The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1833-05-15

| Ap'ys uO oOSuMSbs ebHS~>S ~'e@~'~
ces all the prominent points in the re-
port of the Court of Inquiry.
Decision of the President on the pro-
ceedings Of the Court of Inquiry in the
case Of Lieutenant Randolph. The
President Of the United States has
carefully examined the proceedings of
the Court Of Inquiry charged with the
investigations Of the conduct Of Lieuten-
ant Robert B. Randolph in connection
with his account as acting purser Of tho
frigate Constitution.
1t appears by the evidence Of Com
modore Patterson, commander of the
ship, that upon the death Of Pursur,
JOHN b. Timberlake at PORT Mahon, on
the second of April, 1928, Lieutenant
Randolph was appointed acting Pursur;
and that verbal orders were given di-
recting an Inventory to be taken accord
ing to law of all the money and stores,
public and private, left by the said Tim
berIake, which were about to pass into
the possession of the acting Purser and
that 1t was reported this duty had been
performed, with the exception of some
stores which were slowed away under
the ships provisions, she being nearly
ready to sail for the United States
Ii Itappears by the same testimony, that
when the ship arrived near the light
house a. Boston, Commodore Patterson
inquired of Lieutenant Randolph whe-
ther the inventories of the money .ond
property left bo Mr.. Timberlake had
been sen. to the Fourth Auditor of the
Treasury, and was answered in the
affirmative.
Nevertheless il appears by the evil
!lence of ihrse who were directed to
take the inventories, that although the
money was counted, no inventories Of
the stores we're taken and by the re-
cords and files of The Fourth Auditors
office 1t also apTears that 40 account.
either Uf the mnney or stores were fur
nished TO the Office by Lieutc nant Ran
dolph, or any other person.
Ii further appears, tha, in the settle
iaent of his accounts nt the office Of the
Fourth Auditor, Lieut.. Randolph nei-
ther charged h,nself Win any portion of
the money or stores left by Mr.. Timber
lake, nor gave any intimalien that any
had come into his possession.
1t further appears, that after Lieut..
Randolph had completed the payment Of
the ships company on her arrival in tho
United States, he had left of tie public
money put into his hands for that pur-
pose upwards Of 800, 200, of which upon
the settlemento of his accounts he return.
ed into the Treasury li,tlemore than
$4,000, applying the rest TO his own
use, and that Inc refused to state in his
defence before the Court Of inquiry in
what manner this surplus of funds hal
accrued.
II further appears. that in the year
1929, having arrived in the United
States in July, 1923, aud his accounts
having been settled in October Of tha,
year, 1t. Randolph paid to Thomas
Norman 5000 Of the funds remaining in
his hands on account Of Purser Timber
lake, proving that he was net ignorant
of the fact that all those funds had not
been accounted for in his previous set
tlemont with the Government.
1t further appears. that the accounting
officers ot the Treasury, were ignorant
of the money and stores left by Mr. Tim
berlnke until an unaccountable default
exhibited in the settlement Of his ac-
counts led to inquiry into the means by
which 1t had been produced and
when in the course of that inquiry il
was ascertaiped tia, money and
stores left by hum had come into
Lieut. RandoIph's possession, the latter
when called on, refused TO slate the a
mount or render any account Of them
although he acknowledged that he had
memorandum of the amount Of mon
ey indulging in passion and threats un-
becoming ian officer of the Navy, and
not to be expected from a man Of con-
scious integrity.
Considering these things so clearly
established by the testimony, the Presi-
dent cannot approve of so much of tho
finding of the Court as declares, ut
does not appear that Lieutenant Ran
dolph said any thing with an intention
to mislend or deceive the commanding
officer in relation to taking Of inyento-
ries of articles left by MIR. TimberIakc,
or Of the disposition made of them" nor
can he approve Of the opinion expressed
by tho court, ''that tho before mentioned
neglect Of Lieutenant Randolph, and
the irregularities in his manner Of per-
forming the duties of acting Purser, g.
in keeping and making out his account
did not proceed from any intention to
defraud the United States or Mr.. Tim
bcrlake."
These conclusions in the opinion Of