New-York tribune., 1919-12-20
I''lutality ) Denied
By First Witness
Called by Detzer
)mccrs at Court Martial
Also Testify TO Character
{ and Ability of Captain
4 Accused of Gross Cruelty

Oscar B.sJacob, formerly member
w tAe aosth Military Police Company,
3divlaien Of criminal investigation,
wae the first witness for the defense
~ tAe trial yesterday by general court
fNaaEttal of Captain Karl w. Deter,
Iformszly in command of the organiza-
ltion, who is charged witt brutal treat
fMent Of military prisoners at lie Mans,
EFT1nce.
Jacob, who conducted many investi-
fxattous with Captain Deter, was for
Inefly . policeman in Detroit and is
lAow = mechanic for the Westinghouse
}Eleetx1c+ Company, West Philadelphia,
fFa. AZ Governors Island yesterday he
3testi6ed that never in his presence did
lCaptain DETER strike a prisoner. Jacob
said he never heard the captain use
threatening or abusive language; that
4 ta3l prisoners were treated civilly by the
/ accused and were informed of their
sights; that confessions Of crimes, to
shia knowledge, we're not extorted by
sshreats of beatings. and that he never
,,saw prisoners forced to stand at atten-
sion for long periods.
s Contradicts Testimony
The witness told of notices posted on
I the company bulletin board instructing
the members not to rAistreat prisoners
and directing them to zee that the lat
ter received three meals a day. He
also testified that while cots were not
|. furnished to prisoners who were de-
/ tanned at D. C. l. headquarters they
were given blankets to make their beds
with. Jacob also described the arrest
of Privates Lacey and Yates, which he
made after they had made their escape
from the custody of Captain Deter,
and contradicted much of the testi-
prisoner for drawing a gun on Captain
Datzer and ordering him to "beat it,"
Major William F. Kelly, the judge
advocate, announced to the court that
/ the case for the prosecution was com
/ pleted, but made provision that Prl-
rate Fred Wright, of Somervile, Tex,
l be allowed to testify for the prosecu-
tion when he arrives on Governors
d island. Lieutenant Thomas J. Heffernan,
! counsel for Captain Deter, indicated
i that the defence will attempt to show
4 that the accused has been framed by
4 witnesses who have appeared against
4 him, and that many of the beatings
1 alleged to have taken place in the Office
4, of the division of criminal investiga-
4 ton took place in other military police
i headquarters and Offices in LIE Mans,
4 ever which Captain Deter had no juris-
4 diction.
4 The defence will also try to prove
/ an alibi against the charges of Murray
Il Al. Phillips, who testified on Thursday
4 that despite his crippled condition be-
Il cause of wounds received in action he
/ vas knocked off his crutches by Cap
tain Detzer and then robbed of 500
francs by Sergeant Madden. who, the
witness charged, later shared the
money with the captain. Deter, the
4 counsel said ~as in Toul during the
/ latter part If July when the incident
is alleged to have occurred. while Mad
4 den was in solitary confinement. On
4 the stand yesterday Jacob said that
Sergeant Madden could not have
/ robbed Phillips, as he was in confine-
| snent when the incident is alleged to
have occurred. He also said that he
had never seen Phillips in LIE Mans.
lieutenant Colonel Edwin 0. Saun-
ders. judge advocate Of the Central
Department Chicago, and formerly
! chief Of the division of criminal in
sestigation, with headquarters at
( Charmcnt, was put on the stand by the
defense as q character witness for
Captain Detzer. After describing the
! D. c. l. and the reasons leading 20 its
| organization he was asked by Lieuten-
! ant Fisherman:
/ "Do you know Of Captain Detzer's
general reputation as an officer and in
she performance Of his duties?"
Praise for Deter
"Yes. 1t was good; I mean to say
/. excellent" the witness replied.
Lieutenant Colonel Saunders sait
/ that under the same circumstances h.
1 would appoint Captain Deter again
/ for the same sort of work. He tol,
/ the court that he had talked will
L Colonel w. r. Pope. formerly proves
+ marshal at lie Mans; Captain Barne.
I Flood, now of the New York City Pc
i lice Department.; Major General H.
i Bandholtz and other officers high il
the A. e. F. regarding Captain Detze
! and they had all spoken favorably o
/ bis work.
|! The defense expects to call thirt
witnesses, and Jacob will be put o
the stand again Monday morning whe
the trial will be resumed.