Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-04-02
THE POINT RECLAIMED
REARDON ALLOWED TO GIVE THE
CONTENTS OF THE AGREEMENT.
Commander Graham Not Instrumental in
Its Destruction--Fife Says He
VIII Prefer Charges.

Yesterday was the sixth day OF the Ora
ham court-martial and the forenoon was
almost entirely scent In reading the record
of the previous days proceedings. When
this had been done Charles Resrdon.
ships writer. was placed on the stand.
DE testified that he heard Commander
Graham call Oliver q - fool on the
morning of December 3, 1891. and heard
him apologize to oliver for SO doing.
Reardon stated that Oliver called upon
him thot evening and that he (Reardon)
wrote up the report to the Secretary OF
the Navy in duplicate form. This report.
he says. was never forwarded to the de-
partment. The court here took recess for
an hour.
WANTED IT ADDED TO THE RECORD.
When it reassembled Captain Parker.
for the accused, called the attention of
the court to the fact that an error in
the record had escaped him in the morn
ing. lie sald that by some means, design
edly or accidentally, the part of the
speech of the Judge-Advocate with refer
elce to the destruction of the papers, and
which contained unfriendly language to-
ward Commander Graham, had not been
admitted TO the record, while his (Parker's)
refutstion and repelling of the reflections
were fully quoted. Captain Parker said it
made HIM appear TO be fighting shadow.
Judge-Advocate Laucbheimer quickly
refuted that this language had been omit
ted by any action on the part OF either
himself or his associate.
The Court deferred Its decision upon the
question. and the witness Charles Rear
dom was recalled.
CONTENTS OF THE AGREEMENT.
One of the first questions asked by the
prosecution was as to the contents of the
Graham and oliver. To this the defence
raised objection, as it claimed that Reardon
was party to the destruction of the paper.
The Judge-Advocate's associate assured
the Court that it had not been shown and
could not be shown that the witness IN
Laving engaged III the destruction of the
paper bad any motives against the accused,
but rather that il was burned out OF kind
ness toward the Commander.
Court was cleared, and when IL reopened
the President announced that the objec-
ton Of the accused was not sustained.
Reardon then stated that the agreement
contained language to the effect that II
Mills Oliver would not forward his
charges TO the department Commander
Graham would not again ill-treat or abuse
him or any other member of tho crew.
The paper contained q clause whereby
Mills oliver was to be amenable to pun
ishnent for breaches Of discipline and mis-
conduct according TO the rules and regu-
lations of the navy, and stipulated that
Captain Graham should try bis best TO be-
come detached from the command by
February 10, 1892. He told the story of the
agreement and of the destruction OF the
papers by oliver in his presence.
DIDN'T KNOW THEY WERE BURNED.
The witness stated that just after the
court Of inquiry had been ordered Com
mander Graham remarked 10 him that he
thought these papers of Olliver's would
ruin him, but that the witness said he did
not think they would, as oliver had de-
strOyed them. Reardon testified that tho
Commander then told him ho should not
have impaired to him (the Commander
the information that the charges and
agreement had been burned. but also said
he was glad that such was the case. This
shows conclusively that Commander Gra-
ham took no part III the destruction of
these papers, as has been lntImated during
the proceedings.
The witness denied that the agreement
was read to Fife after it was signed, or
that Fife ever saw the paper after the Cap
tain appended his signature to it.
Court then adjourned till $3.50 o'clock
this morning.
FIFE SAYS HE WILL PREFER CHARGES.
While the DisPATcn's nautical scribe was
walkilg up Main street yesterday morning
ne was approached by Equipment
Fife. who, in speaking of the court-mar-
tial, said be intended to prefer charges
against several on board the ships and ask
for a court-martial for them on the grounds
or a conspiracy against him. He did not
give the names of those persons who, he
claims, have been cOnspiring against him.
Nor did he make the newspaper man ac-
quainted with the exact nature of his case.
During the reading of the record yester-
day morning Fife, who was listening to his
own testimony, was overcome by the allu-
sion to unfortunate matters of personal
nature aad was allowed to retire for few
minutes, during which proceedings wero
susDeuded.