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Show : VAK DEPARTMENT COMPLIMENTS GEN. FUNSTON - WASHINGTON, April 25. ByNfllrection of tha Secretary of War, Judge-Advocate- General Davis has addressed a letter, to IT rrlg.-Gen. Funston refusing his request ; for a court of Inquiry to Investigate his conduct In the Philippines. The text of .X the fetter 'Is as follows: I have to acknowledge tha receipt of your communication of the i7th ultimo, In which you request that a court of in- qulry be appointed to investigate certain , iterations contained in a letter addressed m to the President by Herbert Welsh of - Philadelphia, in which It Is charged that on or about February JO, iWJ, certain or- ders in respect to the treatment of pris-. pris-. oners of war were giv;n by you to the regiment of which you were Rt that time " the Colonel, as a consequence of which . two prisoners of war wore put to death - during the progress of an engagement with the enemy at Caloocan, province of . I.uson. P. I., by officers or enlisted men of the Twentieth Kansas volunteers. The Secretary of War directs me to " express his satisfaction with your atti- tui In respect to the above-mentioned - allegations, as expressed in your urgent request that the incident ba made the " subject of an exhaustive Investigation by . a tribunal having power to administer caihs and to compel the attendance of witnesses. He Is especially gratified at the disposition manifested by you to waive all responsibilities which Btand In the way of a thorough inquiry, and the statement with which your letter concludes, con-cludes, that "if a court of inquiry finds that I gave any other orders before the battle of Caloocan, or lefore any engagement en-gagement in the Philippines that I participated partic-ipated In in the Philippines, that would Justify the giving of no quarte-. that I will at once resign my commission in the United States army." The matter has already been made the subject of official investigation upon three separate occasions. In one of thVss investigations, which occupied sixteen days of continuous examination, nn officer offi-cer authorised to administer oaths to witnesses, and exercising his authority whenever necessary, examined over S.fl witnesses. Neither in that nor In any other investigation was there any testimony testi-mony elicited showing or tending to rhew that orders directing the killing of prisoners pris-oners of war had been given by you at any time, or und?r any circumstances. On the contrary, the evidence leaves no reason for doubt that the charge was without foundation. The Secret ary is therefore of the opinion that the public interests will not be served by a further prosecution of the inquiry, and directs that you be bo advised. |