| Show Colonel Williams Was Sick at Coronado On Night Gen Butler Says He Was Drunk Cocktail Case Court Martial Under tinder Way With First Wit Wit- Witness Witness Witness ness Declaring He Never Saw Officer Take Drink Nor Did He Smell Any Liquor IARI 1 MARINE E BASE DASI SAN SN DIEGO Cal April Uy U-Uy n 12 12 By Tho Th Associated Preceded by a 0 salute o OC thIrteen gun guns t heralding h tho ot of Rear Admiral Thomas Tonas Wash Wash- WashInton WashIngton Washington ington Inton president ot of o the court the court martial ot of Colonel AlexanderS Alexander Iu S 8 Williams William on a l charge charf ot of by General Smedley U D Butler opened here u aL l lUIO 11 10 a in ni with a 0 handful ot of spectators and nd two score core news writers photographers and ond Dd telee des des- In attendance e BI Big Biff aluminum water pitchers flanked by columns ot oC o paper cups wore the tho most moet mo t noticeable decora decoro- decoration tion o ot of the th courtroom In which tes tea tea- testimony timon was to 10 bo be presented bearInt bear bear- lug Ing on tho th ho colonels colonel's alleged appear appear- appearance anco ance Intoxicated In the public rooms of ot a Coronado hotel March 6 o After a wIth defense counsel the judge advocate advocat general Hermle Leo advised ad the court curt he hew w was s ready to proceed He asked the defendant It 1 he hall had counsel ready to defend him Cob Colo- Colo named Major Russell Putnam capt captain ln B D Cates Lieutenant Commander Harrison and a 0 civilian counsel coun el Lewis n It Irby formerly district attorney ot of ofSan San Diego county Tho Th Judg judge advocate advocat Interposed an objection to Captain Gates Cates as a 0 member ot of counsel coun el for the defense Captain Cates he h explained Is a material witness tor for the prosecution and ond should not be at- at al 01 allowed lowed towed to a act t as os defense deCenso counsel aft aft- aft after er Cr he has he-has has testified The Th objection was as sustained and Captain Cates Cotes was disqualified pending his testimony for tor the th prose prose- prosecution prosecution cution Captain and Mrs Sirs Gates Cates were among the tho guests at par par- party par party ty tIp given by Colonel Williams In his Coronado home horn In honor ot of Gen Gen- Gen Gen- General General eral ral Butler shortly before the latter ordered Colonel Williams arrest Co Cocktails were ere alleged to have been served at this dinner It CHARGES aS nc D The o ate then read the charges charses ot of Intoxication against Colonel Williams William and ond the specifications as follows That That Colonel Colonti Williams on or about Mar March larch h 6 i was drunk In the Hotel Del Coronado at ot Coronado Beach and ana thereby incapacitated for duty Asked how he pleaded to the charge Colonel C lonel Williams William's replied Not lot cot guilt guilty And to the specification 7 Not ot guilt guilty The defendant stated he h had hd no objection to the th form of ot the charge charse and specification and was ready to proceed Captain Cates as the first witness wit witness ness called Tell Toll all you know Captain he be was asked ot of o the th condition ot of ColoneL Williams WillIam ot of March 6 Kirby ot of o defense defenso counsel Imme- Imme Immediately mm objected to the question ala as too broad The court adjourned to consider the objection WILLIAMS SICK The court returned with Ith the news that tho th objection was sustained However Captain Gates was al- al 1 1 wed cd to answer the th more specific query I Tell what hat you ou know o ol et Colonel the Coronado hot hotel I The Th wItness lIness rc related how he went th to the hotel about 1020 on tho night ot of March larch as tue lo Colo Cob Colonel Colonel nd nel and Mrs Iri Williams He said he h saw the th colonel n near ar arthe the door ot of the th b ballroom and heard him remark Im Fm sick Ick I jant to eo so home CaptaIn Cates Gates Immediately ot- ot of offered ered his assistance he testified as dl dId also a Major nowell noell Colonel WIlliamS ws w s unsteady on hs h feet teet and very pile contin the witness We o walked out of ot the lobby Jobby I with him and got sot Into Major 1 Dow Itow- Dowell Row ells ell eli car In which the tho th colonel WM was taken to his home At t no time during this period did I see C nel Williams take tak a 0 arink rink Nor did I smell mell liquor on his breath |
