Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-10-26
THE Loss OF THE DESPATCH.
Converting Of the Court OF Inquiry on the
Subject Today.

SOMETHING ABOUT rHT MEMBERS OF THE corRr-
LIEUT.. cowLEs AND HIS OFFICERS APFrAR-
ONE MAN HAD LOST MS UNBORN AND WORE
a BLOUSE.
The court Of inquiry ordered by Secretary
Tracy TO investigate the circumstances con-
nected with the loss of the q. S. s Despatch in
Chesapeake bay on the lIth instant met at the
navy yard in this city at noon today. The court
consists Of Commodore Oscar Z. Stanton, presi-
dent; Commander Willard II. Brownson, Lieut..
Commander James II. Dayton, with Nathaniel
r. Usher as recorder. Commodore Stanton
was substituted on the court as it's president in
place OF Capt Montgomery sicard, who was
originally ordered TO the duty. The latter has
Just been ordered TO the command OF the
monitor Miantonomah, which is living at the
wharf at the New York navy yard ready TO be
placed IN commission at any time. lie re-
9uested 30 be relieved from duty on the court
IN view OF the possibility that his presence may
soon be necessary on his new command.
Commodore Stanton is in charge of the
Naval Home at Philadelphia, and arrived from
there this morning. Commander Brownson
was recently ordered to duty as superiutep-
dent OF the completion OF cruiser No. 10. which
is TO be launched this week at the Colun bian
IRON works, Baltimore. Lieut. Commander
Dayton is on duty at the naval proving
ground, which is inst now in a state of transit
between the old location at Annapolis and the
new site at Indian Head, on the Potomac.
Lieut.. Usher is on duty on the receiving shin
Vermont In New York.
THOROUGH INVESTIGATION.
This court is in the nature Of en- investigat-
ing committee to determine the facts, and
there are no charges. no specifications, no
defendants. OF course the general feeling ia
IN weasel
Cowles. and his first officer. Lieut.. Mullisan
are In degree on trial 10 whether or not
they shall be actually tried later on. This
court will conduct most complete inquiry.
and il is anticipated that il will be in session
for several days.
THE COURT MEETS.
The court met in a comfortable room in the
offices OF the bureau Of civil engineering at the
navy yard, on the main street not
far from the river. 1t was reached by
crooked pair of stairs and passage through
couple OF rooms. The furniture is
pushed to one side and the room is otherwise
well prepared for the occasion. third enlist
ment private OF the marine corps stood guard
| at the door.
As the yard whistles blew the hour of noon
the recorder announced the fact that the time
had come for the court TO open. and he read
letter from the Secretary appointing Commo-
dore Stanton to the court.
linen Lieut.. Cowles entered in full uniform
and made a little statement 10 the court. He
said that he hoped the court would excuse
the informality of the appearance of one
OF the officers of the Despatch without a
uniform. Circumstances beyond his control
prevented his obedience to the regulations.
lie had lost all of his uniform during the
wreck except his blouse. This was Lieut..
NOEL. the ships executive. Lieut.. Cowles him.
self stated that he SO fortunate as TO recover
his uniform coat. but it had lain on the beach
la af fpr fna Il al.aa
enough, however, with the aid of q pair OF
bright new shoulder straps.
Lieut.. Muliigan wore a little blouse. Com
mander Davis was also present. and Lieut.
Cowles made formal request that he might be
permitted to SIT next to him during the ses-
sions of the court. This indicates that Com
mander Davis is to act as Mr.. Cowles adviser.
SECRET CONSULTATION.
Soon after the court was opened Lieut.
Usher requested that. according to the regula-
tons, the court be cleared in order that OPP
portunity might be given to consider the first
steps to be taken. This was ordered and the
officers and reporters went out 10 the ante
room and lounged around among some rolls of
canvas and several huge baskets.
Then the sentry was sent down to the COM
mandant OF the yard with the request that all
the enlisted men of the Despatch who might
have reported on board the receiving ship Dale
be sent up TO the court room.
The doors were reopened at 1885, and the
recorder announced that il had been decided TO
conduc. the inquiry in open court. Lieut..
Cowles sat between Commander Davis and
Lieut.. NOEL at the side of the recorder
The officers of the court took advantage of
one OF the recorders dips into book TO
divest themselves of their swords, which were
found to be unnecessary and uncomfortable.
THE SHIPS BOOKS.
The recorder finally saw his way clear to ask
ing Lieut.. Cowles 10 produce his ships log
book, his order book and the chart by which he
was sailing when the wreck occurred.
The officer stated that the ships chart was
lost in the storm. bat he produced another
which he declared was a copy. This was one of
the regular charts issued by the coast survey
Office.
The night order book had also been lost and
in its place the night order for the llth was
submitted. a half sheet of note paper, much
rumpled, that had been used by the lieutenant
because the book was n.islaid. The rough log
book. however, had been saved and this was
submitted. The chart was dated July "a, 1881,
as the day of issue.
1t was accepted by the court as a substitute.
When the recorder had succeeded in evolving
a minute of these matters he read il aloud. and
then Lieut.. Cowles explained the nature of the
leaves granted to the sailors of the Despatch
two weeks instead of ten DAYS, as first UNDER
stood.
bHecS ieaNcs SAput On -JlL SQaN.
The question then arose as to whether or not
the court should proceed with the inquiry I'M
til the men of the Despatch could be gathered
together here.
The court was cleared and the matter was
considered behind closed doors. -Four of the
members of the crew then in the ante
room, dressed in their white duck suits and
wearing their queer little peaked jersey caps.
They had been sent over from the Dale.
1t seems that the leaves of the men were
granted by the Navy Department and not by the
officers OF the vessel
ADJOURNED UNTIL TOMORROW.
After a quarter of an hour the sentry passed
the word to those in waiting that they might
enter. Then the recorder made a semi-conf-
dental statement to the court explaining a
matte. OF routine. and at Ills Commodore
stanton declared the court adjourned until II
o clock tomorrow.
1t is anticipated that in the meantime enough
witnesses will have been reached to enable the
court to begin the taking of testimony.
THE TRIAL OF MOORE.
The Slayer Of Jandorf Brought Before the
Criminal Court Today.
This morning in and around the Criminal
Court room were a number of the guards at the
jail and in the cells below were no less than