The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-04-05
pRENTISS AS A WITNESS
rw,s,rn IN Cross EXAMINATION.
Tho s..,on NJ the SavaI Court-marfiai Try
ing Commander Grahanh-'"'
dent Rear Admiral.

b;s 400, "a nresident in the court-martial yes
,ordov q besket Of beautiful flowers set on his
desk. IL was q tribute from his orother
officers and bore a card as follows: 10 Rear
Admiral j. A. Greer. with congratulations
from the members of the court, the Judge
( Advocate and the associate to the Judge Adyo-
cate.p lie became a rear admiral on Sunday
/ Roar Admiral Kimberly Of Samoan fame, re-
tired on Saturday. Admiral Greer WAS ap-
pointed from Ohio and was last at sea IN june
1889 He has done twenty years ana ioul
months Of sea service aud nineteen years anu
three months shore and other duty. lie was
made midshinman January 10. 1879 passed
midsbipman June -. l5ji master SeptemDei
To- 1880 lieutenant September 10, l'JJ'
lieutenant commander July IT, 49,; com
mander July 2G, 1865 captain ApriI 20;
1872 commodore May -, 1856 rear auuiiiA'
April 3. lss2.
Proceedings Of the court began promptly
nj $3.50 o'clock and Lieutenant LaucnheiIner
read aloud the record of Saturday. Az l1s
conclusion Mate Fuller was recalled as Wit
ness Tor the prosecution. and IN answer u
question said oliver holds the rate OF cox
swain
b. b. Walsh. machinist was the next wit
ness called ana IN answer TO questions ne
/ said Commander Graham stated on one Occa-
sion in referring to the death OF the late al
miral David b. Porter farce Tor me 10
be wearing mourning hope he ltorterl Is III
, where he ought 90 have been went
five wears ago. ] would like 70 be frs1-clasS
fireman i'm - where / could keep not hIe
around him all the time.
The witness WIS cross-eXamlned by couhsel
for the defense. but no new facts were
brought out nor was the testimony OF the
vitnass broken down IN any particular.
Mr. w L. Davis. Of Portsmouth, Va. was
next called as "a witness for the prosecution
and among other testimony sail. i was ma
chinist at one time Oh board the monitors. l
was aboard on February II, 1871. felnem-
bera general muster on that day, when An
order referring to Admiral Porter death was
read Commander Graham first began To
wear the badge of mourning between the
5th and eth oil April: he took IL on between
the 18th and 10Th OF the same month. n1
the dates hecause made memorandum.
Cross-examlned by Colonel stern ny dld
you make the memorandum
| kept the memorandum because had been
informed that Commander Graham had SAID
that il was "a - farce for him 10 wear mourn
Ing. / wished to sec If he did wear mourning
or not.
Ola YOU not say at the court of inquiry that
I'VE had general muster a short time alter the
mourning had been put on;
} rs. Sir.
How do you fix the date about mourning.
fixed the date of the mourning by the
memorandum 1 kept.
HAD ANnosITY.
You have luminosity towards Commander
Graham. have you not:
] have.
Questioned by the Judge Advocate: State
why you have animosity for Commander
Graham
Colonel Meredith objected to the question
and argued IN support OF his position. lie
was replied 10 by Lieutenant Lemly. The
Court sustained tine ob ecti0n.
Lieutenant lemly: Is this animosity of
such a character as will bias you against the
Colonel Meredith objected to the question.
and after his argument he was REPLIED 20 by
Lieutenant Lemly. who quoted Winthrop on
Military Law in support Of his position.
The Court sustained the objection.
rRENrIss oN THE STAND.
At noon James ID. Prentiss. formerly ships
writer on board the monitors, was the next
witness called. and in answer 10 questions
said / was honorabiy discharged at the ex-
piration of my enlistment. There was gen
eral muster on February il. 1891. 40 yhicn
time a general order wa read announcing the
death Of the late Admiral Porter Before
this time Commander Graham said about
Admiral Porter. ~ Is, he is dead and gone 10
twenty five years ago, -- - MN. WISH
WAS q first-class fireman IN . ] would
make IL hot for hun. / would make nm
sauirm. him. This was said IN the
presence OF Mate kuhl. Palmer and others.
Commander Graham first began 10 wear the
badge of mourning for Admiral Porter on the
9TH day of April. lie took 1t of about the
10th of April.
Yes. Fife wrote report against COmman-
der Graham. 10 was IN reference 20 the ours
ing aud abusing OF Fife by Comman ier IRA
ham when Fife went 10 the carpenter shop
D. get two pieces of wood.
les: was aboard December 3. 1891. On
that dav Commander Graham gave orders 10
Mate Fuller that when Oliver arrived % bring
hum o. the mast Commander Graham went
there and upDraided Oliver for dlsotediepce
of orders. for not returning 60 the monitors
with tic small boat. Commander Graham
then became angry and called Oliver -
fool q ass and au ignorant msn. Com
mander Graham told Oliver that he disrated
him. Yes. the Commander tod mo % disrate
Oliver
The witness then told the story Of how
Commander Graham had asked several mem-
bers of the crew If he had cursed oliver, and
how they had replied In the affirmative. Prem
tiss told how Oliver lad lad report written
to be forwarded 10 the Navy Department pre-
ferring charges against Commando Graham.
preutiss was next cross-examined by Colonel
Stern: on are the person that preferred
these charges are you nOt
am James ID. Prentiss.
Answer tine question.
am.
Have you any animosity against Command
er Graham.
10. have not
Have you not expressed animosity to n. 3.
Sutton. oil the police force
No. sir.
If YOU are mistaken about this conversation
with III. b sutton. then you are mistaken
about all YOU have testified about:
j nm morally sue ! never held the CONVEX
satiOn.
Answer the question.
Yes, sir.
Have You not expressed animosity towards
Commander Graham
ln general way no doubt ! have.
Then you have expressed what you did not
entertain
have no animosity against Commander
Graham.
Then when you expressed such animosity
you lied, did you?
SEES.
Have you not said that if Commander era
ham gave Won the position of ships writer
you would withdraw the charges against him.
In general way yes. ia conversation
with ex-Iqulpment Woman Palmer [ told
him / would not have "a position on the
monitors for fifteen minutes for any position
III the navy. i also told Palmer that III Com
mauder Graham would recommend me 20 his
successor would withdraw the CHARGES 4