Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1816-06-08
From The National IntelAgencer.
NAVAL, COURT MARITAL.

NAVAL COURT MAKIlAL.
A Naval Court Maitial, consisting Of
| i've post captains, was recently held, by
iarder of the Secretary Of the Navy, al
lpiladeIphia, on board the United States
| ship Franklin, for the trial of Herman
Thorn, ESQ. purser in the navy, upon
! a complaint by Commodore Stephen De,
lcatur, the commander Of the 4. S. late
squadron in the Mediterranean, !" TO,
violating the esd article of The act Of
Congress, entitled An act for the bet
| ter government of the navy Of the Unit
led staies,' passed s5d April 1902
(which article is III the following words.
lyiz.
IF any commander, or other officer
shall receive. Or permit to be received, on
BOARD his vessel, any goods or merchan-
die other than for the sole use OF his
vessel, except gold, silver or Jewels, and
Except the goods or merchandise OF yes
sells which may be in distress or ship,
@recked. or in imminent danger OF be-
|irg shipwrecked, in order to preserve
them for their owner, without orders
rom tie President Of the United States
r the navy Department, he shall, on
conviction hereof, be cashiered, anu be
|iacapacitated for ever afterwards ter any
la}ace or office in The navy"
Upon which the court pronounced the
said Purser Thorn" not guilty Of selling
lnd guilty of attempting to sell. and Of
authorizing to be sold,'' and" sentenced
fae accused 70 be reprimanded by the
ecretary ofthe Navy"
The sentence of the court, after ma.
lure consideration, having been regularly
approved. the following letter of repri.
|mand was addressed to the said Hermann
Thorn:
NAVY DEPARTMENT, NAY 9 1916.
Herman Thorn, Esq.
Parser o. S. Nary, ". Pork.
SHIN the course of NV official func.
Itions, unpleasant duties inevitably occur;
lamong these is the task of reprimanding
|officers of the y. S. navy for misconduct
and carrying into execution the decisions
of Courts Martial, affecting the charac
ter of officers, who, by their Grade and
stations. ought to be peculiar
lly exempt from charges of violating the
established rules and regulations Of the
naval service, enacted by the high au.
|thority of our national legislature. The
lcourt lately convened for your trial was
Of the most honorable character, ompos
ed of the highest grade o. officers in the
navy; their impartiality, candor and de
Hibernate decision. have sanctioned the cor
lrectness of the charges against you, so
far as the intention of violating the law ;
and for this offence, highly derogatory in
tits na.rr to the reputation of our navy,
they have. pronounced the mild sentence
Iof an official reprimand from the secre-
!tary of the Navy, as the organ of the
President of the U. States.
1t is my incumbent duty to censure
YOUR conduct. iB the transaction alluded
ito, and TO warn You against recurrence
ito any similar attempt, by Which you
will forfeit the connissisn YOU hold, ard
|be at sane time publicly degraded. Yen
will now consider yourself subject to the
|nrdels of this Department for duty an'
[ trust, in the future exercise Of you,
prudence and discretion, you may ayoi,
rcproach, and merit the appreciation ri
yaur government.
B. w. CROWNINSEIELD.