, 1879-01-09
NYETMOHE'S WOES.
How Admiral Porter induced Him
to Support His Divorced
Wife.
Some New Facts Abont the Navy
Scandal In Washington.

W1If N ilcHt. "EtH1H1Et HHV hHE*cA lntet
Porter tturiug tho War. and has since held scv-
cral positions IN the Navy Department. Dur
ing the War Wctmore, who t,ks an excellent
vnr record, rccrtyed several important com
.nautls at Tue an{lsof Admiral Porter, and at tho
close of the Nnr was sppolntcd 10 tue lurfative
. position OF Recorder 10 tho Board of Naval In
spcctnns, al which Porter wns chief. The IT,
yoss bestowed upon Wctmore we're 30 ntEies.
ous as tn attract the attention Of naval officers,
and the Admira's attentions to Mrs. Wetmorc
wcrc 70 pointed as to cause rery lively scandal
In nnyat cirtIcs. The matter gut M further
than scandal, ho scvcr, until ts'sh when Mrs.
Wctnure lEoyad for 1ivurcu on the ground Of
cruelty. Lieut.. Wctmore alleges tt'at this
divorce. which was obtnincd, was eued
for at the tnd,suce Of the Admiral, and
was an arranged ai1aIr between the Admiral
AMI Mrs. Wetmuse. Prior to the divorce Atr.
Wctntarr. whosr ears had been reached ty tho
scu,ldat which WAS circulating In the navy. IN
tcrecptcd rome letter. wht.h passcd between
the Admiral aud MS. Wst'nore, and Thagh
wnlfare nj Tbs pretty vile Of hJs Lieutenant.
so,nc Ut thesa letters haso reccntly been pub
llssad, and expose tho Admiral n tho
Lotharlo On tue strength Of those letters and the
IestInons ot cye.wituesses as to what happened
betwee,, Tho two a. certain hotel In New York,
where thes stopped, preliminary steps hays been
,ue intimacy with sre. Wetmorc. A second
tuit Is nov IN the docket Of the Supreme Court
Of this nstttvt tor the recovery Dt soniethtuG
over when Netmoss allSges the AamIra! at.
loss IT hix ptRre II he refused. aud which money
the Adnira! cunsrtf to be scnt to Mrs. Metm1te
for nearly three rears n(terthc divorce, although
tlle Court granted Iso ultmony.
lu prnGr to fc1fn til: exact truth Of Mt. Wet.
uaOre'E position, your correspondent hunted him
up at his ho.el and obtaEncd from him the fol-
lowing verbatim statement:
-"Mr. Wetuaore, haze called to zee you 'n
Eolat tuu to tic tt!iI&cu!ty between yourself and
Admiral Porter, sune accor,nts Vi which hase
been already uahlIshcd im various newspapers
!. .4 p I, to Krs 3o ns
10 10 ets ess At tSs .fat, ~ Il tts sssattea th.
Admiral Porter laborcd to aell TO tl'e Prusslan
tho French, during tho pendencv Of tho Franco
rruRsiat war. when ttns Government was neu-
tras Power. Now, If Jou huyc no objections.
should liiso to heat statement OF the facts, "A
AnSwcs-l have no objection 10 glraog you
such information as poascns.
Q.-Whcn was tt,r suit for divorce br1nght1
p.-At tAut linz did son t,hye reason to be-
licve that Admiral Porter was using undue In
tlucper OVER your wltcf Al most curtaip]y
ulJ.
Q.-ls II true that ron were required TO par
monev to your late wife after vou weso d.
yo.ecI1 A.-fes, str; u,ost a&suredly. It cat
lt proved by The copies VI Checks It. the Fourth
Auditors stlicc, and ito" III the nands OF my
AttorneV.
Q.-On what grounds did the Admiral bsse
the extraction OF this money from yuu. Al
do no: k,low. upless It was his inttFeEt In her.
do NOT know ot anJ other renson io5 bis
Q.-liow conta tho Admiral control youF
fnUne, wjen yuu wefr appointed by tho Sccre.
toFy ot ths Snsyi A.-ysry d feaa!l i. as ny bilIs
n,untl.,:: pastncnts tlpou the approved bllls OF
V.-.ls t.ut the usual custotnl Alt was In
tl's nae. nB te Was iusplrtur-tieHcra'.- ~ ~As
hA Board. au no one hit he Ind nhythInE to 10
WitL II. THIS I}onr was ior his special purpose.
Q.-As understand i, then. yen Wcrc
Rn*urtcr 10 tlu Board OF Naval lnspecstons, oI
wIucL Admiral purtee wns tho head, md ~ tho
the ay'ncnt nf Four salary, TO you A. Ia Re-
curdcrt A.-Yes. sir; ] have often sent my
bills tu hnrn quaries III ndYhncc. Ae would
upprore Then, and hRye, lna clerk, Str. Alslsn.
gc. then, casneL. mud then the Admiral would
send tn Inc such portion Ut tt ~ he thought
would do tna ts,nt month, oiten returning ~
inusn as sic0, and tLc hooks Ut the Treasury
department. will showit
u,-liutt yuu anv Incais of knowing whut ho
dld wlth thc money Illus VIII hllcld from you.
A.--Whv. Of eutirse | had u,cHns OF knowing
though his own pr'lers INIT must kcf.l . err
tnln amount u muney IN to her; also through
The Payn,aAser's ullice, rs the Admiral has often
seut al order to the PuYtna2tcr stating, Please
Withhold lso,n Atr. Wrtn,ore" so much iuoney.
TtHtevgr the amount was.
Q.-Tho recutds VI thu Department will ahuw
thai, will tbevt A.-.fes, sir.
Q.-Ihts Nus utter you were divoFred: A.
t,.-iui ,nu reason to believe 1t thst tIloc,
1fttr sou wrra divorced, aud when lie was With.
au!din!: ..,nAcy from ynu alt! sent 1t to her "
her staIlnhler, tlat Ie va. undu;y Interested III
yulr Nj rt A-ALOst CERTAINTY.
b-Nlnt n$lJHr lind fnr hk1favrr
thatt bc,ullG L,r lact Ut his withholding youl
money anu srning, It to lcr or hcr dnngttcrf
A.-trJln many circumstances. FtoM tl,uIr
own nets uIu from things Eoid sne by old lrlellls
Q.-Wcsc there any lctsrEs passl0g between
theul ttlat yuu k,Ww Ut or CAI. lnttnato IL rer.
tanty: A.-A Grcat tnuny, bcsldes toae which
have been published, aud which are uaw Ia my
Q.-W,I. these lsttcrs be offered in tl,e ease !
Al do NIT kuow what u'5 astornass muy tlu
T., llig matter.
eoraert A.-fMx&$& nss influence. liz pro-
t,r';S tn Nau '"s th'ous" 'hs Secretary of
4.-,,as the appointment given before your
tirurcrf A.-fes. SIR; waB given to ts,H un
tI.e 3lSt day Of December, 1871. aud was d.
yurced u. August, lS74.
t.-Thwn ,"u ean state positively TINT wh!lu
YOU ware Ilecuy!rr u ortIon VI Jour salary was
wsthtsll at his insta,ics: A.-yes. .r; aud a.
tatA hctcfr, tue records Ut tue Department will
n;tt.st II. ......
1{-HoFt now 1htctl las betn Withheld from
you aitu.etheri A.-Atuut T., ,0u
G.-lA wtat length Ut tIu,et A.-Ftom 1873
tn le.b: het:rcCn two a!h three years. 1t was
not uii ErHt dirre.i 70 bur, R8 xhu wus sll,,s,,-
tEen.ls n,a!rlett, hit tu 1sr dauXhtrh aud tlI4
lact VIII ulsu aope4f upon tfIu bucks VI tus
Fourth Auditor.
Q,--Dll As!mrul Porter ever say ANYTHING tu
you or write anytuil!E " YOU about this 1nuueY
~ Hdllhu!ut -t.-fcs, str.
V.'-U1u nc ever n,hkr amy thrcuts In gonnte-
t!ot Viii, the l'a ,tneat Of this money, ur did
iuu t,lltr to seud III t.-Why. hs threatened
Mt otter.
Q.-ln what Inuilnes did he threaten yol,
.t.-llt salt, unlesY allowed tbs uulu,Iut tn l,s
Lose taY plavt; tllIt ~, SOU aud xJca: n,uny
"'uer Ecukictnen would liks u holu !ny pual
Lon.
,u.-Have you any documents Or letters t1ou
him Ia ter III rrtasluH u lheAe paYnleuts! A.
~ tth; several.
R.-Hhai was hts general manager Ut aiiudlua
to tlis subic:t! -a.-MeIi, he wouIA graesuil,
flIsYt tJIrtsH n n b,rjVn ntsss