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[[PHOTO]]
CALLING A SPADE A SPADE AND WHILING AWAY IDLE HOURS. Witnesses in the Mitchell case, in a room not far from the court, playing cards while awaiting call to the witness stand. Left to right: Lieut. Leigh Wade, round-the-world flyer; Lieut. O.A. Anderson, Lieut. H.W. Sheridan, Maj. Sumter Smith and Lieut. Eugene Eubanks, adjutant at McCook Field, Dayton, Ohio. Copyright by Underwood & Underwood.

MITCHELL WITNESS WARNED OF DANGER
Wash. Star - 11/25/25
Says He Was Told He Might Be Hurt If He Did Not Withdraw Testimony.
Lieut. H.W. Sheridan of the Army Air Service, whose pointed criticism of the handling of the aircraft carrier Langley during the Hawaiian maneuvers featured the Mitchell court-martial hearing at week, has reported to Representative Frank R. Reid, civil counsel for Col. Mitchell, that he was "threatened" Saturday evening by a mysterious personage claiming to have had "naval connections."
Lieut. Sheridan declared that the man, who refused to identify himself, had a distinguished appearance and appeared well versed in Navy affairs. The stranger, Mr. Reid was informed, told Lieut. Sheridan that he was in danger of official wrath and physical violence unless the retracted the testimony he gave the court Thursday and Friday.

No Inquiry Planned.
Mr. Reid said today that he contemplates no formal investigation of the incident at this time, in view of the lack of clues to the man's identity.
Lieut. Sheridan appeared in the courtroom and made a careful survey of the assembled spectators in the faint hope of seeing the stranger there. His scrutiny was unsuccessful, however.
Here is Lieut. Sheridan's account of the affair as related to The Star today:
"I was walking along the street Saturday afternoon near the Willard Hotel, when I became aware that a man was following me. I walked into the Willard and sat down to read a paper, and the man, after staring at me for a moment, came over and sat down beside me.
"When I took cognizance of his stare he asked me if I was not Lieut. Sheridan. I admitted it, and then he asked me how I thought the Mitchell trial would come out.
"I didn't want to talk with him and after shrugging my shoulders I continued reading my paper.

Persisted in Talking.
"But he persisted in conversing. He asked me if I knew I was in danger. I said, 'What?' and he explained that he knew I would have to pay for the statements I had made to the court about the Navy. He said it might cost me my 'job' and might lead to other serious consequences. He 'advised' me to withdraw everything I had said and told me I should have kept my answers concerning the Navy 'secret, as Lieut. Wade had done.' I asked him if he thought I was in bodily danger. He replied, 'You can never guess to what length they will go.'
"I asked him if he belonged to the Navy and he said 'no.' Then I asked him what he thought of Admiral Sims' testimony and he told me it was all 'bunk.' He proceeded to use a lot of highly technical phrases in naval terms in giving me his reasons for thinking so. I said: 'You don't know what you are talking about. You don't know anything about the Navy anyway.' He snapped back: 'I ought to know something about it. I was connected with the Navy for years.'
"I laughed and told him I had thought so all along and walked off."
Lieut. Sheridan's testimony was caustically attacked by Maj. Allen Gullion, assistant prosecutor Friday afternoon, but after a spectacular defense of his statements by the young witness. the court allowed the testimony to remain in the records.

SHERIDAN CHARGES BRING HOT RETORT
Mitchell Trial Testimony "Dangerous Half Truth," Pacific Aircraft Chief Says.
Star 11-21-25

By the Associated Press.
SAN DIEGO, Calif., November 21.— Lieut. Comdr. Karl F. Smith, chief of staff of the aircraft squadrons, battle fleet, yesterday made a spirited reply to criticism voiced against the personnel and equipment of the United States naval aircraft carrier Langley by Lieut. H. W. Sheridan, Army aviator, in testifying before the Mitchell court-martial.
"His story," said Comdr. Smith, in an interview, "is extremely dangerous because he told only a half truth, omitting a vital part of what actually occurred during the Hawaiian flight maneuvers.
"The entire report of the Honolulu critique, as quoted by the purported stenographic notes taken by Lieut. Sheridan of Admiral Williams' remarks, would be illuminating if the Army aviator had testified as to what actually occurred.
"Lieut. Sheridan's testimony that there were 6 crashes when 14 planes were sent aloft is open to the same criticism. When one considers that almost 1,000 landings have been made on the Langley and that not a single person has been killed, and remembers that this type of flying is the most sporting flying in the world, the results are phenomenal.
"The flying of the Langley's officers and crew during the search for the PN-9 No. 1 is ample refutation as to whether the planes can be flown on or off the carrier without trouble. During this period of eight days in all kinds of weather planes were leaving and coming aboard the Langley without a single casualty."