Salt Lake Telegram | 1905-04-08 | Page 1 | Officer is Sued

OFFICER ISSUED Suit Against Capt. J. E Woodward for $429 on Notes. ' Fort Douglas is considerably exet. ' cised over a suit that has been filed la ... the civil -division of the City court by' Joseph Thomas against Capt. J. E.Woodward E.-Woodward of the Twenty-ninth infantry, infan-try, for debts amounting to $42S. Although Al-though Thomas is the plaintiff in the action, the real plaintiffs to the action are said to be two subordinate officers. Lleuts. E. E. Heskelfand J: B. Barnes. So heated has become the dlscusslpu ; at the fort, it Is said, that it is now a partisan affair. About the standards of the Lieutenants are gathered many. . . persons, while an equal number are loyal to the Captain's case. Although the document filed In the " court states that the action Is brought on a note given for money loaned, it la generally asserted at the fort that th suits grow out of a "little game" held -in the Philippine islands, during the encampment at Jossrlo Gulrtnas. None of the reasons for which the notes were given Is mentioned. It Is related by persons who claim to know the Inside history of the case that a number of poker games were played by the officers while at Camp Gulrina P. I. On the night of Actober 21. 190. Capt. Woodward Is said to have lost heavily and as a result made a note in favor of Lieut. E. E. Heskell. This is alleged to be $294. . Several weeks later, according to rec- ' ords on file, a note was made In favor ' of Lieut. J. B. Barnes for $135. The notes have been assigned to Jo-slah Jo-slah Thomas and Assistant County Attorney At-torney Willard Hanson has been retained re-tained to prosecute the case. It Is alleged that Capt. -Woodward has been asked a number-of times t take up the notes, but he has refused. It is said. , .., Lieut Heskell was railed at the fort but refused to commit himself, saying -that he might know something about the case but could not talk of it