The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-03-13
TUEYDEFENDED GRAHAM
WITNESSES roID rALEs OF FIFE.
,.,,,,ei for the Accused Began Their side Oh
,he case on Board the Monitor AJAX 'es-
terda,-New Contradictory Facts

.sssnte by Lieutenant ll'ue'oh Naher
DWELL Waller. with Colonel 10. Lane stern,
.c,,te counsel. ana during the session
mite a number Of witnesses we're examined
N the object Of impeaching tho veracity
and the credit Of the witnesses for the prose
..,,on who have already testified. What will
...,atelv be the line Of defense pursued by
,., counsel has not Yet been made known.
ir,a Yesterday witnesses and the testi-
.-, .educed no decided course was shown.
and 10 SIS expected that not until tomorrow or
.,an TUESDAY VIII the defense demonstrate
c...r.v what they intend doing.
HE story OF the case, in brief, is as follows:
r.,.cs d. prcntiss. formerly ships writer
f.l.rk 10 the commanding officer. preferred
taerecs against Commander Graham to the
Nav Department at Washington. Inc
rssrees were considered by certain desig-
tated officials and q court of inquiry was or
l.red In pursuance 10 that order the court
t..yeael on the monitors March lst. COM
posed. rs u IS. OF Captain 4. u. Cook, 1. >.
4 Captain Bartlett d. Cromwell. |. ). N,
ana Captain George w. sumner. |. >. \.
First Lieutenant Charles II. Lauchhemer. I.
s. Al. c.. detached from recruiting station
~ Baltimore Is Judge advocate. TIE record
is soon as 1t IS completed, is sent TO the Juog9
slvocate-generals Office at Washington ana
there considered. If those VINO deAoerate
mon the evidence adduced decide that inc
f, argos made by Prentss are sustained a
crlrt-uartial is ordered. which Is composer
T.. nom FIVE TO thirteen officers
ny Ills pzEcs
The accused has the right 90 demand that
tie majority of those Who Try MN 10 H.9
,.aers and in Commander 6rahams case LIS
peers are commanders or captains. ne
verbal evidence given at the court OF lhqult
. r,of ,,SeG ot the c0urt-martlal but tie VII
uesses are again heard a.
About fifteen witnesses we're p.aceu Oh ,ne
stand By the prosecution or inc yuuko
,lt0cate Ii was shown by their testimony
that Commander Iraham has acted most non
,-ablv i'm the conduct or the stores accounts,
aud the charges that he has used Govern
,,ant stores for improper and Tor his own prI-
,.ste use bavo fallen fiat for the want OF cor
.9boration. ID has been proven even by wit
resses Tor the prosecution that ms manage
rrept of the stores OF the monitors mas been
'.-'st excellent. and nothing dishOnorable III
,nv way has been shown 10 have existed dur
no Commander (Iraham's administration.
irbo halfnv breezes about the monitors yes
ter1av were welcome visitors. Inc blizzard
Ike winds that have been dashing themselves
about the AJAX tor the past two days have
been anything but enjoyable.
The court convened at 10 o'clock yesterday
morning. .-.,.--- ,,.,.-,.,ss
Mr. George s. Davidson. paymaster's yeo.
man. vas the first witness called lie sIale
IN substance as follows;
have known Fife since 1889 or 1850.
Have Won ever heard him use language in
fir8t,uc an attempt % Join IN and abet IN q
renbinatlOn or TO attempt combination 10
weaken the lawful authority OF OF lessen the
respect due his commanding OF other oincers'
heard him use language 70 this enect.
one morning after he had Just come OF hO-
ertv le said: The Captain IS down now
and Looked at me as though he wanted me
r. sanction what he said. Let us down the
chiof engineer and the Doctor ! reported
this fact 10 the chief engineer. Walsh. the
,nachiuist. and Reardon. the Quartermaster,
we're i'm the Office AT the time.
From your personal knowledge and his gen.
eral reputation aboard ship would you be-
heve him filel on oath
/ do not Ike 10 say that / would not believe
him ON oath but If he was the least under the
influence of whisky and his personal interests
,gers at stake / would hate 10 believe WhAt ne
When did Fife approach you to form this
n was some time in December, 1891. -,
C,n+inuinc the witness said: Fife himself
ia me tbat he told Mr. Fuller a talsehood.
4. 80 dnrin0 the HOLIDAYS. Mr.. Fuller was
an, rovn The commanding officer was at
Annapolis. and the master-at-arms was M
c0r'nand. Mr Fuller stayed up there little
irnoar than he expected, ana ne ulu MOI
lrov Why he was staying and flie Went III
there o. see why he had stayed as ions az i.
lad and he deliberately told Mr. ruler tna'
tbo rorlnanding officer was gong 10 DE ue
tached and wanted him 70 come on board.
charles ReardOn. Quartermaster was mex
cared and stated in substance as follows
have known Fife since 1 shlppeu aDohI'
these monitors / heard HIM say once ID re
ham / a a e
now and the chief engineer ana paymaste
ought TO be fixed. Yes, he SAID doctor am
chief engineer. not paymaster. hearu Dill
mako these remarks three or four times.
from personal knowledge and ms genera
reDutation on board these ships would yo
believe him on oath: r....
Not in anything that would greatly interes
him.
prertiss attempted to anger the captain b
carrying tales about the crew.
y es SIR.
DO Won know whether tales were carried
tie crew by these two about the captain!
Nothing that / could swear TO. -
do YOU know who WAS present when FIJI
made tho alleged remarks about the chief OF
gneer and the doctor
remember ono time the paymasters ye'
man and Aachiuist Walsh were present.
TIE ALLrGED coMBNATIoN.
Continuing. the witness said: did not II
port the alleged combination TO the captain
never took any notice of the cOnversatl un
for never thought lt would be necessary {
reu0rt the case 10 the captain. No, ] did no
Uukit my duty 10 report this matter 10 Oh
commanding officer. for ] did not like 20 J.
carrying tales. Yes / have read "the articl,
fr the Government OF the navy ] did nc
know of these matters when ] acted with ! II
in tie Oliver matter. ! would not bohe'
BID. ON oath. only on account OK general IN
lrassions / have received from hun, hauI
been on the ship for some time.
ON what do you base your lmpresso
about tifey
his habit of coming 10 me and telling j
loretlling. and then telling ne 10 he qul
abogtit. and then telling other men OF l.
Sims. 40. DO not remember that be eV
Tod me lie on any such occasions. OhN
asked me To act for him II TIE OANer mt'l'
lale never asked me 70 act il ne OilVeF n'
ter.
AT TIE MISS TABLE.
George w. Brooke. machinist. was the ne
w.tu.s. called by the counsel Tor the accuse
lave been aboard these monitors since Al
2ll ast ] have only known the Siuce
came aboard these ships. heafu mn
morning at the mess table make rehtIE'
was r.w. cold morning Prentis mace 80
remark and File at the other emu OF
table replied Yes. INN. VIII
pou hiu 10 the department. and nave
c0urtmartialed and thrown out OF tue d, ia
lIe referred 10 Commander Graham. i
4 mn .