New-York tribune., 1920-10-17
'laytt ttialnl1ac,sniiry
BY Navy Board
Begins at Once
First Sessions TO BE Held
in Washington; Investi-
gators Later Will Take
Testimony Cm the Island
Barnett Is Called Back
Daniels Seeks to Have Cen
eral Modify Charge of
''lndiscriminate killing''

FROM INc Jf10hne S washington BUreGu
WASHINGTON, Oct. l6.-The naval
board of inquiry oascertain all of
the facts regarding the alleged indis-
criminate killing of Haytan prisoners
by the American marines in the Black
Republic will begin to function early
next week, Secretary Daniels said to-
day.
Because Brigadier General ]. II.
Pendleton, of the Marine Corps, was
on duty in Hayti during the carly pc
riod of American occupation there.
Daniels Cancelled his appointment to
the board Of inquiry to-day and named
Major General ". c. Neville, an over
seas veteran Of the marines, to serve.
The naval secretary conferred with
Rear Admiral Henry T. Mayo, chair
man of the board. Tonight Secretary
Daniels conferred with Major General
George Barnett, who returned to-day
from Chicago in response to the sum-
mary direction Of the naval secre-
tary to inform General Barnett of
the general impression his statement
of "indiscriminate killing" has made
and to see if Barnett desired to modify
this Characterization Of the actions of
the marines in Hayti.
Missing Report in Question
The board of inquiry will not only
investigate the conduct Of the marines
in Hayti, Secretary Daniels said but
1t also has been given specific direc-
ton to determine responsibility for
the non-receipt at Marine Corps head.
II. Burnett, commanding the marines
at Hayti, which Burnett said he mailed
early ns March, 1920
81 do not like to charge that this
report was Intentionally suppressed"
Secretary Daniels said, ''but its failure
to rcach here may have been due to
the act Of some official involved"
The board will begin its session
here, but probably viii leave soon for
Hayti
The Secretary said he assumed that
the hearings would be public. but that
was a matter for the board to deter
! mine.
Search for all former members OF
the Marine Corps implicated in un-
lawful killings of bandits in Hayti
has been instituted by the depart
ment. All retired marine officers and
others having knowledge sought by
the board will be called to testify
1t was announced that the Judge ad-
vocate of the navy, without waiting for
the findings of the board, would insti7
tute coQrt-martial proceedings in all
cases who're there was already sufli-
clent evidence to warrant it,
Another announcement. was that
Rear Admiral Harry S Knapp who is
now making . study Of conditions in
Hayti, would be sent to Santo Domingo
to investigate and report on the stu
alton there. Mr.. Daniels said this in
qulry was not occasioned by any cvi-
dence Of misconduct by marines sta
toned in Santo Domingo
Prominent Officers On Board
In announcing the change in the
personnel of the board of inouirv.
Secretary Daniels referred to the
prominence of the officers named. 81
appointed these officers Of high rank"
Mr.. Daniels said, $50 that they can go
INTO the case fearlcssly and without
hesitation recommend punishment for
those who did wrong The record of
the Marine Corps IN Nayti has been
so glorious that the stain put upon il
/ by the few men in ilayti is very hu-
I .'.A''f'N'l'S. .h"No OIlNcI ana NcNllic
have all won their places Of high
rank Mayo. as commander in chief Of
the fleet. has the confidence of every
one. Oliver is one of the big inter
national law experts of the service.
Neville has been with the marines in
the European war. The Marine Corps
is being held up as going to Hayti
and doing something reprehensible,
and while some individual members
have been guilty, want the whole
situation Strengthened out"
Touching on the conference he was
scheduled to have with General Bar
nett tonight, Secretary Daniels said:
81 want TO see Barnett before leave
tonight for Missouri. l think he will
want to make statement to clear up
the general impression that 'indis-
criminate killing has been going on
there for long time. have no idea
he will want to say that these condi-
tlons have been going on for the five
years Of our occupation there. | think
he was so indignant over the one par
ticular case at Hincne that he used
such a strong statement. The marines
have not been guilty Of 'indiscriminate
killings and am sure that General
Barnett did not mean to create the bad
impression carried by most of the
newspapers"