New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-10
NEWS FROM WASHINGTON.
DRUNKENNESS IN THE NAVY.

DRUNKENNESS IN THE NAVY.
An OFFICIAL REPORT ON THR PERsoxAL HABITS
OF SOME OFFICERS OF THE AsrAr1c SQUADRON.
IBr TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrBUHE]
WASHINGTON. July 9-About four months aeo
some excitement In naval circles In Washington W.
caused by reports that many of the ofhcers at-
tached to the Asistic Squadron had become habit
uslly incorporate. On March 10 the Secretary Of
the Navy wrote to Rear Admiral Crosby. com.
msnding the Asiatic Squadron, that thsse rumoru
seriously affected the homo reputation of the squad
ron and directed him to make u thorough invssti-
CATION and report to the Department any facts In
corroboratiou of the rumors concerning any officer
connected with the squadron. whatever may be his
rank in the naval service"
Admiral Urosbys report. dated May 80, has been
received ct the Navy Department After detailing
his method Of investigation and his inability 10 ~
port at that time respecting the officers of the
Monocacy, which wxs absent in Corsa, Admiral
Crosby says:
OF the reports against certain officers those against
Commander Horace 9. Mullan did not como to hand
M uni ne nsd , Dees tr,sa ana sentenced 20 % dsss&
Commander r. ID. Hitchcock and Lieutenant L z.
o s paw :"
tor George Cochran and Master r. s. Rotchltn were IN
punished those Officers by private reprimand as re-
ported 10 me; q
tn. replies to y ecs r ss ss
been confined to those officers mentioned, and think
that the inquiries which have thus been made by virtue
Of special authority fromthe Departmentwi havea most
beneficial effect.
Tho report contains several Enclosures. One is
statement by Captain J. s. Sksrrett. commanding
the Richmond, dated May z. He says that since
March /, 1882, whom be joined the ship. more
than sixty officers of all grades have been attached
to her, and that as a body they were men of TOM
perate habits. He pays high tribute to the quail
tiles of Rear Admiral J. NJ. b. Clitz, formerly In
command of the squadron, and expresses regret ct
"the idiosyncrasy that at times gave me great
concern" Tho idiosyncrasy is defined thus: q He
was at times during tho period above mentioned
addicted to habits of intemperance; ct other times
entirely refralning from the of intoxicating
beverages"
Captain Skerretts next case is that of Pay In
spector Cochran. who ON June IA. 1892 got drunk
aud used insulting and profane language to Chap
lain Crawford. He afterward spologized and was
let off with aIeprimand. Subsequently be again
became intoxicated and offered to whip Chaplain
Crawford Captain Skerrott called Cochran to sc-
count and gave him his choice Of signing total
abstinence pledge or of being reported to the Admiral
fof court martial Cochran chose to sign the
pledge and was again let of with private repri-
mand." The third case is that Of Lieutenant Com
mander X. d. Hitchcock, who also received and
accepted private reprimand on account of his
drunkenness
Lieutenant lverson, of tho Asnuelot-which was
lost IN FebruaIy-rsports that he saw Com
mander Mullan, who commanded that vessel when
she was lost drunk four times. and Master 4. 8.
Hotchkin intoxicated once. Ex-Comnander
Mulan reports that he repIimsndsd Master
Hotchkin for drunkenness, but nobody seems to
have reprim anded Mullan, who stood In greater
Deed vi 1t.
Passed Assistant Surgeon Dickson reports that
while attached to the United States naval hospital
at Yokohama in 1882 he frequently saw Rear
Admiral J. NJ. b. Clitz very much under the intu-
ence of liquor; that in June of tho same year
Lieutenant Commander Hitchcock was brought tc
the hospital for treatment he being then on the
verge of delirium trsmens, duo to excessive an,l
prolonged indulgence in alcoholic stmulantsi
that in January and part of February. 1883. when
attached to the Ashuelot, he frequently observed
Master +. S. Hotchkin intoxicated and well renem-
bers one occasion "whcn Mr.. Hotchkin was 20
drunk that the quartermaster was unable 70
awaken him for night watch; that on one occa-
sion Passed Assistant Engineer James Entwistle q
the Ashuelot drank deeply for several days until
was obliged to demonstrate with him ana finally
to order the wine boy not to supply him with any
thing from the wine mese." i.
Engineer Entwistle reports that he knows Of
no instance on board the United States steamer
AsLuelot that would at all be likely TO call for such
An order or investigation from tho Honorable
Secretary of the Navy, except the loss OF that
vessel respecting which he had testified before .
general court MARTIAL Passed Assistant Euginecf
r. II. Leitch, also of The Ashuelot, until she was
lost, preferred charges of drunkenness against
Commander Mulan. September 20, 1857 giving
dates circumstances and names OF witnesses. ms
report he withdrew two days afterward, NJ the
request Of Commander Mullan. upon his giving
pledge to Paymaster +. N. Whitehouse that ne
lComman Ter Mullan) would not drink on board
the nshuelot during the time that be- wouid be At
tached TO said vessel. This pledge Commandes
Mullan has repeatedly broken.
Mullan broke his pledge once too often and tins
result was the loss of the Ashuelot in calm sea
and the sacrifice of nearly dvzon human lives
He has been dismissed the service.
The Secretary of the Navy proposes that no more
vessels on the Aslatic station shall DO lost oy
drunken officers. aud he has accordingly sent tel.
egraphic order detaching Lleutenant- Commander
Hitchcock Pay Inspector Cochran and Master
Hotchku from the squadron aud ordering them 20
return home on the trst public vessel sailing fvf
the United States IL is expected that they wall
return on the Pensacola, which has been ordered
home from the Pacific station. 1t is understood
that Engineer Entw'stle has been suspended frvm
duty. The report in the of Lieutenant Jouesss
of the Monocacy, has not yet boen received
A REFORMATORY FOR FALLEN WOMEN.
MISS ANNA SMITH GIVES HOUSE FOR A GOOD
OBJECT.