New-York tribune., 1920-10-28
Barnett Stand $
By Charges of
Hayti Killings
General Tells Court of In
quiry He Was ''Terribly
Shockcd'' by Conditions
Disclosed in the Island
Courts Martial Cited
Commander Unable TO Act
ON Account of a Ruling
by Daniels, He Explains

From The Tribunes Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Oct Brgadicl
General George Barnett, former com
mandant of the Marine Corps, in tes-
timony given to-day before the specia.
naval court of inquiry appointed to in
vestigate the reported "indiscriminatc tc
killing" of natives in Hayti, upheld the
contention he made in his recent report
that he believed there were illegal
executions in the little republic
The marine officers testimony also
confirmed the charge of misconduct of
marines in Hayti made by Senator
Harding.
Questioned by Major Jesse F. Dyer
judge advocate of the court, General
Barnett said he was terribly shocked
by conditions in Hayti as disclosed at
the court martial trials Of Private Wal
ter E. johnson and Private John ].
McQuilkin jr., Of the Marine Corps.
He said he reached the conclusion after
reviewing the official records Of the
trials and the statement made to the
trial board by First Lieutenant F. L.
Speare, counsel for johnson. that a
state Of mind" existed among the ma
rines in Hayti that made it possible
for any one to be killed.
Unlawful Killings in Record
General Barnett urged that the
court Of inquiry give special attention
to the statement of Lieutenant Speare
and the records Of tho Johnson and
McQuilkin cases, which he said formed
the basis for his letter to Colonel ]. II
Russell, commanding the marines in
Hayti, wherein he asserted that the
evidence showed me that practically
indiscriminate killing of natives had
gone on for some time" The two cases
in question, General Barnett said, re
lated particularly to the illegal killing
Of two natives, and this evidence was
backed up by the statement from Lieu
tenant Speare that re was present
when other natives had been killed un-
lawfully
General Barnett informed the court
that formal ruling made by Secre-
tary Daniels in 1917 had greatly re-
stricted the authority of the command
tlons. He said this ruling left little
he could do beyond formal comment
on court-martial cases.
The general said that he felt that
he could not do much to check unlaw-
full killings in Haiti, even if they were
few number. When he used the word
"indiscriminate," he said, he did not
mean promiscuous killings, but kill
ings without Judgment"
The witness said his letter to Colonel
Russell containing the phrase indis-
criminatc killings had been marked per
sonal and confidential. but that he had
ordered a copy placed on file, which
he found Immediately available wher
required. He already had written bis
formal approval of the findings of the
court martials, he said.
Held Criticism Justified
~ was writing to express my per
sonal feelings in regard to these two
cases." the witness said "They hao
been called to his Colonel Russell'sl
attention through regular channels.
decided that as commandant of the Ma
rine Corps l was not only justified, but
called upon to make comment upon anC
write my personal views to the briga-
dier commander in Haiti. ] took The
only action | could take according tc
regu ations."
General Barnett added that all the
papers in the cases had been promptly
forwarded to the Secretary of the Navy
"Do you know of any other indis
criminate killings of natives outside
of Lieutenant Speare's statement? .
asked Major Dyer.
General Barnett said a Captain Ham
ilton had been tried and acquitted but