Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-12-30
BATTALION ADJUTANT
SAYS OPIE INNOCENT
Corporals Kahn and Carlton
Declare They Saw AL
legged Killing.
""nm,>'>"" or GH,,s IS DENIED
Orderly said To- Itnyr Hrrn Shot by
Nirgininn. Fell in Action,
Hrcords Show.

Both confederation and rcpudation
of charges that Colonel II. l.. Opic,
OF >taunton. shot and Killed members
OF the Nmcrican expcditionary forces
in France during the world war. were
made yesterday.
While Lieutenant Beverley c,
wilkes, of '.5oI Park Avenue. Rich
mond. who was adjutant to Colonel
ppic overseas. was defending his SUI
per'"r officer against the allegation
made in a sworn affidavit. by Corpo-
raj Charles r.. Fox. of l52S Floyd
Avenue. that the Staunton man
whipped an automatic revolver from
ms holster and shot in the back and
instantly killed a messenger. who,
nut "a moment before. had handed
NAM dispatch. Jas,es Kahn. OF io7
south Randolph street. and james f..
carton. OF lili Rcvcriey Street, and
the story OF Fox was true.
Eo'h declared yesterday that they
We're eye witnesses to the alleged
wanton killing. Kahn was "a corpo-
raj "f the First rioncer infantry. al
i'rhed |" Company u. one Hundred
an" sixteenth infantry. and Carlton
was corporal III Company u. Fox,
too. Was corporal in the same COM
panN. formerly section OF the Rich
m"Hd Grays Battalion, and commands
cd. at the time OF the Argonne Of
i'nsirc. by Captain William 4.
stack. also OF Richmond. Both Kahn
ana Carlton denied. vchementlv. that
members OF Company B broke" as
charged by .Coi9net Opic.
Says Smith AdJudged Insane.
NJ the same time. William Askew.
hnsler in the Third Battalion. One
hundred and Sixteenth Infantry.
which was commanded by Colonel
Prie overseas, and one Of the me,
wh" l.cmucl O, Smith. now an inma,a
or the Southwestern state uosni,,i
at Marion, in letter to senator
THOMAS u. Watson. of ,;coryjo said
was WIN MIN when he found Colonel
'ric in a tu.oui standing nv.,. ma
dead body OF William" WooIw;,,
declared by Smith l." have h.cp Cni'
"h"i ppi"'s orderly and To- have b..n
r."'h "N S"i"nci opie, telegraph TO
Richmond tina; the story or Smi,h
absolutely unfnuudcd." Colonel
"''"S'E. \Skew added was ~
GER from his outfit at Anniston.
>''' ana later was brought back to
"'s company ana sent overseas wi,h
smith. according To Askcw va.
""""h as Jersey Eull" smith. md
M'S "uJ"'Scd insane b1 civilian an
thoritic.. ~
Nept by Captain 4. n
rh;r,I ,,, commander OF Company NJ
'"""i' one Hundred and
infantry, while in France.
'""' Hhith was "A private in tba,
an" not first sergeant ne
~ ca" "'med in his letter To scna,nr
watson. "'or
Died In Ills Arms
""oIWinc'S first nam. w,.
ny Sn,'h as William" Two nriva,a
aihrr and Erncst--brotb,rs tn.t'
.s"I' invest virginia. are listcd ,u ~,
""H'rr r".l OF Company M nr.,,
~ "P'a'h Barksdalc Novemha,
- "H 'his "rranization Was r.,iri,
- @ @"'i participation in the Meus..Ar
II,n, This record shows
action aud Walker w.nIw,n. az
M"uhdcd and evacHated to n bosnj,nt
mere Is no William Wonlwin, o., ~
t"'lS' according to iuforma,ion ya,n
tcrdaN yes
''f'''H bdFNSutlc was uuotri
''rhaN as saying that h. was nr.sant
n' the death of Ernest Wnolwin. ,n,I
th"t ihiS private virtually ,xp;reJ
IN ms arms Private Smith is I;s,cd
III this muster roll as absent" ,c
c"ra'nS 10 The Times -Dispatch,s
source of information
, russell o. Stun-. "f Pulaski w,s
hrst serGcant az Company Al accord
ihs To captain Harksdale. "Mainr
uhie could NOT have Shot his ORDERLY :.
captain Barksda,e said. "as tnhcrii.
th him when l took command OF mo
rhird Battalion after the, major yax
wounded THIS orderly. who was with
Major ppie when the offensive began
was Private Blanc. of New York, This
Smith was never a sergeant and his
charges are lies"
John Kahn declared yesterday that
he saw Colonel Opis shoot n soldier.
1t WAS on a hiii in the Argonnc on
the morning of October .. 1918, he as
serted He declares ne saw Colonel,
opi" grab gun and shoot the SOL.
Kahn;s sta,ement Is subs,an.ia.ed
by 4amcs r. CaTiton. Il sawgolonel
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