The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-07-25
NAVAL COURTS MARTIAL.
TRIALS TO WHICH OFFICkRs OF TIE
NAVY IRE EYER LIABLE

the Punishment IL Merited-Some Noted
Sentences OF the Past Quarter Century.
Will any one outside OF the navy doubt that
tho officers. from cadet to Admiral In tho line
or staff and tho warrant officers as WE'LL have
to toe tho seam. and a narrow scam at that.
after reading about the trials by courts
martial OF three officers recently for
conduct "unbecoming an officer and
gentleman? Such trials afford owl
dence that every officer must, in addition to
his professional requirements. make himself
familiar with every section Of tho Laws for
the Better Government OF tho Navy" and Of
tho regulations promulgated BY the Navy De-
partment. which Ill 252 closely printed quar-
to pages. And no officer may expect that no
can commit an offence forbidden by tho Navy
Regulations without 1t being discovered: for
every movement OF an officer is under the
microscopic scrutiny Of the Navy Department
at every naval station and upon every vessel.
and ut his homo as vol.
Within the past few weeks two officers OF tho
Engineer Corps have been ordered before
courts martial upon the charges OF drunken
ness, both on and Off duty, and absenting
themselves from their stations without lenvc.
How many mon In society. especially In club
life. do practically the same thing and suffer
nothing more than rehearsal Of their little
careless. flippant. and joking way. The rec
ords OF the Navy Department show that some
OF the most prominent officers OF tho navy
have committed acts that might have been
overlooked In civil life. but which have sub
jected the officers to court martial and to SEN
fences Of suspension. and even worse dis
grace. A case that has attracted much alton
ton in the past few weeks Is that OF Com
mandcr James D. Graham. who. while in
charge Of tho preservation and care OF tho
ironclad monitors laid up In tho james
River. was put under arrest md oourt-mar-
tailed upon five separate and distinct charges.
upon each and all Of which he was found
guilty and sentenced to be dismissed from tho
navy. Among the specifications 1t was charged
that he refused to wear the badge OF mourn
ing on the left arm and on the hilt OF his sword
for Admiral Porter for the whole time. thirty
days. prescribed by the Navy Regulations. and
using offensive and profane language against
his memory: that he abused and swore against
Woman G. W. Fife. and also Coxswaln Oliver:
that he offered to and did apologize to Yeoman
Fife ito the prejudice OF good order In the
navy" that he begged OF Fife that he would not
forward charges against him. as It might in
jure his chances for promotion. SO soon to
take place. and that he signed q paper agree
ing not to i'll trent Oliver in any manner. and
command by Feb 10.
At the time OF the commission Of these acts
Commander Graham was under great mental
excitemen because OF some trouble that his
son had become involved in. The court martial.
taking this into consideration. recommended
him to clemency. Their action was approved
by Secretary Tracy. and the President miti-
gated tho sentence OF dismissal to suspension
from rank and duty for the term Of seven
years. on half pay. or $1.750 a year. and the
putting Of him at the bottom OF the list OF his
grade. which means to go below e;ghty-three
other Commanders whom he has hitherto been
senior to. Not only Is he Immediately re-
duced in rank. but every officer promoted to
the Commanders list for tho next seven years
will 60 above him. He will never reach the
Captains grade. for at the end of his sentence
OF suspension he will have only four moro
years OF service on the active list, and BY his
sentence he is forbidden to leave the State or
Territory OF which he Is or may be a resident
or visit tho Navy Department without the au-
thority OF the Secretary OF the Navy.
Another court martial which commanded
much attention two years ago was that OF
Commander B. II. McCalla. who returned In
command Of the Enterprise from the European
squadron and was tried upon three charges,
namely inflictinR cruel and unlawful punish.
menu vi poEsoub HIS COIuubHu. hDuS0
OF official power. and oppressive and inhuman
conduct unbecominG an officer and q gentle
man. He was sentenced by tho court to be
suspended from rank and duty for three years.
beginning on May 49, 1890. and to retain his
then number on the list OF Commanders.
About three months ago he was relieved from
suspension by order Of the President. but in
the interim two Commanders had been pro-
noted above him. and II the cases OF Com
manders Smith and Graham had not blocked
promotion others would have jumped him.
Tho pardon OF Commander McCalla provoked
much criticism among the officers OF the navy.
One Of the most singular cases of court
of Ensign George rmsby Who Vile Tni 'n at
tached to the South Pacific squadron, was
tried by court martial on May -, 1856. His
sentence was that he be suspended from rank
during that time and be pu blicly rerrimand-
cult Court of the District Of Columbia for an
injunction against the Secretary Of the Navy
from restraining him Of his right to sue in u
Sower of the SECRETARY )" to- Ss'i p%eo hi ns
on on duty AS as an AMI officer of the navy
ing ordered to duty on the ship MononGahela.
then at Mare Island failed to appear ut the
donce at Mare Island. to await court martial for
QlSoDcdience OF orders. &c. On all OF the
charges he was found guilty and sentenced to
be dismissed from tho, navy. which sentence
was carried out. But the office has continued
10 fight for rein statement and much interest
In the result has been manifested by othor
officers who have been SUSPENDED from rank.
The case of Commander George NJ Book.
which for a long time blocked tho way to pro-
motion from Lieutenant Commander to Com
mander. was settled only n fcw wecks ago. A
few years ago he was in command OF tho Pintn
in Alaskan waters. Concluding that his vessel
was In an unseaworthy condition. he recon-
mendea to tho Navy Department that she DO
Immediately repaired Soon afterwurd no
wont to Washington without the required per-
mission. and made personal appeal to tho
DEPARTMENT, at the same time representing
that it would be hazardous to the lives of the
officers. and crew to put to sea n such an I'M
seawurthy craft. For leaving the vessel with
out n commander and without first obtaining
permission from the Secretary. Lieutenant.
Commander Book was court -marialled and
sentenced to be suspended from rank, and
duty, ON THROUGH pay. for the term of Two
years. and t" retain his then number on tho
list 81 his grade during that time. light
months later the President restored tho officer
TO duty 10y romitting tho remaining portion Of
his sentence. and Lieutenant, o!nmander
look event ally got his promotions.
inc sentence OF tho court martial against
Lieut.. William C. Strong, Will" serving on