National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-04-16

NAvT DEPARTMENT,
WARRINGTON. Aurii z. liza

a.. NANf DbpAhIMIHr,!
c,n,,,I o,I.., A.. ~ asshir"rVS' Apth h'a
T@At a NaysI s,snara, Gam, ,t.,,,., oon,ono,
At the Nav Ward Rnston Nsssachnsa,,s Fah
Tiary, ia isTs' nv order o. he secreisrs 81 ne
CommodoTe 4. a. Parrot, United STATES Nav
was presltlenl was tried Ilentensnt Comnsnsg, .
VIM, X, Wheeler. Tinted State Nsyv nnon ~
following charges and specifcatons - 'P'" '''
CnARnE i,-iTsobsdis,ieS N oniSrs'
Specification First-In this that said William
X. Wheeler, a lieutenant Commander IN The
Navy OF the United states. and officialiy a.
SeWport, Rhode island Seng oldersd nv NJ .a ~
perior officeT, Lieutenant Commander Bartlett j
Cnomweil IN saId iinifed ais,ss Nsyx ~ go, =;
N mamning has, ~ Nv MI ~, r,sy 70 ssis, y,
expeTiment ami instructlon in laying Iawn toy'
pe,oes, refused 10 obey said orjsr' ana ihcn ami
there dIs0Deyed said or,Ier.
All this at said station. AT said Newnort nm
bred and seventy three. """
Spscldcat on Second-In this, that the said
WIN. X. Wheeler, a Lieutenant Comman der in the
United States NAVY, and statione,l for dniy NJ
the Torpedo station al newport. Rhode island
being ordered by Iientenant Com mander UernS
D. Robeson his superior oiiicer, in charge OF sald
j. Cromwell in expefimentsl dntv refn sel IN ohey
said order and disobeyed the same
All this on or about the eighth day OF January,
eighteen hundred and seventy three NJ sali
Newport,
CHIRGE Standardization and disord,r,v con.
duct 10 ths prsjIdies N dfsrIpiins and hood srsr
SPECIFICATION Firsi-Tn this that said Lieu.
al The i'1iIed states Noyy nn,c.s1l, al ,Inned
for torpedo luty Al Newnort Rhode IsIand Al
ter refusing to obey the order OF his superior of-
ser, Lieutenant Com ander Henry N. Robsson 10
asslsI lieutenant Comm Inder Raftett b Crom.
well in experimental duty, aid, In yioiation az
luty good discipline and u Rooi orer, declare 10
said Lieutenant Commander RobeSon. mat h.,
said Wheeler, while attached 10 Inc Torpedo
station, Al sa,I NewpoTt' shoui decline ~ a.,
slst In any experimental duty, except such as
- -
said Wheeler, TO perform.
All this al said Newport. on or abont ,January
eighth, A. d. eighteen hundred ami ssyenty
SPECIFICATION Sccopi-In this, th., the said
WIN K Wheeler IIeutenant Conmander In me
Navy OF the Tinted staics' and statiohed as
aforesaid for Torpedo duty At Newport, Rhode
the Army and Navy Of the TnIted states a dnty
confidential in chayactcr and n me utmost in
portance TO the public safety and welfare, and
stoned oicers. diS. IN contemnt Of a., d0S ones
in disregard Of the authority o. said Comma nder,
that portions Of said duty 10 wit the nhyaicsi
exertlOn AMI manual labor reauislte 10 la per-
forInancc. were Iabors and dates nnnt ami I'm.
becoming for an ofiiceT 10 peTforn' and dii.
when ordered 10 perform snch dntIes refnse 10
perform them. in contrmnt on laWfnl antsoStv'
and contrary TO RooI of,ler. proper subordIna
tlon, aud the discipline Of the Naval service.
All This Al saiI NsWnort on or shnnt ,hs
eighth day Of January' K n eighteen hunlseI
and seventy three.
Specification ThiTi-In this, that said VIM X
Wheeler, Lieutenant Commander in the Navy OF
the United States, and ordered by the authority
Of the Secretary Of the Navy TO the Performance
Of duty at the Torpedo stallion at said Newport,
mproyem.pt ~ tbe Nsyai ssrSine an3 ,se ,a Wy
u The country, 10 be done and performed "a a
confidential duty, solely by commissioned ON
GERS OF the Navy dld publicly In the presence OF
his brother officials, and in contempt OF said au-
de are, that portions Of he duty 10 witch he was
ordered, 10 wilt the physical exertiOn and man
ual work incident aud necessary TO the perform
Lnce thereof, MAS Improper aud unbecominR a
commissioned oTlIcer' and wee labors AMI I'm.
ties nnnI aud unsuitable for an ofieeT 10 psrfom.
and did, when ordered 10 do SAD duty, refuse 10
obey said order, in contempt Of lawful aut1Ority.
ton, and ,iiscipllne in the Naval seryics
All this at said Ne1ort, on Or about The eighth
enty three
To the Charges and Specification, the accused
pleaded "NOt GUILTY"
FIsDIyo
On careful Constellation Of the eyldence. and
the law thereto nnniicable The Cont nnI a. mi
lows, In the ease Of Ii iutenant CJmmandeT ".
The Fsrs sDceinestion ot tse F,S.t Eh.yye No,
prorgn. the Sse,nd anccInration ~ ina g,rs,
Charge pTor,n and the Conr ia adIndgs the nc
ea.ed, VIM. X. Wheeler. Guilty q ns First
Ths q lurt alan an1 that IL, I,;,,, y,,.iS.,,io,,
Of Charge second u moi nroyen. 'P' V''"'''"
That me Second SncsiSoanon of The Second
Charge IA pyorsd, nmitfIny ths Uo,ds 'iand ,s'
1uire5 10 IL nahum n anieIx hv cnnm,ssIa,ad
oricers " AMI omIttiny aiso t1e 1917 .iin cnn
tempt OF said order, aud in d sregari OF the Com
mAnder-in- Chi-f"
That hs Third Specification OF the Ssror d
ChdrJs Il proped omlttlng the words 40 be don
AMI performed a. a conn Ientlal duty AoleIy Nv
commissioned ofiicers Of the Nayy.h and aisy
emitting tho wonls 'and 10 contetnnt OF SAID
| authority"
And the Court do AlIudR, the said William X
W ieeler Guiry IN a lea dsJr,s than rIaroeJ.
that Ia, guilty n insubordiniiioa 10 the preiu.
lice OF dlacpine and good order and moi unity
| u disorderly conduct, e''
And the court DO therefore sentence tho ar.
cused, VIM. X. Wheeler. LIentenant Commando
IN the Nav OF the Unitnd State,' IN he nnbIcis
reprlmanded by the Honorable Secretary Of the
Navy.
H. approving the findings In this case, the
Department must not bs understood to accept
Is accurate the verbal distinctions under which
the court has endeayored to discriminate be.
| tween the personal Intentions OF the Onicel
| charged, and the legal lntendments OF his acts,
Whoever deliberately disobeys an order given
~ A. L.. -.