National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-07-21

His oGenses Receive the Emphatic Con-
domination OF Secretary whitney.

domination OF Secretary whitney.
Commander Henry l.. johnson, U. s. NJ,
was recently tried by court.martlal at Bos-
ton on charges Of scandalous conduct tend
ing to the destruction Of good morals and
Of disobedience Of orders. lie was found
guilty on both charges, and was sentenced
to be suspended from rank and duty for the
period OF five years, on furlough pay; to
retain his present number on the list OF
commanders, and 10 be publicly repri-
manded by the Secretary Of the Navy. The
proceedings, finding, and sentence OF the
court were approved by Secretary Whitney
yesterday in general order issued In re-
gard to the case. Secretary Whitney says:
commander johnson has been In the naval
service nearly twenty.seven years, and his
guilt is aggravated by the fact that he APP
pears to have been either insensible TO, or
reckless Of, the extent to which his conduct
might injuriously affect the service. That
he Is deficient In n proper sense Of his obll-
cations as an officer appears from the fact
that he failed to show due respect to the
mandate OF a civil tribunal; that he Is in-
different to the consequences OF his neglect
to discharge an indebtedness incurred UNI
der circumstances which, In themselves,
tended TO scandalize the service. Is clearly
shown by the facts established.
"For more than year he allowed to re-
main unpaid debt, tri1ing In amount, but
due to friend, who, by timely pecuniary
assistance, aided In eXtricatlng him from
an embarrassing position; after repeated
admonitions from the department he con-
tlnued and, so far as the department is
| Informed, has continued that neglect up TO
the present time, and when, to the iasensi-
blllty or recklessness thus displayed, is
added the fact that the same officer has been
found guilty Of wlllfullywrlting and uttering
a falsehood, in a communication relating TO
the subject of his Indebtedness, his culpa-
BILE disregard OF his duty as an officer be-
comes striklngly manifest.
1.-THE failure Of Commander johnson to
| make any remuneration to the counsel en-
| ployed by him, for legal services rendered
| on his appearance to answer the charge OF
| contempt Of court, coupled with his In
| difference TO his counsel's request for set
Element, is additional proof OF his insensi-
billty to an obligation which he should not
have failed to recognize, even though he
might have been temporarily unable to dis
| quired that he should at least give such
attention TO the request as would have
evinced q disposition to pay for the SER
vices thus rendered.
"Upon review Of the entire case II Is ap-
parent that Comdr. johnson has reason to
congratulate himself that he Is not subjected
to sentence much more severe than the
court saw flt to impose; but, while approx
ing the sentence as II stands, l consider II
my duty to admonlsh this officer that the
| comparative lenlty Of the sentence must not
be regarded by him as in any manner con-
| doning the oifenses Of which he has been
found guilty, and which merit and hereby
receive the emphatic condemnation and re-
| hike of the lpDartmnnt.p1