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The Evening Star.
WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION
WASHINGTON, D. C., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17. 1925-FIFTY-EIGHT PAGES.
COURT-MARTIAL INDICATES MITCHELL IS GUILTY
VERDICT IS ASSURED BY JUDGES' REQUIEST FOR AIRMAN'S RECORD
Decision Reached Half Hour After Members Retire to Decide Officer's Fate.
DEFENSE STICKS TO REFUSAL TO MAKE ANY STATEMENT
Violent Denunciation by Prosecution Marks Final Stages-Flyer Refuses to Go on With Case.
Col. William Mitchell was believed found guilty of the charge of violating the ninety-sixth article of war this afternoon by the Army general court-martial before whom he has been on trial since October 28.
The verdict was not announced, but was indicated when the generals returned to the room and asked the trial judge advocate to submit previous convictions, if any. The sentence was not announced at this time, and it is doubtful if it will be made public until the findings reach President Coolidge for his final approval.
The Army general court-martial trying Col. Mitchell closed for findings at 3:40 o'clock this afternoon, after hearing urgent pleas from Col. Sherman Moreland, the trial judge advocate, and his assistant, Maj. Allen W. Gullion, that the accused officer be dismissed from the service. In accordance with the view set forth at the outset of today's session by Col. Mitchell, the defense had no statement to make in summing up its evidence and stood fast by its original determination to have nothing further to do with the case.
When the court went in for findings, every indication was given that the verdict would be reached some time this evening. Col. Moreland, who opened the afternoon session, delivered a scathing denunciation against the accused officer, charging him with trying to "annihilate the War and Navy Departments" and "put a stain on every man in the War Department, drive him from office and disgrace him."