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REID WILL IGNORE CLASH WITH KING
Washington Star 11/28/25
Mitchell Counsel to Ask Incident Be Stricken From Case Record.
Unless he voluntarily withdraws, Brig. Gen. Edward L. King, who yesterday characterized the tactics of Representative Frank R. Reid of Illinois, chief counsel for Col. Mitchell, as "damn rot," will continue as a member of the Mitchell court martial. 
Mr. Reid announced today he would not challenge the right of Gen. King to sit in judgement of the charges against Col. Mitchell, although he declares such an indiscretion in a civil case would have resulted in immediate dismissal of the jury.
"It is an unfortunate episode, and I regret its occurrence," Mr. Reid said in a formal statement to the press. "This court is an impartial tribunal. The remarks might be interpreted by some, but not by me, as an indication of the disposition of one member of the court toward the weight of evidence.
Will Take No Advantage.
"On Monday morning I shall move to strike it from the records, and I have so stated to Gen. King, and shall take no advantage of the incident, although, as every lawyer knows, were this a civil proceeding the jury would have been immediately dismissed."
Despite the profuse apologies of Gen. King and the statement of Mr. Reid, it was the general feeling in circles close to the court-martial that the incident, which threw the courtroom into an uproar yesterday afternoon, is not entirely closed.
It is pointed out that even though the remarks of Gen. King and Mr. Reid are formally stricken from the record of the trial there will remain written in the proceedings a distinct written reminder of the clash in the motion for erasure.
It is also realized that the incident cannot possibly be lost sight of in the future conduct of the trial and could undoubtedly be made use of later by friends of the accused in the event the court finds him guilty.
Gen. King himself, who previously has manifested impatience at certain phases of the proceedings, is likely to feel a certain restraint on his ordinarily free opinions.
General Apologizes.
The general immediately after court recessed until Monday yesterday reiterated his apologies to Mitchell's counsel for his outburst, and promised in the future "to keep things to myself."
Gen. King heretofore has been referred to as "the most nervous member" of the Mitchell court, because of his announced dislike for newspaper photographers at the trial. On three distinct occasions he has irately ordered their ejection from the courtroom and the third time let his animosity toward them be known in strong language.
He was plainly impatient at the progress of the trial yesterday, and showed signs of his nervousness particularly when Mr. Reid subjected the War Department's opening rebuttal witnesses to a withering cross-fire of entangling questions.
The aggressive defense counsel had won from Brig. Gen. Leroy Eltinge, the general staff's first witness, a number of admissions he considered favorable to the case of the accused, and was leveling a rapid fire of pointed questions at the second offering of the prosecution, Maj. J. J. Bain, when the explosion occurred.
Reid Overhears Remark.
Wheeling suddenly in the midst of his cross-examination, Mr. Reid shouted in the abashed and reddening face of Gen. King:
"No, this is not damn rot, and I object!"
Gen King hastened to apologize and explained he had been talking to another member of the court.
With the courtroom electrified at the astounding turn of affairs, Mr. Reid shouted back:
"I don't care to whom you were talking, this is not damn rot in my mind and I want that in the record. This may be tedious to you, Gen. King, but I have a duty to perform here, and it is necessary for me to question this witness thoroughly!"
The tension did not end with the adjournment of the court, by prearrangement, a few moments later, and it is likely it will continue until court convenes again Monday.

REID-KING EPISODE NOT TO BE IGNORED
Star [[strikethrough]] 11/29/25 [[/strikethrough]]
Howze to Make Proper Legal Steps in Disposing of Tilt in Court.
By the Associated Press.
Maj. Gen. Robert L. Howze, president of the Mitchell court-martial, is determined to carry out strictly the regulations laid down in the courts-martial manual and, if these regulations call for action as a result of the episode which occurred11 Friday when the defense counsel, Representative Frank R. Reid, overheard Brig. Gen. Edward L. King use the expression "damn rot" in court, he will act accordingly.
It was learned last night that Gen. Howze is familiar with the regulations as they apply to the use of "improper words" by a court member, but it was not revealed what steps the court president would take when the trial is resumed tomorrow. Mr. Reid, on the other hand, stood pat on the statement he issued, saying that he would take no advantage of the King incident, but would move to have it erased from the record when the court meets.
Under the provisions of the manual, Gen. Howze is responsible for the maintenance of order in court and the conduct of its business. By the same authority he is charged with the duty of seeing that "improper words used by a member" are "taken down in writing." Military legal experts add that a court president, within his dsicretion, also may make a report through channels to higher Army authorities regarding any such incident. It is on this point, however, that Gen. Howze has declined to make known his intentions in any positive way since the King-Reid episode.
Gen. King still maintains the unbroken silence that has marked his conduct since Friday and declines to give any indication whatever as to whether he will ask the court to relieve him from further duty or ignore the entire affair, leaving it for the court to dispose of.

WORLD WAR AIR HERO BACKS MITCHELL
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TIMES STAFF PHOTO
MAJOR REED G. LANDIS
Herald 11-17-25
World war air hero, who appeared today in the defense of Colonel William Mitchell. He is the chairman of the American Legion Aeronautic Committee, which he founded, and promises to bring before the next Congress a definite and progressive program for developing military and commercial aviation. He will urge only men trained in aviation for officials.

Reprimand And Reduction Heaviest Penalty Mitchell Can Receive, Small Learns
Officers Inform Correspondent That Army Has No Precedent For Discharging A Man For Such Offense As Colonel's.
Baltimore Sun 11-20-25
By Robert T. Small.
[Special Dispatch to The Evening Sun.]
Washington, Nov. 20.-It may come as a surprise-and possibly as a disappointment-to Colonel William Mitchell to discover that, upon conviction in his present trial, he will not be "fired" out of the army.
As a matter of fact, it is learned from some of the oldest officers in the service that there never has been a dismissal of an officer for the offenses which Colonel Mitchell is charged. The army, therefore, has been surprised at the public discussion of the possibility, not to say the probability, that the Colonel would be made to "walk the plank," unless President Coolidge should step in and commute the expected sentence of dismissal.
Army Confident of Conviction.
The army fully expects the colonel to be convicted of the charges brought against him, despite the leniency of the court in hearing all of the "justification" testimony which has been offered by the defense. The army does not see how there can be anything but a conviction, the the maximum punishment, it expects, is a reprimand and a reduction of several numbers for the colonel in his grade. In the old days a reduction of this sort would probably mean that the officer always would remain a colonel up to the time of retirement. Colonel Mitchell, however, is a young man and furthermore brigadiers and major-generals today are chose by selection rather than by the old, inexorable rule of seniority. 
Colonel Mitchell is charged with conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline. Such a charge, according to long army precedent, does not carry dismissal as a punishment.