Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1922-04-07
.RunOrs' of
Scandal In.
Disclosures Linking Names Of
Officers foreseen in Tangle
Surrounding Death Of
Lieut.. Col. Beck.
Sweeping Probe Likely

Oklahoma City, OIL. April O.
Disclosures nationwide in scope,
threaten TO link the name OF
dashing army officers with socially
prominent women. many OF them
married. and cause series OF
scandals expected 10 S,artle the
country Is ioreseen through the
tangled web OF conflicting stories
shadowing the staying OF Lieut. Col,
Paul Ward Beck, commsndant OF
Posi- Aviation field. Fort Sill.
Indications arc that the War de-
partmcnt may order a iar-reaching
probe OF alleged booze parties which
rumor has linked with army posts
throughout the United States and
IN the more isolated national
domains. This is expected TO be
independent OF any local or state ac-
ton
On Trail OF Gay Parties.
While brother officers OF the slain
airman sought TO defend Beck.
Forest Hughes, prosecuting at
'orney. announced he was on the
trail OF a series OF gay parties in
which the glamor OF the uniform
mixed with brew bottles" would
be revealed
Hughes. it became known. based
his investigation into the killing OF
Beck on reports that "thc Day
home, in the hours preceding the
tragedy, rcsemblcd military post"
Moman Pruitt, attorney ior Day,
previously announced that neither
Day nor his wife would testify.
But | will iestify-I must tell
the whole of my story" MrS. Day
insisted. 81 have nothing to hide
J did no wrong. Why should / sit
silently by, and let the idle tongues
IT gossip sway-why should the
woman always pay? My husband
is the only man love-"
Denies Liquor Parties. .
at is silly to say Our home re-
scmbled an army post" she con-
tinued. I'VE had many army men
as guests-chiehy friends of Colone!
Beck, but our home was never the
scene OF liquor parties"
"Since my wife will testify, l too,
will tell my story to the coroncr's
jury Saturday" Judge Day an
nounced, overruling the wishes of
bis counsel
That several army officers. includ-
ing Major Paddock, Beck's COM
panion OIL the morning of the
tragedy, will testify, is certain.
Il can not see why Judge Day
says Beck ran from him-that was
not Beck's Style" Major Paddock
declared in statement issued at
Fort Sill. II know Beck. He was
not the sort to hide behind a cur
tain, even if he was caught in
tight place. Beck had been in too
many tight places to be coward"
Paddock said he left the Day home
half all hour before Beck was killed.
He was spending the night at the
home. of L. H. Prichard, an oil man
who lived 100 yards from the Day
home.
Paddock denied liquor played a
part in the party preceding the trag-
edy.
Quotes Police Officers.
Prosecutor Hughes quoted the po-
lice officers who were first on the
scene as saying that Corn whisky in
glass, some lemon juice and a
plate of sliced oranges" were in evil
dence in addition to brew bottles
on the mantel."
81 am positive Day was not drunk
had not been drinking" said
Hughes.
Public opinion in Oklahoma in
connection with the case is expressed
in a statement issued by R. w. Dick,
former warden of the state peniten-
tiary and business associate of Day.
oklahoma has her own code of
laws for the protection of the home,'
Dick said. "We know Beck was at
tempting to break this code. 1t
makes no difference whether he was
drunk or sober. He came into the
home of his friend and violated it.
The penalty for such action in Okla
homa is DEATH"