Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1922-01-21

reached q limo with me, working IN
this manner for perhaps half hour {.
hour.
None OF my stan was with mo.
was confronted with a situation which
l was forced to handle as best could
Then they began coming back in heavi
or lunches. One group had gone past
mo, headed for the rear, when l Iook
rifle from man and fired ono Sh OF
over their heads and another at their
feet, both shots well ahead Of tho fOye
most man. The group halted
II was as cool as am this minute
mud absolutely positive I did not hit
a man. Later, l sent out patrols to find
out what was tho matter. found my
lines Intact and then proceeded to form
tho stragglers into four columns OF
twos. sending them back into battle In
this formation :"
BRANDS ACCUSATIONS FALSE
Colonel Opie branded ns deliberate
falsehoods every story Of his having
killed man. His testimony was cor
roborated in every detail by tho on
listed men and officers who testified
IN his behalf. Captain A. D. Barks-
dale, who succeeded him in command
or the battalion on October IL, swore
that he had never heard the stories III.
TIL the Senate investigation made pub
lie tho accusations.
Colonel John A. Cutchins and Col
onel Opie left Washington tonight aft
err planning their line of defense for
tuesday, when G. q. Fox and the 9th
or witnesses will DO heard. Although
the Virginia officer undoubtedly is the
winner in his first tilt with his accus-
ers, the investigation which will be
taken up next week provides almost q
separate case. Charges brought by st.
John Withrcw and Smith are not con
nected with the accusation of Fox AID
othor Richmond mon,
INTEREST GREAT IN NEXT CALL
Interest Will be greater next Tnes.
day than at any time OF the invosti6a
tion. Today moro than 200 men and
women, many Of the latter, literally
packed tho committee room.
inc only possible explanation OF
tho charges brought by enlisted men
or his having shot and killed Il run.
nor. afterwards bending over him ard
removing papers, is found In the
accidental killing Of Lieutenant Floy.i
Cunningham, Colonel Opie told Sc III
TOR Brandegeo in response to the clfniy
mans kquestion. Cunningham, he
said, was trying TO extract n rifle
from stack Of captured arms when
the accidental explosion of tho piece
killed him instantly.
TELLS OF CUNINGHAM'S DEATH
II bent over him and felt his heart"
Colonel Opie said. "rhis may be yhe
incident worked by over wrought
minds into the alleged killings with
which am charged"
Colonel Opie was loath to mention
the accident saying that Lieutenant
Cunningham had been reportey by him
as killed in action" out of respeot TO
his family. This incident. he said oc>
Cured October H. in the afternoon.
but was witnessed by a number Of me,
who were going to and from the front.
Senator Brandegeo questioned each
officer who testified as to the probable
1ty or Illegal hangings taking place In
France without the knowledge Of en-
listed men and asked would the men
nave remained silent about such con
dtions.
Tho unanimous verdict was that
American soldiers are not sheep. They
were perfectly capable Of taking cars
OF themselves and such incidents
could not have passed unnoticed."
Other alleged brutalities will DO
taken up by the committee next Tues.
day, but the scope Of the entire inves
tigatlon ia admittedly dependent on
the outcome Of the Opie charges. TO
date none Of the testimony has hat.
the effect Of shocking either commit.
tee or spectators.
summarized, the testimony Of form
Or service men Of the One Hundred
and Sixteenth Infantry who came to
Major Opie's defense today was rs fol
lows:
NEVER SAW opIE SHOOT ANY ONE
Charles Franklin Cox, OF Lynciburg
a travelling salesman, laision sergeant
or the battalion headquarters WAS with
Major Opie most all the time on Octc-
Der and 9th, when the shootings arc
aLeged to have occurred never saw
Major Opie shoot anybody and never
heard OF such a thing until this Sen
ate inquiry started. Major Opie was a
strlct dfscip4narian but popular with
his men,.
Howard Fifer, freight accountant,
Staunton, Va, with a sanitary ietacb
ment, One Hundred and Sixteenth In
fantry, On battle north of Verdun, saw
Major Opie attempt to reform stfas.;
Slers who were retreatine. Major Opie;
tired Into the hillside ahead OF the