Evening star., 1923-02-17
CR0NKH|IE.T0B BARE.
SHOCKING" FACTS.


inent from tho active roll Of the
Army. Maj: Gen. Adelbert Cronkhite.
| war time commander Of tho Soth Di-
vision, last night promised revela-
tions which will shock the conscience
or the country" according to the As
ISOLATED Press.
Maj. Gen. Cronkhite repeated his
| charge that he was taken out Of ac-
tive service because Of tho attention
he was giving to investigation of
the death Of his son. MAI. Alexander
p. Cronkhite, mysteriously killed In
1913. at Camp Lewis, Wash. He said
that in what he had done he was only
performing the duty, to which was
assigned by the President" He had
neen given no opportunity. he added,
70 place the true facts before the
lished regulations, had been denied
even the right Of appearing before
retiring board.
"A Senate investigation INTO the case
already has been requested by Jen-
nings 9. Wise, who served In the 80th
division as: lieutenant colonel, and
by others of Gen. Cronkhite's friends.
Yesterday Senator Reed. republican,
Pennsylvania, to whom Col. Wise ad-
dressed his request for an investiga-
tion, replied to the colonels letter
with promise that the case would
receive careful consideration. Senator
Reed added. however. that he had not
yet decided whether to present a reso-
luton OF inquiry.
Believes President MisIed.
In mis- statement last night Gen
Cronkhite emphasized that he be-
lteEed President Harding had been
inisled' into signing. the retirement
order. and that the grave irreguiari-
ties' he charged in connection With
the case OF Maj. Cronkhite had taken
place before Secretary Weeks took of
Hce. The statement follows:
III Is very gratifying to me that
FORMER officers of my division should
have voluntarily come forward to
mand i placed at their disposal the
documentary evidence relating to my
retirement in order that they might
draw their own conclusions as to
when an officer of the Army loses his
NE while on duty the responsibility
for q full. investigation OF the facts
rests on the War Department, and
that when a confession. is made to the
murder Of an officer and an indict-
ment Is had against tho confessed
murderer 1t is the duty of the War
Department TO spare no effort to
bring the guilty person to the bar Of
Justice.
MY friends agreed with me that IL
the War Department saw III To as
sign me to duty in connection with
the case Of the murder OF my son. j
should not have been retired on the
ground that ] was not available for
other duties, especially when, in fact,
/ did perform other duties. To pro-
mote an officer in 1921 at the end OF
forty-three years Of faithful and ap-
parently efficient service, and to call
for his retirement in 1922 on the
ground that his services are no longer
OF value is not consistent.
Would Prove Statements.
There has been no statement made
by me at any time with reference
TO the irregularities in the records
OF the War Department in the case
to prove. Those Irregularities are
grave. They did not occur during
the incun nbency of the present Secre-
tary OF War. The records OF the
War Department and tho Department
Of Justice Will show Congress, if Con-
gress desires TO know the facts. ex
actly what has occurred IN connec-
tion with the case OF my son and, no
doubt, why 1t has occurred.
son lost his life. He was an officer
Of the Army on duty with troops at
the time. He was officially recorded
by the War Department as having
died as tho result OF self-infiicted
wound.
Investigations which the War De.
partment should have made and did
not make led to the arrest of two
men who were charged with his mur-
crime. without trial they were lib
Grated. Later, upon. the same evil
dence they were rearrested and upon
the same evidence indicted by a grand
jury. Today one OF them Is free
again by reason of Il technicality of
~ haf,
done by the War Department to
bring either Of them TO trial In the
proper Jurisdiction.
Meantime I have been retired be-
cause in performing the duty to which
/ was assigned by the President
was deemed to be not available TO
the War Department 1t Is true that
the President may at his discretion
retire an officer sixty-two years of
age. but an officer may not be-
tired for cause save upon the find
ing of retiring board. The records
IN the War Department today show
that 1 was in fact retired for cause.
the cause stated not being in ac-
cordance with the facts.
Il have appealed in vain 10 both the
President and the Secretary of War
pursuant to the ninety-seventh article
OF war for an opportunity to estab-
lish the facts in my case. am con-
hdent that the refusal of the President
no other cause than he has been misIed.
and l am equally confident that the
President had no desire to do me a
wrong.
There are some things which an
American officer cannot permit, however
even II unfortunately 1t becomes neces-
sary for him to act In opposition to those
for whom he entertains only the high
est respect. ] have not the slightest
doubt that when this case is finally
settled and the President knows the
whole truth he will commend and not
condemn me for my course. NY ef-
forts are directed not only to doing
justice to my son and myself, but to
relieving the Army Of a reproach that
rests upon 1T, and with that end in
view feel that am acting in the in
terest of every officer in the Army.
The facts in this whole unfortunate
affair, when they come to light. will
shock the conscience of the country.
and unless something happens to me
they will surely come to light. They
are known to the Department Of JUS
CiCe. and all II ask iS that fpaeo