Convicted.
Besides Smith, the records show
the conviction of the following:
Sergt. Clarence E. PAIL six months i'm
prisonment. dishonorable discharge,
Sergt. Fred w. Woifmaier, Company X.
15sth infantry. one year imprisonment,
dishonorable discharge.
Sergt. Savo Ragnovich. Company X.
15sth infantry. six months Imprisonment.
dishonorable discharge
Sergt. Joseph Bush, replacement batta-
lion, six-months Imprisonment
sergt Joseph Smith, replacement bat
TALON, acquitted
Lieut. Charles Joseph Mason, 15Sth in
fantry. found not guilty at one trial, but
later convicted OF perjury in connection
with his trial and sentenced to dishonor-
able discharge. which sentence was later
set aside.
Lieut. Warren Helphenstein, Company A,
15Sth infantry. sentenced to dismissal
later set aside.
Smith Near Breakdown.
New York, July %. Hard
Boiled" Smith, former army lieu
tenant, serving a senHnce of a year
and a half in the disciplinary bar
racks, Castle Willirm, Governors
Island, for ill-treat ment of prisoners
under his charge at the Chelles farm
prison camp, near Paris, is reported
to be on the verge of nervous
breakdown.
= Smith, whose full name and title
is Lieut.. Frank H. Smith, and whose
home is in San Diego, Cal, was con-
victed by court-martial of series
of offenses, including threatening OF
bodily harm, use of abusive Ian
guage, misuse of personal property
not MS OWL anu StiiNiliS PiioohSio
under his control, is reported to be
in constant dread of attack by his
fellow prisoners in the Castle"
This fear, however, is declared
to be groundless because of the
"honor association" among the pris-
oners. But the notorious prisoner
is nevertheless an outcast among his
fellows in the barracks. his repu-
tation having preceded him.
Received One Mauling.
After his exposure and arrest in
France, Hard Boiled" got one
mauling of the kind he used to be
stow upon unfortunates who fell
into his clutches at the prison farm,
This inspired him with deep fear of
further chastsement. On the trans
port which brought him back to
America, it was necessary to adopt