Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-03-05
THE SMALL CHARGES.
THE TESTIMONY POINTS TOWARDS
AvINDlCATiON OF GRAHAM.
Ileves Certain Thinss-That Baby
House-The Refrigerator. etc.

The court Of inquiry investigating the
| charges against Commander j. ID. Graham.
Of the monitors, has now spent four days
| upon its labors, and it is highly probable
| that IL will be in session several days
longer. Many Of the smaller accusations
have been thoroughly sif.ed, and TO all ap-
| pearances have been unsustained. The
charge which occupied the tribunal nearly
ell of yesterday was that Captain Graham
| purchased a refrigerator of L. Is. Taylor d
| Co., costing Sl2.75, and rendered bill TO
| the government for si4.
Another question which consumed a
| great deal OF the courts attention yester-
| Cay was the baby-house alleged TO have
| been built Of government material and in
| government hours. The circumstances un-
der which the little structure was built
were published in yesterdays DISPATCH.
| but q history Of the dolly for which the
| domicle was made will prove OF interest.
| Upon the occasion Of the unyeIlIng of the
| Lee monument. Governor Richardson and
| his staff. of South Carolina were here and
| paid visit to the monitors While there
they became so much attached TO the lit
tie 5-year-old daughter OF the Captain
that after the distinguished gentlemen
left they sent TO Miss Marian Meade
| Graham, commsnder-in-chi of the
| United States monitors beautiful
doll. The infant of bisque and kid was
named after the State from which the
| donors came and in honor of the day
| Carolina Lee.
COLONEL STERN OBJECTS.
During the proceedings yesterday many
very nice points arose, and Colonel DO
| Lane Stern. who is assisting Lieutenant
| Waller IN representing the accused, al
! lowed no opportunity to escape him where
| hearsay testimony was about 70 be INTRO
| duced by a witness. Ho stated to the tri-
| bunal that he did not know much about
naval courts. and stood liable to corree-
| ton whenever no might be in error. 1t
may be added that this seldom occurred.
| The examination so far has been rather
| wide-ranged, but 1t has been conducted
| with great precaution and precision.
| Everything IS in strict compliance with the
regulations Of the navy governing these
| tribunals.
| The earnest work of Judge Advocate
| Lauchhelmer for the prosecution and Lieu
tenant Waller for the defence has been
| most commendable.
TIE FOURTH DAYS SESSION.
| The court met at 10 o'clock yesterday
| morning, all members being present, and
| after reading and approving the minutes
! of the day previous 1t was closed Tor q
| short while. during which time certain
| questions were presented by the Judge
| Advocate for consideration.
| After a conclusion had been reached the
tribunal reconvened, and Mr. William j..
| Davis. of Portsmouth, was placed upon
1 the stand. He said he was appointed as yeoman
| In May, 1887, On the Trenton, and transferred
| % the Lancaster IN September Of the same
year. He was enlisted as machinist on board
| Tho monitors In November, 1890, and was dis
| - L. rffgA l.u "a nNup IL.
! Commander Graham was In charge. The baby
/ house charge was taken up. and the witness
stated that he did not know Dy whose orders the
| infants domictle was built. The carpenter
| mate, tho witness said, worked on the structure
| during working hours, and that, 10 the best of
| bis knowledge and belief, government material
was used In its construction. After the house
| was completed the Commander presented II 10
| his little daughter on Christmas day.
| TIE BUREAU AND REFRIGERATOR.
| Mr. Davis testified that he also knew that a
| bureau was sent from the feet TO Paymaster
/ L0vells private quarters In Richmond, but ne
| did not know 10y whose orders or whether II had
| ever been returned, lie remembered that
| Blacksmith Ford bought a Dedstead from Com
| mander Graham; that the piece Of furniture
| was on board the ships. He did not know Hhat
| Kind Of a bedsteGd u was. The witness was asked
| 10 state 10 the court what he knew about the re-
| irigcraJOr spoken OF in the charges. Ihe reply
| was that he knew II was purchased and spoke OF
| having seen a letter which had been written by
accused objected 70 the testimony concerning
| the episte as secondary evidence Tho obiec-
tion was not sustained and the defendants co1n-
| sel took exception
Mr. Davis proceeded then TO state what he
| knew about the refrigerator. He said the letter
contained clause which said; How about
| that refrigerator which was taken up on the
books at s14 and only cost S12.75f" Fife. he
| said. had shown him voucher showing that the
article of furniture cost the government Slf. II
was purchased from Taylor & Co.
| COULDN'T SAY WHY HE WOULD MAKE THE LssER-
| IIos
| The witness was not allowed 70 state what he
| heard was paid for the refrigerator, II being
| secondary evidence. He did not see the money
paid.
The Judge-Advocate then asked Davis what
| reason be had for asserting that 312.70 was the
| amount paid for the refrigerator. The witness
stated that IL was impossible for him 10 state
positively his reasons, as he did not see the attl-
| Gle settled for, and he would not be allowed TO
| testify as 20 what he had heard.
in regard 20 a question as 10 the dpancial re-
| laions between COmmsnder Graham and ex-
| Yeoman Palmer the witness stated that IL the
| came letter the eX-yeOman had said that COM
| mander Graham bad borrowed money from
| hlsn aud made use Of him in that way 40 much
| as he could" he said he saw tho letter and
| knew IL 10 have been signed by conan Palmer.
| lie did not know much as 10 conan flfes H.
| Yentory OF stores, but as far as he did know
| the count was accurate. Whep questioned
| as 20 the method OF getting stores during
1
| sets Of keys. the captain having one and the
yOeman the other. Palmer was away three days
| IN the week, going homo on Fridgy and re-
| turning 70 tho ships on MONDAY Dunn5 this
| time the witness stated that he was sure Pal
| mers set Of keya were turned over TO the mas
| ter-at-arms. He never 60: any stores ana knew
OF no irregu gular issuance OF them 10 anyone else.
| lie did not know. that any government properly
| wss used for private purposes, but thought some
OF II had been Improperly used.
| TUE BADGE OF MOURNING PoR PORTER.
| He was then asked If he knew when Com
| mander Graham began to wear the badge OF
| mourning ordered by the navy upon the death
| of the late Admiral David 4. Porter, and replied
| that IL WAS between April 9th and Sth, and that
| the Captain took oil the badge between the 10th
| and 2Oth OF the same month. He did not know
| why Commander Graham put on the badge at
| The court then took recess for half an hour
| and the members were invited 10 lunch by the
| Captain.
| TIE YEONAN'S SPECIAL PRIVILEGES.
| When the tribunal convened after lunch Mr..
/ Davis, OF Portsmouth, was replaced upon the
| stand and allowed 10 finish his testimony lie
stated that he once heard Commander Graham
| say that Palmer was = good yeoman, and
| that that was the reason why he gave him spe-
| cial privileges
| In reply 70 a question by the accused the Wit
| ness said ne was not as certain about the baby
| house matter as he was concerning other ques-
tions upon which ho had given testimony. lie
| structure from the carpenters mate.
Here counsel for the defence offered objection,
| which was sustained by the court.
Davis admitted that under the regulations OF
| the navy no had nothing 10 do with the reirige-
| rator or the accounts of the ships. Ho did not
| know positively whether the inventory OF the
| ships stores had been accurately taken
| Al this point the accused introduced an ap-
proved copy Of the survey, which referred to ceI
| tain evidence In regard 10 alleged improper use
OF some tOrpedo-bombs
| DIDN'T REMEMBER WHO TOLD HIN.
| Going back the witness In reply to "a query by
| CAPTAIN Graham, said he would stiu main-
| tain that the baby-house was made In govern
| ment hours, even IL the carpenters mates. we're
| 10 say that 1t was not He Was unable TO recall
| which carpenters mate spoke TO him about the
| material used IN the construction OF the house.
He said he kept the date concerning the
mourning In his mind 10y having put clipping
| from paper In his scrap-bOok which contained
| a notice OF the death OF Admiral Porter.
| "Did YOU ever see Palmer wrlte?' asked
~ nave not, 10 the best OF my knowledge and
| belief" responded the witness
"Then how can you testify that you have ever
| seen a letter from himf"'
| -. 4, ~....ao 4 hava receivel letfers from him