Evening star., 1925-11-12

Yes"
Have YOU got il here
No, ] tore il up"
can YOU state in substance what
"aa IN that paper?"
Objection by ,Moreiand.
Here Col. Morcland objected de-
, caring the matter was not known to
/ the accused at the time he made his
statements and on which the charges
&Sainst him are based
Representative Reid said: THE trial
iuGEc advocate does not understand
! me purpose of this testimony. Col
Mitchell charged the Navy would
/ proceed with "A whltewash board in the
case OF the Shenandoah and that, they
trled To get the witness to give false
testimony"
Col. Moreland continued to re-
!,erate has objection and added that
! the statement of the accused with
| reference 10 the Shenandoah was a
| prophecy
But it is subject to trial, though. .
remarked MIR. Reid. Col. Winship
/ the law member. thought a proper
foundation should be laid for the
question, and inquired if the trial Judge
advocate would crosse examine her now
ua 10 why she tore up the paper. He
also said the court would like to hear
! urther why the testimony would be
.mmaterial or irrelevant.
There is no necessity for citing
authorities for the act committed is
usually done as the result of some
thing known. one cannot say the ac
cused was actuated in his statement
by the existence of facts"
Then We're in the most peculiar
position in the world" commented
Representative Reid. Col Mitchell
said these statements We're in my
opinion and now the trial judge ad-
vocate says he couldn't know what
was going to happen. Nevertheless
they are trying us on things we said
were gOin9 to happen and when we
bring in proof he says it is immaterial.
This witness will testify that an officer
Of the Navy Department came to get
her 10 make 4 statement which was
false. Here was a case of white-wash
and she is the only one who knows"
Basis OF Objection.
Col Winship then concluded that
Col. Moreland's objection was raised
from the standpoint either of extenua-
Ion and mitigation or of actual truth.
Representative Reid then read from
the charges and specifications which
contained the Mitchell statements and
included the declarations that the
Navy Department would have a
'white-WaSh board" for the Shenan-
Goah Then turning TO Col. Moreland
ne said; You do not think the state
lnehts here are sufficiently direct to
permit evidence TO be introduced"
1T all is subordinate to the main
statement" replied Col. Moreland.
What is it?" asked the defense.
something about while the hounds
or dig-Gogs are being followed by the
pack, said the judge advocate.
That's the first specification I've
heard" returned Mr.. Reed. We are
glad to know it. We are being tried
on everything here in the statement.
Directed to Tell Contents.
The objection of the judge advocate
was oVerruled by the law member.
ana the witness was directed to tell
the court the substance of the de-
stroyed letter
Mrs. Landsdowne said if was
handed to her by the wife of a promi-
nent naval officer. 1t contained three
paragraphs, the first saving that
when l first accepted the invitation
OF the court of inquiry l felt my hus-
band needed defense, but since then
l y NAAtAIiSS IilN HlIilu.
The second paragraph said INV
husband always regarded the Shenan-
doah as man-ofwar, was not to be
used Tor exhibition purposes, but he
was ready and willing at any time to
use 1t for military purposes regard
less OF the conditions of the weather
or landing fields"
Thanks to Court.
rrt-
The third para graph, Mrs Ians-
doWne testified, gave nv thanks and
appreciation to the court and said I
was willing to leave the matter TO
Them
rs that true or false?" asked Rep
resentative Reid
False" replied the witness, in a
clear voice.
Who wrote the letter."
Capt. Paul Foley
Who gave it to you?"
1t was given to me by the wife of
a prominent naval officer, who is a
very good friend of mine"
Tell the court wherein this state.
ment was false"
Its reference to the fact that my
husband was willing to take the
Shenandoah anywhere and at any
| time regardless of weather or landing
facilities was an insult to his memory
! to insinuate he would do it,
! Did you appear before the Shenan-
! doah board?"
! And when Mrs. Lansdowne replied
! in the affirmative Representative
/ Reid produced a typewriter paper
and asked her if it was a copy of the
statement she made to the naval
! court.
! S,f,.