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Show HOUSE COMMITTEE MBIT CASE President's Letter Asking-Leniency Asking-Leniency for Major Is Put in Evidence. GEN. WHIPPLE ON STAND ''Political ' Paymaster" Shown to Have Changed Stations IS Times in 13 Years. WASHINGTON. Keb. li. The alleged al-leged political influence of Major Bcecher B. Ray, the army paymaster, declared to liave enjoyed frequent elutnges of stntion and immunity from troubles because of the influence oi President Tuft, again was a subject of investigation todav before the house committee on expenditures in the war dopartmont. Paymaster Gene nil Whipple testified that Major Ray had established a record rec-ord for i're(uout changes in stntion. In thirteen vesirs ho had been successively successive-ly stationed at eighteen points, -whereas tho uvcrane assignment of a paymaster paymas-ter at anv statiou is between three nud four voters. Chairman Holm asked General Gen-eral Whipple if nnv of the assignments had been made at the direction of President Pres-ident Taft. President's Letter. One of the hitters of President Taft to Paymaster General Whipple, put In evidence evi-dence in the case and made public today., follows: Beverly, .luly 5, 1310 (personal and confidential). Dear Genernl Whipple I have read the letter of regarding Pay master Kay. which you have shown ino before. In limes pant I had had a personal Interest In the welfare of Major liny. I have no relations with Major Ray Hint prevent my direct In ir you to take the same disciplinary action ac-tion In respect lo him as in the case of anv of your subordinates. It seems to me that It would be wise to send General Garllngton or a trusted assistant to Inspect Kay's accounts and those of his clerk, as well as the rhnrses makes that if tho facts turn out to be as slated, to separate - from Kay at once. While Kay s conduct. If charges are Hue, could subject him to the severest condemnation, there seems, from " lanuuaKe and telecrams, lo bo such a condonation by him and his wife that it would be well to avert the demoralizing scandal for the army Involved in the court irmrllal proceedings, which would place a Htlnma, on and Mrs. which they could never recover from. Ray could b told that his superiors knew his fault and have provided asBlnst It. and in tho interest of his victims and Ihc army If It was deeined best not to present it to the board on tho condition that he avoid such con-dust con-dust in the future. Army Would Suffer. These sucscstions arc on the assumption as-sumption that charges are true and that General Garlinton known them to he so T do not favor court-martial court-martial proceedings In such cases where there Is condonation, In order to prevent scandals. The army suffers, suf-fers, the parties suffer and only the prurient readers of such trials receive any advantage. The discipline involved in-volved does not outweigh in Its benefit bene-fit for the army the Injuries to the prestige of the army and (he demoralization demor-alization it causes. You can show this letter to General Gen-eral Gnrllngton and General Oliver, hut I would prefer thai It does not zo on your ofllclal illea. The course I suggest is the one. U .cems to me, Is best under the circumstances. Major Ray did mo some service of a political character years ago, at the instance of my brother, ami he is disposed to assume much, too much, on thnt score. I wish him treated as any other officer in the .service and I would make the same suggestion as to any army officer in a similar case. Sincerely yours. WILLIAM" II. TAI-T. TafVs Second Letter. A year later President Tail sent this kMr to General Whipple: The White House, Washington, July U. Mil. My D"ar General Whipple I writ a this that you may hhow it to Mr. Hay and Mr. Sweet of the committee. commit-tee. Yon ha.vc come to me at your own- Inntaine with the statement that you have learned that Mr Sweet is indignant because he thinks he hat been misquoted in retard to an omission of two or three pages of the war department report called for by II. U. 20R. The port of the record cnllted refers to a charge against Major Rceebcr Kay of illicit relations with a certain married woman, in respect tn which 1 was consulted by you nt the time the charge was made, and also at the time the resolution va passed. I saw Mr. Swei In New llaven and told him that I deprecated depre-cated its being brought out, a I thought It would tend to blast thj. reputation of married woman who; an I understood, was llvinr happily with her husband and was not probably prob-ably what the committee was searching search-ing for. I asked him ti Mr. fovlngton. who had prompted th resolution, and find If that part of the record might be omitted. Consented to Omission. I understood from the seeretarv of war and also from General Wood that Mr. Sweet had consented to an omission of that part of the record, unless on Its being brought to the attention at-tention of the committee a. full record rec-ord whh desired nnd that, in addition to understanding, the particular page of the record wr omitted from the return until further notice was received from Mr. Sweet. I do not defdre any understanding and I w!.h that the whole record shall go to the committee If the committee com-mittee desires It and to know what the circumstances are. I will ask you, therefore, to take ths pages of tho record to Mr. Hay. the chairman of the military committer, and Mr. Hwet nnd show them th pages jnd such correspondence, confidential and otherwise, referred lo In the record. You have nlso a letter from me. nrltten July last when you consulted m$ about this matter, which I Intended In-tended to be confidential nnd pot to be put on the flies, but 1 have no objection to your showing that letter to Mr. Hay and to Mr. , and If they desire to bring them out. you may make It a pari of the record. You will plense explain the circumstances, circum-stances, according to your understanding under-standing with m- and the fact that Mr. nnd Mrs. were living toeclher happily and the appeals which he has made to you to withdraw with-draw his original letter, In which he. mode the charge, and then leave to these gentlemen the decision a? to what eourie he shall take. Verv sincerely, WILLIAM II. TAFT. ' .Messrs. Sweet and Covington, referred to In the president's letters, are representative), repre-sentative), in congress from Michigan and Marj land. respec-tU elv. General Whipple testified Saturdav that President Taft s letters hnd suppressed hargs against Major Ray. |