New-York tribune., 1921-12-22
Senators Informed
Corporal i'm Georgia
Murdered a Soldier
Charge Made by Witness
''Non-Com'' Shot in Back
a Private Who Before Had
Been FeIled With a Club

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21-Because of
the absence of half dozen witnesses
Summoned to appear to-day the Senate
committee investigation of charges by
Senator Watson, Democrat, of Georgia,
that American soldiers had been
hanged in France without trial, was
forced over until after the Christmas
holidays.
The only former soldier appearing
to-day-Marion j. Wallis, Of Athens,
Ga.-did not serve overseas, his testi-
mony relating entirely to the alleged
killing of q private named HALEY by a
corporal at Camp WheelerA Georgia, in
1918 War Department records to de-
tcrmine whether the corporal, desig-
mated by Wallis only as Corporal
Crawford" had been tried were de-
handed
Senator Watson offered telegram
received to-day from James R. Milton,
OF Chattanooga, Tenn, saying he also
had witnessed the killing of HALEY by
Crawford and would come to Washing
ton to testify to that effect Another
telegram from w. f. Brock, of Lindale,
Ca, said the soldier was killed because
he was i'll and unable to work, and that
Crawford was not tried by court mar
tial.
Wallis, however, had another version,
saying that Crawford was tried by
court martial, given q thirty days fur
Tough and then made a sergeant. To
the best of his recollection the killing
was in May or June, 1918.
Some of the kilograms referred to
Crawford as captain, but Wallis
stuck to his story that he was q cor
poral at the time of the shooting.
Wallis explained that he had been
court martialed twice for being absent
without leave, losing his pay for ten
days for the first otfense and locked up
forty days for the second. He said he
voluntarily returned in each case.
There are three A. w. o. L. charges
on my discharge papers," he said.
Reports published at the time of the
Camp Wheeler shooting, he said
showed that Haley was shot while re-
sisting arrest. but he added such re-
ports we're not true
Did he give the corporal provoca-
tion for shooting him? ?" Senator Wat
son asked.
"None whatever At the time he was
clubbing. HALEY was struck down with
a club for refusing to work and then
shot in the back, dying the next day"
The name of Major Hicrone L. Opie,
Of Staunton, Va, who commanded the
Sd Battalion, 10th Infantry, was
placed formally before the committee
to-day. Testifying yesterday, Henry
L. Scott, of Kenmore, Ohio, declared
ne saw a Major Opley, of the Sd Bat
talon, 10th Infantry, kill two soldiers
at different times without provoca-
ton"
Major Opie, from his home at Staun-
ton, issued categorical denial, char
acterizing Scott as "skulker." In a
letter to Chairman Brandegee TODAY
Colonel Walter A. Bethel, assistant
judge advocate general stated that
Colonel Opie was in command of the
battalion mentioned by Scott, that he
had a fine record, and since the war
had been appointed and now is lieu
tenant colonel of the infantry reserve
corps.
A new batch OF witnesses-nine in
all-was ordered to appear January A
for examination in view of their state
ments made heretofore in letters to
Senator Watson and others that they
had frst-hand knowledge of illegal ex-
ecutions.