Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1920-10-28
WILL INVESTIGATE
CONDUCT MARINES
IN SPECIOL COURT
FIRST SESSION LASTS on SIlORI
TIME AND Will. MEET
ALtIN TOMORROW.
CASUALTY LIST COMPILED
Table submit by Major Mel .rilail
Shows That Many bandits Were
Killed. Majority ol Them
IN tctiOn.
uy Assnrihird Press.
WARRINGTON

WASHINGTON, oct. Public In.
N"siigltipn uf the conduct ul American
Marines ~ lliiti Wly begun today hy
the special naval court at inquiry. with
the examination uf Acknowledgement
lilIncit, FORMER cummlndnnt nf the mt.
rinc cops. and Major Edmund y. Mc.
lsrllan of the corps historical division.
Thv ltlN session lnptcd only u little
more than an hour. aud while tho couf
Viii meet again tomorrow. no furthua
Witnesses have vet been Summoned
iIarncti's Charge.
General Barnett told the court that
his charge IT "indiscriminatc killing" or
natives In Haiti which prompted the a..
qWiy, had been based an the record ui
III" court marital uf two marine corps
priyai"s. Walter T.. Juhgun and John J.
McQuillin, IL. lie corrected u previous
announcement that a total at = $50 mr..
lives had been Killed IN action ~ other
wise. during the five years ~, AmricRh
occupation uf the Republic. explaining
that an error Ia addition made In the
historical section OF the CORDS resulted
~ this announcement lie had learned
since, hc said, that the total was 2.sia.
Major MERCHANT IN whuSc office the
casually list was complied, submitted
table showing the recorded number Of
bandits killed. lic said that few had
mot death otherwise than IN action.
Native casualties In 1915. the frat
year OF the occupation, were placed 1T
sl2; those In 1915 nj SO. In 1917. .. 1915.
30; 1918, SCI, ana IN 1890. 30.
Attacked by Bandits.
Tho witness explained that the large
casualty liz last year was due tn a..
tackg IN fore 10y thu bandits on por.
au Prince and 10 tho campaigns coil'
Quoted In the hills.
General barnett said hc wanted 1,
AIDE clear that his letter ~ last year
20 Colonel John ~ Russell. In whlrh
references made &C. "indiscriminuic Kin.
ing" of natives was based only on the
'ecord 1T the trial uf rrivaics johnson
ana McQuillkrn lie added. however.
that the statement 10 consul and test..
muny IN thoae eases ~ shocked hi
that he had directed further invcstigt'
ton. IT, reiterated that hy "indiscrim.
p e. killing be- dld not mean 'promls'
Cuuus' killings. hut rather executions
without judgment,
In marking the letter o. Colonel Rus
sci Personal ana Confidential" General
Barnett Snid he had two reasons The
firit va, that he had already written an
official letter Ia secretary Daniels COY
urinE the ease TIE SECOND was he dbl
not want IN become public property"
Could Clear n Up.
IL | were permitted a. make a de-.
tailed and chronological statement e
events as they occurred during the
whole term uf our occupation Of Halt"
the general said. Il could sunn clear
this whole thing up
Replying to questions II Major JOS
T. Dyer Judge ady"catc 1T the court
General barnett said he had ne per
sunnl knowledge 81 any improper actr
hy the marines and knew nothing ~ A.
legged unlawful executions ui natives
Dnc other ease. that uf Captain Ham
iltuu" now q lieutenant. hc said. "lett
q bad taste la my mouth. although tn
officer had been acquitted los court
martial"