Evening star., 1925-10-27
MITCHELL COURT
ARRIVING IN CITY
Stage Being Set for Trial,
Which Opens Tomorrow,
Probably at 10.

Military Washington was in a buzz
of anticipation today as the prepara-
tions for one Of the most outstanding
in War Department
history were in the final stages.
Four members of the mightiest gen
eral court-martiaI that ever sat in
Judgment Of an officer IN the grade OF
colonel had arrived in Washington to-
day and registered with the adjutant
general. The other members who are
to try Col. William Mitchell on
charges Of violating the 96th article
Of war are arriving this afternoon
and evening, including Maj. Gen.
Charles p. Summerall, president of the
tribunal.
At the Emery Building, First and B
streets, the scene Of the trial, carpen-
ters. electricians and painters were
putting finishing touches on the
rather obsolete quarters which Will
house the event. The main room was
divided into three sections-the first
for the court and its attaches, the
second for the press and the third
for spectators. There are accommo-
dations in chairs for only so members
of the general public and they will
not be admitted to the building until
9:45 o'clock tomorrow morning.
Likely to Begin at 10.
Although no definite time has been
announced by the court, owing to the
lack Of organization at present, pro
cedure and tradition have 1t that the
curtain will rise on the climax of Col.
Mitchell's battle with the War De-
partrnent at 10 O'Clock. 1t is up to
Gen. Summerall to fix the time, but
it was generally conceded he would
select that hour.
"Jim" Preston, superintendent OF
the Senate press gallery, and Bill
Donaldson, superintendent of the
House press gallery, today had COM
pleted arrangements for accommodat-
ing 40 members of the press, and had
seen that telegraph wires and tele-
phones, which will carry the reports
of the trial, were installed.
Col. Sherman Moreland, judge advo-
cate of the court, and Lieut.. Col. Jo-
seph l. McMullen. assistant judge ad-
vocate, who occupy positions corre-
spending to prosecuting attorneys IN
civil courts, We're closeted most Of
the morning, and officers of the War
Department found it difficult TO OBJ
tain interviews with them.
Representative Frank r. Reid of
Illinois, chief civilian counsel for Col.
Mitchell, announced that Judge +. r.
Plain OF Aurora. ILL.,, also had been
retained as civilian counsel by Col.
Mitchell, both of whom will serve in
addition to Col. Herbert A. White,
Judge advocate of the Sth Corps Area,
appointed by the War Department at
the air crusaders request. Repre-
sentative Reid said he would hold a
conference this evening with Col.
Mitchell. He admitted he had no
plans in store because we don't know
what they are going to do" AS soon
as he finds the attitude of the court
on various questions of importance,
he added, wen be prepared"
Officers Arrive.
Department this morning We're: Maj.
Gen. Fred W. Sladen, superintendent
of the United States Military Academy;
Maj. Gen. William S. Graves, in com
nand of the 9th Corps Area, at
Chicago: Maj. Gen. Benjamin A.
Poore, in command of the 7th Corps
Area, at Omaha and Brig. Gen. Ewing
e Booth, comma ndant of the Cavalry
School. Fort Riley. Kan.
War Department OfflCfalS thought
that Col. Mitchell would be placed
under technical arrest" tomorrow
morning. when he appears before the
court. The arrest" consists of being
told by the president of the court
that he must remain within the juris-
diction of the court and hold himself
in readiness to appear and answer all
questions at any time.
There are Sc points of procedure
for conduct of trial by general court
martial, and these will be followed by
the court tomorrow and succeeding
days The United States Infantry AS
sociation. with headquarters here, to-
day made public a summary of the
manual for courts-martial, as com
piled by NJ. r. Nichols, military court
reporter and member of the District
of Columbia Shorthand Association
The procedure, in brief, as set forth
in the pamphlet entitled Check List
for Judge Advocates" follows:
Organization of court: President
calls court to order; trial judge advo
cate calls roll to ascertain presence
and absence of members Of court; in
troduce accused; announce presence
Of defense counsel and assistant de
fense counsel, il any; ask defense coun
sci and the accused whether the &C
cused desires to introduce any in
dividual counsel; swear reporter: ask
accused if he desires a copy of record
of trial; read order converting court
ask If any member has formed ar
CONTINUED on Page 4, Column A.