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Show Z, . I 1 Naval Court Gives Clean Bill to Marines in Haiti M J CEM. BUETT I . CENSURED FOR I his raws No Grounds Found fo- Charges of Indiscriminate Killings by Marines INSTEAD BOARD FINDS I 1 MUCH FOR COMMENDATION ArrinniK r)annprnnq anrl J Thankless Tack Performed 1 Well, Report States W ISHINGTOIS D Hi of Inquiry which ted thi i HI duet oi" flu "i.ir''s in lliltl reported HUfl " s i ' tiKii ; ,1 lui (i !( n no ropei grounds" r.. i BH ntutcincnt by tirigudlo" General Hftfl George Barnetl. former corumandxnt HJK of the marine corps th&t the fore.' bad Hfi been gulllv of "praVtictllv IndlJeriiii- Inate Ulliinjr" of lla; ana HKj fvi r a careful survey, the court. HHJ preslder over bv Rear Admiral Henry Hi t. Mayo, found General Baniett'a HHH charges were "ill considered regret"! table and thorough!) unwarranted re- fectlo on thO WOl . run- orps In Haiti, adding that the corps j Ih ! -- HHJ and delicate duty worthy of the hlgh- MH i-st commendation. I CLEAN BITJj OF HE l.i 11 The marines virtual)) were given a clean bill by the court, which declined to recommend trial by court martial ofFrecnian Lang of Angeles, and Dot-as Williams of Birmingham. All., charged by native witnesses with the murder of Haitian Indeed, i !i . I-ing and Williams cases were not men-i men-i loncd. in all 'Isolated' cafte of unjustifiable unjusti-fiable conduc t bj marines ihe court found "dlsclpUnar) action had been .- to-l-r:;." " The findings .,s modi publli were approved by Secretary lan'.'!s and Major General John A. Leiueae. commandant com-mandant of them:trine corps. REPORT OF PKVDLVG6 The court's findings follow: The court finds two unj isilfiab'e homicides have been committed, one each by two of the personnel of the United States naval service, which hi i nerved in Haiti since July 28, 1915, and that sixteen oih- serious net 01 violence have been perpetrated arainsl citizens of Haiti by Individuals of such personnel. J The court finds that these offense. WEM wore all Isolated acts of Indlvi I BRfl and that In every ca.se the roiponsi- KHJ bio party was duly tin-ought to trial QH convicted and Sentence i llW xo OTHER VIOLENCE. IHI The court has found no evidence of MH the commission of any other unlus?!-flable unlus?!-flable homicides or. other serious un- I sj justifiable acts "i oppn don i '; violence against anj ..f the citizens j of Haiti or unjustifiable damage or A ctlon of their proper! t JE of the personnel In question sgm In view of the fact Hint the only . I unjustifiable acta found to ! committed are those wherein dfscl- tiLS pllnary action has been taken it . ajjH where no farther proceed n-s . ould be I ': had In tl i . ha deemed It necessary to report forth , , ijL as to' responsibill q$B OOURJPS OON l.i SIOXS. Conclusions: w court t hat t here I pro grounds for the statement that "pr II has been going on for sdme time J alleged In the letter from Rrla tieneral George Barnett, United Si i HH marine corps, to Colonel Juim H Rus- jraH el. United States marine corps. Wm Referring to the amendment to the I""' cept, calling .r.r 1 1 n lu on ;."yB "'" "ic COUIl HM to the ein i-ai . on- ct of the personnel of th naval ii ter-lce in Haiti, tht. court does not MjU consider that the small number of Bjffl fiolated crimes, or offenses that .have Hfl been committed by a few tnaivlduahi j of the service are entitled to any would bo committed. However, con-Bl con-Bl elusion as to the general, conduct nl MJH such personnel lli9 rniv ti ... u i rjcin 'Mil . .s. .It wns inevitable some iff.nsc would be commlltc. However. Ilin. t sldering the condition, of service In Haiti. P fenscs were so few In UUmhur and I that the all ruaj be chare;) ible to the ordinary defects of human char-acter. char-acter. such defects as result the commission of almllj- off. ns.-.i :n the H -O The goneial conduct oi our Iroopt can be fairly judged hv the result of tho occupation. lM Now tuf the first t.u.e in more I ban a hundred years tranc.iilllty and .-. -Ml curity of life and proocrty may be said to prevail in Haiti.' The Haitian people welcomed the S coming of our men and arc unwilling KB to have them depart. THANKLESS I iv QBE The osubllshment and maintenance H uf iranu.ull conditions and thou of IH curity of life and property all ocr Vjmt Haiti has been an arduouu and danf H Kerous and thankle s tj our marines have performed with fl-ffijl fl-ffijl dellty and gallant rv Er -,idinK jt opinion of ma. ..,,,.( thai HJ the most serious part. .,, t!.r- roflec- i um which have bi i n n id, po iM tag officers The outstanding charactarJstJo ol .A " omccn has bet n then nip .- iUf - $m (Coutlnned n Page ivi, bTsbbbbs Gen, Oarnett Censored For His Assertions ( oiiiinueii Prom Page One tbetic attitude toward every M?p that wdnhl lead to bette-rneni of the 1 ..un- try ami to Improvement in the physi- cai. mental ami moral conditions of the population. R UP A l t OUSER. Willi slender resources end inadequate inade-quate administrative authority, they have accomplished much, where anything any-thing more (ban suppression of organized organ-ized Insurrection seemed Impossible. After a careful study sif the matters,' the court regards the published Charges a Ul considered, regrettable regretta-ble and thoroughly unwarranted reflections re-flections on a portion of ihe United State marine corps. H. T. MAYO. Rea- Admiral L S. N.. President. JESS K. UYER, Major U. S. M. C,. judge Advocate. |