Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-12-10
WATSON'S ARMY CHARGES
PROBED BY COMMITTEE

almost broke up in row today after
Senator Watson had threatened to
slap the face of an army officer sit
ting in the audience.
Chairman Brandegee, of the COM
mittee, taking hold of an awkward
situation, declared that no person in
the room should be insulted. This
statement was made just after Sena-
tor Watson walked up close to Major
George w. Cocheu and, shaking his
finger in his face, exclaimed:
For two pennies I would slap
your face"
"If he looks at me again that way
I will slap his jaws the Georgian
declared, adding that he would not
remain with the committee to be
-"bull-dozed" by this "bull-jawed
brute"
Take your seat, Senator Watson"
Senator Brandegee demanded.
"I'll retire first" he replied.
Take your seat or retire." the
chairman said.
Chairman Brandegee called for the
sergeant-at-arms and Senator Wat
son sat down. Then, turning to the
Georgia senator, the chairman asked
If he wanted the army officer pres.
ent, including Walter E. Bethel, Gen.
eral Pershing's judge advocate gen
eral in France, to retire.
Eyes," said Senator Watson.
well, get out" said the chairman,
and the officers retired.
Major Cocheu had not been. called
As witness and sat silent while Sen
ator Watson was launching a verbal
attack upon him. The senator told
the committee that he had been in
suited by the manner in which the
officer looked at him.
Tilt With Brandegee
Senator Shields, Democrat, Tennes-
see, objected to the attack, stating
that the committee had every desire
to give Senator Watson full hear
ing, that it had not prejudged the
case and that the senator's statement
to that effect wa sabsolntely without
foundation. Senator Watson began
a discussion of the case with respect
to certain evidence he expected to
produce, after the officers had re-
tired, but the committee soon adj
5ourned until p. m. tomorrow.
Senator Shields presided at the
opening of the session, bu: retired
later as Mr.. Brandegee arrived and
took the chair. Soon after there
was an exchange between Mr.. Bran
degee and Mr.. Watson regarding GER
tain conversations relating to pro-
cedure and the presence of army Of
fers while the Georgia senator was
presenting his witness. The exchange
became very heated and Senator
Watson shouted:
81 am not afraid of you"
Nor I of you," Chairman Brande.
gee replied, banging the table.
The chairman went on to say that
there had been no disposition in the
minds of the committee to be unfair
to Mr.. Watson, and that it was not
right for him to impugn the COM
mittee's motives.
"You ought to submit your evil
dence and let us decide" said the
chairman. "Then the senate can de-
tcrmine whether our findings are
proper"
1t was at this point that Senator
Watson turned suddenly upon Major
COchcu, reminding him that he was
not in France, and announcing his
threat that for two pennies he would
slap his jaws.
When the excitement had subsid.
ed, Senator Watson announced that
he desired the committee to call six
ty-three witnesses, whose names he
presented, along with great volume
of letters. There was some INFORM
al discussion, much milder in tone
than that which preceded the row.
Hearings then were adjourned until
2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon and
the committee held an executive Ses.
sion.
Senator Watson, at the opening
of the hearing, protested against
the decision of the committee to con-
fine the inquiry solely to the question
of hangings.
Protests Limited Inquiry
ST want to protest against the ac-
ton of this committee in narrowing
the investigation to hanging of sol
6iers without trial by court-martial,"
Senator Watson declared. My
against these charges being narrow
ed. 1 want il understood that I am
going into the shooting of men by
their officers"
The committee suggested that il
might be necessary to go before the
senate and ask that the resolution
directing the inquiry be enlarged.
Colonel Theodore Roosevelt cor
rokorates my statement that a sol
der was shot by an officer" Sena-
tor Watson declared. 1T was testi-
fled at The trial that the officer shot
the soldier without provocation what
soeVer."
"po you want Colonel Roosevelt
called as witness?" the senator was
asked.
mo. would not embarrass him"
Senator Watson said he had no
witnesses 10 present today, adding
that he proposed to try the case on
the floor of the senate.
n yIT.I TT IT