Show I I NAVY CONViCTS ADMIT Prisoners Break Under Cros Examination i I i VALLEJO Dec 11 That That an almost perfect plot on on the part of the the several Beveral prisoners to bring discredit to noncommissioned noncom noncom- noncommissioned officers of the tho United States marine marine corps attached to the tho prison detail de detail de- de tail tall at Mare tare Island was behind the recent re recent recent re- re I cent charges and subsequent investigation Investigation tion there was revealed here It was waa declared that tha the tho prisoners looked to the friendship of oC Chaplain Wil Wll- William lI liam Ilam m IL U. Wilson for them to bring about the removal of the regular regular guards and the tho appointment of other soldiers demanding demanding demanding de de- manding manding less discipline Major or it y 0 Underwood U der U. U t J s lr It M. M tr C CU 1 Lieutenant Commander Harvey S. S S Halslip Hals- Hals lip and Lieutenant Leo D D. D Hermie have completed their inquiry into the charges chaJes made mide by the prisoners and have found every charge ge false Prisoners geo o Oilman Gilman i and McCoy who were the ring leaders of the group of men who asked Chaplain W W. Wilsons Wilson's assistance In obtaining a board of oC inquiry InQuiry in inquiry In- In broke down under cross examination examination examination examina examina- tion by Captain Ralph E E. West est r recorder corder of ot the board and admitted that the en entire entire entire en- en tire affair was nas a The ring JOing leaders of the plot to havethe have havethe havethe the discipline lessened and discredit thrown on the officers and noncommissioned noncommissioned officers in charge are In jail for Cor felonies The master mind of the plot when Informed while submit submitting tin his story to the board hoard that he be is wanted In Oakland I for forgery and that he ho left a I string of I worthless checks from Chicago to Nelv York admitted that the stories of immorality immorality immorality im morality and maltreatment were untrue un un- true Most of the attack was aimed at Gunnery Gunnery Gunnery Gun Gun- nery Sergeant W W. Holley assistant warden war war- den at the prison and ancl at Corporals Schofield and McFadden They charged these men with beating bealing them with night sticks rOn r On the tho stand they admitted that when they were prodded with canes nes they never suffered any physical injuries or hurts and that the action of the noncoms In having the sticks ready is part of th the tha s system tem for tor handling the prisoners leaving 1 I 1 the prison In working parties and reporting re re- porting back for confinement To prevent having the doors opened any longer than is absolutely necessary the prisoners are made to go through the doorways at double time When they refuse to obey this rule they are hurried hur hur- ried by the noncoms prodding them with st sticks I Iby The charge that they are often otten pinned by the heavy steel doors of the prison shown to have resulted from one prisoner falling failing while passing through the door Ills His foot was caught in the door and the injured man was promptly removed to the hospital for treatment Charges Charses that Gunnery Sergeant W W. Holley Bailey Was often otten drunk on duty were shown t to be false falso designed s' s to have this I noncom removed e o from duty I The naval prison on on the the yard ard Is fitted to accommodate persons At the present present present pres pres- ent time men are incarcerated there and It is impossible to keep them apart During the last four months they have been framing charges against the cers |