Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-01-23
LISTEN TO HIS TALE OF WOE.
An lrate Undertaker's Charges Against
an Unknown Naval Officer.

Undertaken John Mccarthy Of Syracuse,
NY, who travelled out to Samoa and brought
home the body of Chief Engineer Hall, who
was drowned In the great hurricane of last
spring, is on the war path, seeking the scalp of
the navy. He appeared at the
department yesterday and preferred
verbal charges against an officer OF
the U.S.S Adams, whose name he did
not know, and by whom, he alleged he had
been impolitely and rudely treated during his
stay in the Samoan Islands. The Secretary not
being at the department the undertaken was
referred to Commodore Ramsay, chief of the
bureau OF navivation, who heard his story. Mr..
Mccarthy produced
A LETTER WRITTEN BY COMMODORE WALKER,
as acting secretary, last August. directing all
naval officers in Samoan waters to give the I'M
dertaker all the aid they could in the disinter-
ment OF Halls body and its shipment home.
This document, Mr.. Mccarthy claimed,
Was an order to the officers which
had been grossly disobeyed by the then COM
executive officer as the ships commander was
i'll at the time. This officer he charged with
improper conduct and disobedience of orders.
THE CORPSE FELL INTO THE SEA.
He had been treated, he said with the great
est Indifference transferred from vessel to
vessel and finally, in shifting the casket con-
tanning the remains from a man-of-war to a
native vessel, 1t was careessly let fall into the
sea. 1t was recovered, however, and after
great expense trouble and delay the under
taker managed to reach the mail steamer and
get headed for home.
Mr.. McCarthy's statement concerning his
treatment. which he repeated to a STAR re-
porter, were very vague and indefinite. and
when they were made to Commodore Ramsay
told at M
companying statements relating to them should
be put in writing before they could be consid-
cred. The undertaken left the document on
which he based his complaints at the depart
menL
MATTER OF BIZ HUNDRED VOTES.
When the commodore told him that he would
have to send over to the Adams and get the
statements Of the other side Mr.. Mccarthy grew
rather wroth and said that if he did not get
some sort Of satisfaction the case would become
one OF political importance, as he controlled
fully 600 votes at his home.
The main point in his allegations was that
the letter from from Commodore Walker was
equivalent to an order which gave him virtual
command Of any vessel which he might need to
aid him in getting the body home. It was nec-
essary, he said, for him to land on certain is
land, but the commander of the Adams refused
to change the course of his ship. It is the
opinion Of the department officials that this
letter had no such value.
HE REAPPEARs IN COMPANY WITH TWO CON-
aREssMEN.
This morning the undertaken reappeared at
the department in company with Congressman
Belden and Sawyer and had q short interview
with Secretary Tracy, to whom he presented
his case anew. The Secretary said that moth
ing can be done until a statement of the facts
Is obtained from the officers of the Adams
Material for the New Cruisers.
Bids were opened at the Navy department
yesterday for material for use in the construc-
ton of machinery at the New York navy yard
for two cruisers Of 5000 tons displacement
each. The Richmond locomotive and machine
works made the lowest bid for steel and Hanged
plates at ss1, 2O0 the Linden steel company of
Pittsburg, Pa, the lowest bid for rectangular
steel sheets at S30s1 aud also for other styles
| of steel sheets at $40. $50. Other bids were re-
ceived from David Duncan & Son Of New York,
D. s. Cook of Wrightsville, Pa, J. B. Morrell 4
Co. of New York, Carnegie, Phipps q Co. Of
Pittsburg. Greenlie, Wyatt Co. Of New York
and the Midvaie steel company Of Philadelphia.
The material required includes bolts, nuts pig
iron, steel plates, rods, shapes, forgings. steel