The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-28
HOSTILE COURT
HEARS BARNETT
TALES OF HAYTI
General. Formerly Head
of Marines, Deplores the
Killings of Natives.
DEATH TOTAL Is $3.50
Mistake in Addition by
Clerk Had Made First
List 1000 More.
TESTIMONY THROWN OUT
Naval Inquirers Refuse to
Put on Record Some Facts
Offered by Witness.
TESTIMONY THROWN OUT
Special Despotch to THE NEW YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington. ID. C., Oct 81.

Major-Gen. George A. Barnett, former
Commandatnt of the Marine Corps, was
the first witness to-day before the naval
court OF inquiry or his charges OF 'in-
discriminate killing" of Haytian natives
Facing tribunal the members of which
took no pains TO conceal their hostility
and their desire to apply n shining coat
of official whitewash to what appears to
be an Administration scandal OF the first
magnitude. he reiterated his statement
that he had been terribly shocked" by
conditions in Hayti.
The inquiry was ordered by Secretary
Daniels after Senator Harding. the Re-
publican Presidential nominee. had called
the attention OF the country to the
Haytian scandal and after the subse-
quent publication Of the Barnett report.
The members of the court are Rear Adj
mirals James II. Oliver and Henry T.
Mayo Of the navy and Major-Gen. w. G.
Neville Of the Marine Corps.
There will be a hght against the ap-
parent intention of the court to conf3ne
the inquiry to the killing of Haytian ma
tives instead of going into the reasons
for the general unrest. 1t is expected
that the weight Of public opinion will
force a complete exposure of the Haytian
mess.
II the Daniels board does suppress the
facts about Hayti by refusing to take
testimony on such questions az that
mentioned, a Congress investigation is
certain TO follow.
Board Reveals Its Hostility.
The attitude of the court was first in
Dictated by it's refusal to admit to the
public record certain testimony offered
h. A~tt a..
further, by an attempt to throw upon
him the blame for a mistake made by a
subordinate officer by which tho total
number of Haytians killed during
American occupation was made to APP
pear $3.50 instead of 1880; and. again,
by an effort to irnpute 10 the witness a
complaint against the Marine Corps as
a whole.
Questioned by Major Jesse F.. Dyer,
Judge Advocate of the Court of Inquiry,
az to the basis Of his statement that
'the Marine Corps has been sadly lack
ing in right and Justice Gen. Barnett
replied that he had reference only to the
two specific cases cited in his report.
There was no question about the
whole Marine Corps" he added. ~but OF
certain individuals. The Marine Corps
did splendid work In Hayti. I was try
ing to correct a fault brought to my at
tention for the first time"
Gen. Barnett admitted that .he had
stated in his report that $3.50 Haytians
had been killed. or an excess Of 1000
over the actual number, but said he
accepted the figures presented to him
by Major Edmund N. Mcclellan, the
officer in charge of the historical section
OF the Marine Corps. The latter was
called as a witness and completely
eXonerated Gen. Barnett of any fault
In connection with the erroneous figure,
explaining that II had been a mistake in
addition, occurring when the killings for
The various years were totalled. and he
exhibited a slip OF paper showing how
the error took place.
The evidence excluded from the record
after Gen. Barnett had offered il was a
letter received from Secretary Daniels
on the question OF his comments on
cases coming to his attention. The infer
cnce was that the letter was in the ma
ture OF criticism for referring to work
not in the Generals jurisdiction The
court held IL immaterial.
Disappointment for General.
After leaving the stand Gen. Barnett
refused to comment on the refusal OF
the court to entertain this evidence. al
though he was plainly disappointed. say
ing that IL would be improper for him
10 say anything whatever concerning the
case outside OF the court room.