The New York herald., 1845-10-18
Naval Court OF Enquiry.

q
WARRINGTON Oct IA, ls4S
Lieutenant c. II. p RopGERs, OF the u. s. Navy was
called frat this morning. and sworn.
nary conversation took place between the ana
mond Rodgers addressed to Lieut. McIaughiin and en-
closed by him in letter to the Secretary the Navy
the view Of having il appended to The ,eco as sVi
dcnce the witness tesfying to the truths contained
10 n IT, Ihs report wa, M Tsatye to the beer erection Of build
the subject, i was passed over for the present
BY Lieut. McLAuoHlIsIl was in the Florida squad.
dered to the Flrt passed midshipman, at Baltimore
in October 1882 and remained in her until August Is4o
command Of the barges, and remained ia command Of
them until about October, ls4l took command Of the
after Lieut. Mclaughlin returned from Florida in July
ls42. was ordered by Lieut.. Mclaughlin to erect
posed condition in which the officers Of the barges lived
He directions to erect "a house % feet square,
to contain four rooms; of those rooms he told me-
that he intended to occupy Office for the
ton public business; the others to be used a.
quarters myself and the other officers associated with
me- selected site for planned, and commenced build
ing the house, had very few carpenters on Indian Key
framed when was ordered to the command Of the Phs
nix; after the house finished it used for several
sometimes the clerks clerks S the when
Center used part of for storehouse until his house
was built for two or three months was used BY Lieut.
time the and officers of the barges had been
erred to the Phenix used strong persuasion to induce
-
fcers suffered great for the want of
store at Indian Key; Mr. Center brought quantity Of
goods there in schooner and my impression s that he
sent her back for more they brought the of
the officers and of the expedition. and the weather
been put under shelter, and there no other place
that know Of where they could have been put except
Key was plain wooden building should think about
10 feet long, and about 55 feet broad; it had large dis
the dpensary remainder was used for the sick
beds on bedsteads were arranged round the In
coverets them think the beds were good a. my
own on board the Phenix; have never seen q more
in less, Sc they appeared to have Every every comfort
that hospital can have; cannot say, with any
pta stores on Indian Key used for any other
purpose than for the sick dined at the hospital
time that hs
thelexpedton messed on shore there no hospi
ar 1 mess s re at the tune received spanish douooSns
were worth in Florida what they were in Havana The
acting Consul at that place negotiated the bills for
There was decidedly not more canoes than
instance in which Lieut. Mclaughlin permitted any
waste, &c oft hospital stores in Florida and think
there was great care shown his part protect the
public property. do not think there any couson
partnership on the part Of Lieut. Mclaughlin and any
other person in Florida, whereby the Government
defIauded ] was occasionally present when he wa.
the Pheni. before they were presented to Lieut. Nc
Laughln for payment, He required to do so. To
the best of my recollection, there was no restricton
whatever placed upon me by the Government with re.
gard to whom dealt with.
By the JUDGE ADvocArE-I think Mr.. Center occu-
pied the buildings at least or two months
particularly remember how long he occupied another
know whether the sheets and pillow in the hospi-
tai were made Of linen, the mattresses Of hair. do
not remember whether there any one else dned with
that not sick the my dining atthe
hospital Red wine, think, the table did not
i. used. but suppose it was do not remember any
one connected with the Government being paid in Pa
trot doubloons. 1t was not the custom my
Had thew been offered should have ared
it afterwards.
By the CouRr.-My strong impression is, that there
were about 60 absent about time the
age number OF men in small canoe not less than
Ave cannot tell how many canoes were left behind
at any time; don't know there large num-
Der Of those not IN service unfit for many
completely worn out in service in the everglades and
vey on which was; should think this survey, to
which refer towards the close of the operations Of
thing in Florida very high !; / think Mr.. G. Centsrs
dealt with him chiefly myself il my private capacity
thought his goods of better quality than those Of
rda prices the high prices for their private
as were paid for the government stores visited Hava-
ma for the purpose Of selling bills of exchange
dsbursing agent for three four months after Lieut.
Mclaughlin went to the north was left disbursng Of
more to get them exchanged at Havana than
at Charleston or savannah and the distance was much
shorter; don't know that had the right draw the
department at Charleston Savannah.
At the close of this Witnesses estmoney, the letter
alluded to in the first part this report was permitted to
true when he replied, the statements therein contain
ed are correct and true" i is dated ~ s. schooner
order of the Court, appended to the record
The expeditions were absent ordinarily from about 20
to 65 days absent 63 days during the last
year. think about half the time absent expe-
ditions cruises.
THOMAS T. SLOAN, Lieutenant IN the U. s. Army, was
here called and sworn
BY Lieut. McLAu eHLIs-I was attached to the Florida
squadron, and generally shore in command Of
Marines; was think four in Florida, from 1888
to Isl2 in command of the marines all Of the
time; was most Of the time; was in command of the
government provisions Indian Key; had no store
house. and Mr. g. Center had lumber; think had Dor.
rowed all the lumber he had; with that lumber COM
menced storehouse the quarters that set apart to
hold provisions full already the provisions were
much exposed account Of the eaky Condition Of the
house which old negro house and hardly worth
$o moved II thirty yards; he permitted me to the
my main object was to see that tho provisions were saw
ed possible, by erecting shelter for them; the lum
could wa not
there however when 1t was returned; know that lum
Der came at the Key and that Mr. Center M used by
any the public buildings after he procured the umber
think should have known it if he had; did net know
such thing as a hospital mess while was in Florida.
By the JUICE ApvocArE-I have no idea Of the time
borrowe ed the lumber from Mr. Cener two cargoes
landing some Of them split in the bottoms by the
sum- believe; they cracks, not holes, in the
noes. ..".
DR. WooDwoRrH was here recalled.-TThis witness
had been called upon to make comparison list Of
prices OF meucnes IN other places IN Florida to be CON-
pared with those Of Indian Key He says, 81 have
pared the prices paid at Indian Key with other parts Of
Florida, for medicines, and submit this statement my
comparison" which was read and appended to the
cord No further questions being asked him, he dis
charged ts4f
Passed Midshipman WILMER SHIELDS, of the u g.. Ma
Wy, was here called and sworn. .,.s.A
By the Jupcr ApvocATE-I was in the Florida squad
ron under the command Of Lieutenant Mclaughlin;
was in about eleven months between ls4 and ls4s
The usual questions put to this witness,
CARDS Lieutenant McLaughn's using the money Of the
government mt improperly SC; whether there col
lusion, &c. part Of him and any other person,
whereby the government was defraudsd; and whether
Lieut. Mclaughlin all OF which was answered in the
gative when this witness also discharged
Major L. p. ANDREWS was next called and sworn
BY the JupaE ApyocArx. II am paymsster In the ".