Evening journal., 1922-01-05
OTHERSDECLARE
OPIE KILLED
Smith Says He Saw Army
Major Murder in
Argonne
OFFICER REITERATES
STORIES FALSE

W NAHblNGION, Jan. b.-NOmteo
Press)-Once more the finger of ac-
cusation was pointed today at Major
II. l.. Opie. Staunton. Va, charged
before the Senate investigating com
mittee with killing two American
soldiers in France.
bemuel o. Smith, of Dublin, Va,
testified he and three other soldiers
entered a dugout in the Argonne in
october, 1918. just in time to see
Opie shoot and kill bill" Woolwine.
of Bradford, Virginia. an army run
ner.
I'VE saw Opie deliberately take
aim with his 45 and shoot Woolwine
down" Smith declared 1--WE killed
him. Take him OUT. Dpie com
manded, according to the witness.
The other men who witnessed the
shooting, Smith said, were Toad"
Ellison and william A. Askew, OF
Pulaski, Va, and Lee Collins, of
Dublin, Va
Major Opie sat close to Smith as
the latter testified. Opie's eyes were
riveted on the witness. He smoked
cigar.
An open clash occurred between
Col. W. A. Bethel, of the army
staff, and Herbert L. Cadenhead,
Greenville, Miss, former private,
when the latter told the committee
that he witnessed the hanging Of
ten or twelve" American soldiers at
! Is-Sur-Tille. France.
This Witness" shouted Bethel
/ tafa. Il tr.er -. -.
the War Department has no rec
ord"
Bethel sprang 10 his feet and
darted angry glaaces at the wit
ness.
"Only II hangings took place in
France, altogether, and only two OF
them we're at Is-Sur-Tille," Bethel
cried.
Cadenhead snapped back at Bethel
with the statement that he saw at
least 10 men hanged at that place.
All the executions. he said. we're
after the armistice, the first coming
in February, 1919. Four Of the men
hanged were white and the others
colored, he testified
Soldiers in the camp who had a
hand in the hangings. Cadenhead de-
clared. told him the men we're
''doped" before they we're taken to
the gallows 80 they would not
know what was coming on"
Major Opie, is ready to take the
stand in his own defense.
'I can produce so witnesses and
$50 letters and kilograms to rofute
the accusations that I shot down two
American soldiers in France" Opie
said.
He held a sheaf OF papers in his
hands.
These are letters and teIegrams
from men who served under me in
France" he said. "They will heir
me in proving that the preposterous
charges made against me are utterly
unfounded.
Indications were Opie would he
called TO the witness stand in hi,
own defense late today. In the
meanwhile, he will sit and lister
while more former "doughboys'
who fought under his command in
the Argonne Forest present sworr
testimony against him.
Direct testimony that Opie sho
down two soldiers in cold blood wal
/ given the investigating committe,
, late yesterday.
] Grayson Withrow Of Baltimor
swore that he knelt in a shellhol
in the Argonne on the morning o
81 October s, 1913, and saw Opie shoe
i an American who was running L
n the rear.
William st. John, OF Lynchbure
4 va, testified he stood ten pace
h from Opie on October Q. 1918, an,
= watched him shoot through tn
Il back a headquarters courier VIII
e failed to halt at the majors com
e mand.
j. -Four others named by st. Jok
@ as having witnessed this will b
r. called, Chairman Brandegee said tc
day. The men are Robert Barks
& dale, OF Lynchburg, Va; Henry Bui
Ic pee, OF Lynchburg Mass; Oscar
e May. Of Lynchburg, and another e,
p soldier by the name of ''Woodall
T. or "Goodall," who lives in Win
'e chester, Va.
St. John plunged the hearing int
l. a turmoil late yesterday, when h
d banged his fist on the table an
l. shouted the charge that counsel fC
" Major Opie was trying to max
" out" that he was little nutty"
ID IT know whatsyou are trying I
do" st. John cried, "but I'll put m
brains against yours any time"
iu
ID CHRISTMAS GREENS