Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-12-10
CAPT.K. v. DETER
FACING CHARGES
Before Court Ac-
cused of Brutality to En-
listed Men of A. E. F.
By the Associated Press


NEW YORK, December 10.-Brutal
treatment and even deliberate torture
of enlisted men of the American
expeditionary forces are charged
| against Capt. Karl w. Deter. for
merly commanding officer of the 30Sth
Military Police Company. whose trial
by court martial opened at Govern
ors Island today.
The court opened at II O'Clock. Sergt.
| Samuel G. Roth, who was desk SER
geant at LIE Mans, was the first witness
called. The prosecution attempted to
draw from him general informa ton
| bearing on virtually all the specfica-
! tions.
Private George Williams. one of the
men alleged to have been beaten, was
'lotified that he would follow Roth or
stand.
John NJ. Weir of Indiana was sworn
! rs assistant to the judge advocate, Maj.
! William f. Kelly.
The evidence is expected to be as
sensational as in the trials of Lieut..
| Hard Boiled" Smith and Sergt. Ball,
who now are serving prison sentences
for brutality to American soldiers in
Paris.
A special investigation of the
charges was ordered by Secretary OF
| War Baker and the case was handled
by Maj. Gen. Frank Mcintyre, ass st
ant chief of staff. More than 100 wit
nesses have been brought here from
France and virtually all states in the
Union. and officers directing the pros
corution estimate that not less than
s25. 900 has been expended.
Methods of Torture Alleged.
The defendant while attached to
the 3OSth Military Police Company.
had charge under the provost marshal
| of all criminal investigation in the
! lie Mans area, the largest American
concentration center in t IRA zee
! soldiers passed. 1t is charged that
; by various methods of torture he
| sought to extort confessions from
| prisoners in order that he might win
| favor in the eyes of his superiors by
| the number of convictions he OBJ
| tanned.
! At the close of DetZer's court-mar-
! tial II is planned to place on trial on
similar charges his first sergeant, U:
s. Madden of Pittsburgh. nephew OF
John f. Madden, Kentucky horseman
| Sergt. Frank L. Hoyt. who is alleged
| To have aided and abetted Deter and
/ Madden, was said by members OF the
Judge advocates department 10 pe
deserter in France. He has not yet
been arrested.
Charges Against Deter.
! Methods which Deter and his suoor
dinates are alleged TO nave enpiu Se !.
! to wiring confessions from tnelr
! prisoners resulted, it is alleged, IN
Sending many men to the hospital for
i a period of several weeks. oiicers
| of the judge advocates department.
i admitted that many of the men Det :
ger had to handle were hard cnar
acters" often with long criminal
! I ecords. :;
The methods are said to have in
c,uded orders to stand at attention for
| tbirty-six hours ten minutes on ana
Ave minutes off; with holding 1000
and drink from prisoners until tney
acknowledged their guilt; pulling
prisoners to their feet by the hair
Striking them in the face and threat
| ening them with pistols. 1t also IS
| charged that once Deter compelled
( Private Marcello Gonzales of the HUN
| Machine Gun Battalion to swallow a
| lighted cigarette, which he was smok-
; ing against orders.
Specifications Number :S.
i In all Deter faces twenty-eight
specifications under charges of assault
! and conduct unbecoming an officer
and general charges. If convicted on
all counts. Major William r. Kelly or
New York, judge advocate. declared
he faced a. maximum sentence OF l1te
| Imprisonment. :.
The offenses with which Deter Is
charged are alleged to have been com :
| mitted over period of several
months, beginning last February.
| The detail for the court comprises
| Coils. William H. Allaire. William T.
Wilder, Samuel c. Jones, John L. Bond
! and Robert S. Knox. and Majs. Will
! liam A. Carleton and Robert G. Ruth
! erford, jr