Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-01-25
Defense Aide
Says Dickinson
Sick Man
Two Officers Named
To Represent Ex-POW
At Court Of Inquiry

Corpl. Edward S. Dickinson,
former prisoner of war charged
with dealing with the enemy, was
described yesterday by one Of his
attorneys as a very sick man.
The 23-year-old soldier from
Crackers Neck, Va, is under
guard in a prison ward at Walter
Reed Hospital. He was one of
two American prisoners who re-
fused repatriation at first, then
changed their minds.
The filing of charges against
Corpl. Dickinson last week
opened a controversy in high de-
tense circles.
Defense Counsel Named.
1t. Col. Edward w. Hendrick.
a member of the Military Dis
trict of Washington judge adj
vocate general staff. and Capt.
Wilton S. Persons, jr., son of
Maj. Gen. Persons, President
Eisenhower's assistant in charge
of congressional liaiSon, were
named to represent the soldier.
The charges were filed by the
Military District of Washington,
apparently to the surprise of a
number of high Pentagon Off
Gals.
An inquiry will determine
whether Corpl. Dickinson must
face trial.
Col. Hendrick. after talking to
Corpl. Dickinson at the hospital,
said the soldier was obviously
run down and nervous and was
very much shocked when these
charges were read to him" He
said the soldier was a sick man.
Col. Hendrick said Corpl. Dick
enSon did not want to talk to
reporters about the charges. The
officer said he felt that was
right as Corpl. Dickinson in his
present condition could not give
good account of himself.
Col. SprOwI Reports Threats
Meanwhile, Col. Norman F..
Sprowl, public relations officer
for MDW, said he had received
number of threatening tele-
phone calls. It was Col. Sprowl
who announced the charges had
been brought against Dickinson.
Col. Sprowl said he had re-
ceived permission to carry his
service pistol at all times. He
said one of the five calls was
from West Virginia. and the gen.
eral idea was that the caller was
going to "get him" for the ham
ding Of the case.
Assistant Secretary of Defense
John A. Hannah, interviewed on
an NBC television program yes
terday, said the Defense Depart
ment has planned for some time
to take action against returned
prisoners if their actions justi-
fed it.
Timing of Action Criticized.
He indicated it was the timing
OF the charges that worried the
Defense Department. He said it
probably would have been better
to have held off the charges
against Corpl. Dickinson until
the case of 81 other American
prisoners who have refused to
return, had been settled.
Mr.. Hannah declared, how
ever, I'VE don't want to come
into a situation where you en-
courage people in war not to
resist the enemy"
He added it would be unfair
to those killed or wounded in
fighting the enemy to make
heroes of some who chose to
surrender rather than to fight.
The second American who
changed his mind and returned,
is Corpl. Claude j. Bachelor. He
still is in Tokyo but no charges
have been filed against him yet.
After the charges against
Corpl. Dickinson were made
public, the Marine Corps re-
vealed it had established a board
OF inquiry to consider the case
OF Col. Frank H. Schwable of
Arlington. While a prisoner,
Col. Schwable signed a con-
fession about engaging in germ
warfare, and repudiated it after
his release.