Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-03-06
|PRENTISS A WITNESS
.Hs resTlrIEs REGARDING THE
CHARGES AGAINST GRAHAM.
some OF the EviGspcs Quite ssnsatiesal--
Counsel tor the Accused Mako Many
Objections Many spicy Points

in the case over points which arose as the
investigation proceeded. Only one wit
ness was heard. That was Mr.. James D..
Prentiss, ex-ship's-clerk of the monitors,
and Commander 0raham's accuser.
IL was about 1890 O'Clock when the
court was raped TO order BY the presi-
dent. and the usual officers and members
were present. The required Formally OF
reading and approving the minutes was
gone thro ugh with. after which MIR. Prem
tiss was called into the courtroom.
OBJECTED TO THE WITNESS.
Just before he took the oath. however,
Lieutenant Waller, representing the ac-
cused. said be objected TO the witness,
and presented O paper setting forth his
reasons for so doing in the following letter
1.-THE accused objects to the introduce
ton of the witness. j. ID. Prentiss. on the
grounds Of incompetency and Incredible
1.-THE proposed witness has, as can be
proven. expressed bis intense hatred and
virulent hostility TO the accused. He has
sent threatening letters to the command
ing officer, the accused. attempted to
cause damaging publications to be made,
has used every effort to ruin and blast his
character.
THE report made by him to the Hon.
Secretary of the Navy shows on its face
the hall mark of conspiracy.
He must either have sent or been IN
strumental in sending anony nous letters:
He has 'blushed' for the conduct OF
Commander Graham, but no blush appears
when he is guilty of this assassins work
this stabbing in the back by means OF
anonymous letters, threatening combina-
tons and abusive letters, tale bearing. and
all such low dastardly work.
"If be were IN the service he could be
tried under article s. paragraph 7-articles
for the government OF the navy, but being
civilian he must 60 free for the present.
1.-The evidence already before this court
has proven the falslty of four OF the
charges made, thus showing that he will
fully msstated the facts or in collecting
the data has received as facts malicious
and false statements of others, made Tor
the purpose of injury to the commanding
officer.
Again, he is party to the record, and
any testimony given should be received
with great caution"
COUNSEL MAKE STRONG APPEALS.
The Judge-Advocate was strenuously OPP
posed to allowing the paper to go on the
records and argued that it was not tor the
defence to offer such objections until some
of them had been proven. He would not
object, however. to making mention OF their
desire that the witness be not accepted.
Lieutenant Waller made q strong appeal,
urging the necessity for those reasons to
be recorded along with the objection, and
asserting that it was the proper place and
time for them. Colonel Stern joined In
the discussion which was warm and AMI
mated 1t wound up by the court being
cleared for the judges to decide the point.
When the court opened again the Judge.
Advocate stated that the objection would
not be allowed in Its written shape, but
only in general terms. The defence noted
Its exception.
PRENTIss ON THE STAND.
Prentiss was then duly sworn, and testi-
fed that he had been in the naval service
one year on board the monitors under
Commander Graham. He said that he was
honorably discharged on January 70. 1892.
On February II, 1891, he heard the Captain
miral David ID. Porter that he (Admiral
Porter was dead and in -. and that he
used other language, which it Is unneces-
sary for the DISPATCH to reproduce.
Continuing, the witness said: "Com-
mander Graham remarked that he sup
posed he would have to put on the badge
Of mourning for Porter. but he hated to
do So" Prentiss testified that he heard
Captain Graham say that he received an
anonymous letter on April 9th, concerning
the wearing of the symbol of respect to
Admiral Porter. and that he put 1t on the
9TH, and wore it until the 20th.
The Captain told the witness upon one
occasion that Marshal Hayden, ex-pay-
masters yoeman. had written the epistle,
but afterwards he said it was sent to him
by the machinist, Mr. Davis.
fIFE's CHARGES.
The witness stated that in September.
1891, Yeoman Fife drew up charges against
the Captain. accusing him of using abusive
language unbecoming q superior officer
and a gentlman. These charges were
never forwarded to the navy. The witness
said be knew that Commander Graham
sent for the yeoman, but he did not hear
him apologize. He mad heard the Captain
curse Mills Oliver, coxswain OF the steam
launch. Commander Graham, he said.
gave him. as ships writer. au order to dis
rate Oliver, but the coxswaln came to the
mast to see the Commander and asked
permission to lay his case before the Sec
rotary of the Navy. Commander. Graham,
after asking several of the men whether or
not ne abused Oliver, returned TO him and
apologized. telling him to 60 about his
duties IS before on the launch.
TIE APOLOGY NOT ACCEPTED.
II seems. continued the witness, that
the apology was not accepted, as the
charges against the Commander, formally
drawn up, were presented to the latter by
Mate Fuller the next day to be forwarded
to the navy.
The court then took recess for half an
hour and lunch was served by Captain
Graham in his own quarters.
ANOTHER OBJECTION.
The tribunal reconvened at o'clock and
the witness resumed his testimony. He
was asked by the Judge-Advocate to state
to the court what he remembered as con-
tanned in the charges made by Oliver
against Commander Graham, and to be
forwarded by the latter to the Secretary
Of the Navy. Counsel for the accused OBJ,
iected TO the question, and some argument
was INDUCED in by Colonel Stern, Lieu
tenant Waller, and the Judge-Advocate.
The objection was not sustained by the
court, and the witDess proceeded by say
inc that the charges embraced a full state
ment of the affair, accusing the captain of
unbecoming conduct. The charges were
not to his knowledge forwarded to the
Navy Department. They were not sent on,
the witness stated, upon an agreement
which was signed by Commander Graham.
ouestion from the Judge-Advocate as 10
what this agreement was. The latter said
the paper would either be produced or &C.
counted for.
The objection was not sustained and the
witness continued by saving that the
agreement was that Commander Graham
should be on his good behavior toward the
crew and treat Oliver kindly and not per-
secute him, and that the Captain should
leave his present command February 49,,
1902. He saw Commander Grahams sigma
ture to the paper, and was positively GER
tain that 1t was his writing. he having
been familiar with it in his capacity as
ship's writer and seeing his writing daily.
The agreement was written by Equipment
Woman Fife. 1t was placed IN the hands
NJ Paymaster's Yeoman Davidson with the
charges.
MYSTERIOUS PAPER.
The Judge-Advocate at this point intro
auced a paper which he desired TO bs
niaced upon the records. 1t was read
ejoud and was q memorandum of sugges-
tons directed to Yeoman Fife. and had no
name signed to it. Itspoke in compliment
tarv terms of Commander Graham and
urged that he get up q petition setting
forth that he was unfortunate in beng
irr;table and had apoloRized for having
snoken harshly to his men, and asking In
or~--f ~ asa factS that no action he taken