New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1925-11-02
Likewise Asks SO Army
And Navy Officers,
Congressman and CIV
iians to Testify AT
Court Martial.
Newspaper Reporters Tes-
tify to Having Received
Written Statement From
Accused at Time Of Shen-
andoah Crash.

Washington, Nov. 2 R>-Colonel
William Mitchell, on trial by court
martial as a result of his criticism OF
the conduct Of the governments air
services today asked the court 10
summon Secretaries Davis OF the
war department and Wilbur OF the
navy department as witnesses.
Several other high officials OF the
two department, several members Oh
congress, and more than 90 army
and navy officers also were named
by the defense In a list of those 1t
would like to question.
Coolidge Not Called
The name OF President Coolidge
did not appear on the list, the col
onel and his counsel, after assessing
the legal obstacles that would STAND
in the way of subpoena for the
president had made up their minds
not to try to summon him.
II was apparent from the colonel's
action in seeking TO bring cabinet
officials and members OF congress
into the trial that he hoped to
thrash out in court the whole range
OF issues involved in the air con-
troversy and thus present a justifi-
cation for his charges, that the air
services had been administered with
criminal and almost reasonable
negligence. Whether the court will
admit that procedure Is question
able.
The ssmy and navy officers for
hou7 4Ubr r3enas were requested by
me dAf ase. included not only those
= direct oh rye OF the two air serv-
i"rs. pUg lose who have general
staff supervision over the arms and
navy organizations as a whole.
E Civilians Also Called
q In addition various aircraft ex-
perts and other civilians were on the
list submitted by the colonel's coun-
sci, They included Donald Mac
MILAN, the Arctic explorer; Grover
Looming, the aircraft manufacturer;
Mrs. Zachary Lansdowne, widow of
the commander of the Shenandoah; E;
Reed Lands, Chicago, and Anton
Heinen, one of the designers of the
Shenandoah.
The defense also requested that
Secretary Jardine Of the agriculture
department, Everett Sanders, secre-
tary to President Coolidge, and
Dwight Morrow, head of the presi-
dents special air board, be called.
Will Ask For Letters
Colonel Mitchells counsel told the
court that In asking a subpoena for
Secretary Sanders they would seek
"copics of all correspondence ex-
changed between the president and
all persons relative to the necessity
and reasons for the formation of
the presidents air board, headed by
Dwight Morrow, as contained in the
flesSof the White House executive
Offices"
Witnesses Called
The court proceeded with the ac-
tual opening Of the trial without In
dicating whether it would summon
those named on Colonel MitchelI's
list of witnesses. Another motion
by Mitchell's counsel to dismiss the
charges on the ground the court had
no jurisdiction was quickly rejected.
Then the prosecution called TO the
stand as its first witness A. w.
feager, reporter for the San An
tonic, Texas, Light" to whom Col.
Mitchell gave a copy OF his San
Antonio statement containing the
accusations that led TO his court
martial.
Reporter Tcstifics
AIR, 1eager said the counsel gave
him the statement on the morning
OF September :. A copy Of it pre-
sented by the witness, however, was
objected TO by Representative Reid
OF Illinois, Mitchell's attorney.
THE statement Is not the same as
the one Colonel Mitchell says he
gave Mr. Yeager." said Reid. There
are lot OF pencil marks on It that
Colonel Mitchell did not make.
The witness explained that the
pencil marks" were put on in the
editorial office of the Light and
merely Indicated the way 1t was 10
he handled in the newspaper.
rs the statement physically the
aame as when Colonel Mitchell
handed II to you?" Mr.. Reid asked.