Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-03-04
THE STORES SYSTEM.
NO IRREGULAR ISSUANCE UNDER CAP
TAIN GRAHAM'S ADMINS 7 RATION.
erai witnesses on the stand-Pey-
master Loveips Evidence.


members were present and representatives,
OF the city press occupied seats to the left
Of the president of the tribunal. The
Judge Advocate read the minutes OF the
previous sessions of the court, and they
were approved.
Yeoman Fife then appeared before the
tribunal 90 correct n certain portion OF nls
testimony given on the day previous. lie
was asked what he desired to change, and
replied that he on Wednesday testified
that he found the stores in good condition
when be became yeoman. but since then
he remembered that he found a rotten
hawser on the Manhattan. All in the
store-room were in good condition.
CURSED THE WOMAN.
A few fragments of the hawser were sent
10 Commander Graham. the witness stated,
and :he latter Was met on the line by the
Captain. who told the witnes that II was
none of his --- --- business: that he
(the yeoman) was not board of survey.
Lieutenant Waller objected to the latter
part Of the correction. saying 1t was not
correction but new evidence. which was
not admissible and only given as piece
of spleen.
Tie Court sustained Lieutenant Wal
ler's objection.
THE EXCHANGE OF FLAGS.
Edward r. Trainor. bOatswain's mate,
was then sworn and testified that he en-
listed the last time on the monitors on
March 23 1891. He stated that upon the
orders of Mate Kuhl he gave new nag 10
the captain of the tug Henry CHRISTIAN, re-
ceIvng an old flag III return. and tnat his
instructions were not TO give up the new
colors unless the old ones were given IN
exchange. He did not know whv the ex-
change was made; be only obeyed ms
orders. About the same time, the witness
stated, he got dn order TO haul up some
small chain from the locker OF the Maho-
pac and helped to put 1t in the steam
launch. He did not know what, 1t was
used for. IL was never returned TO the
ships. He also stated that he gave to the
tug Christian a number of fathoms OF
hawser when that tug was engaged IN
hauling away piles. COMMANDER McCur-
lev was in charge OF the fleet at That time.
The method pursued TO obtain stores from
the woman was testified TO, though the
witness stated that he had never drawn
any stores.
no STORES ISSUED IMPHof ERLY.
The Judge Advocate asked If during his
entire service on board the monitors lIis he as
had ever known any stores TO DO issued OF
used without proper authority or III r"suiaI
| way. .
The witness replied that under the present
/
/ exceIf through the regular channel the yco-
IN IN issuing al stores upon the proper ORDERS.
| lie thought the inventory was accurately taheh
| by the yeomgn when he first came ABOARD tho
Samuel OConnor, quarter gunner, then took
| the stand, ana the first important question
| asked was how long he had been on Doaru lho
| monitors, TO which he replied: "OVer fourteen
years" He stated that he knew that awnings
/ we're made on board the boats Tor private tu-s
| in Mafcn, 1889; that the orders were gwen Dy
~. afo nd
and lack was given 70 the tug Christian abOut
| the same time: they were mover returned
| CAPTAIN McCuIlcy was In command al the tlIhe
lie c0rroborated the Testimony OF the others as
To the systematic manner In vogue lot drawing
! stores The issue ~ made by the yeOrah, VINO
prepares a list and takes II 70 the captain lor
! his signature lie had never gotten any stoIes
| from the present yeOman without hist ODtalnihs
an order signed by the captain.
THERE WAS DIFFERENT SYSTEM THEN.
He was asked what was the method OF issu-
| inc stores when Palmer was yeOman, ana re-
Piled that there was no method tneh. me tt1ies
were on every ship ana they were taken as tho5
! were wanted. Every ship had an enlisted man
| in charge of the stores, aud be was uccOuntaple
| Tor them. This was not the system used uurlhB
! The whole OF leOman Palmors term as the
cnange was made when Captain Graham tooA
cuafSe two years ego When ~ became CON-
mauQing officer he required tnat inc rtorts 10
given out only upon his order. He snId. now
over, that he could not say whether OF hot ne
| mad ever gwen any stores without having the
order bOOk signed by the Captain lie sild the
! yeoman would give him stores ana tnen go anu
| have the DOCK signed by the CCihllah1oi. a..
The ige Advocate: How do you KNOW 'hal
| the yeoman had the book signed atterWafdT
| {" don't know, sir" was the reply maze.
IRREGULARITIES or FORMER YEARS.
| (" DO Won know OF any irregular use OF the gov
| ornment property besides those already men,
| tioned9' asked Judge-Advocate L0nchheimer'
! 4. tV,,at ms II and when was ft?n
| He stated that he saw Mate kuhl put an anchor
! aboard the Christian, and steering-chaln ana
1 two cork tenders, and some rope, none oi "ilch
| ever came back TO the boats, as lar as ne Knew
| s.Do you know OF any such irregularlty during
! Commander Grahams timer lnlerlosateu INC
| Judge-AdyOcate. ,,c,
| "No. sir said OConnor. "Captllh NC uiley
| was in command when these irregularities oc-
! Cured" -,
| when Equipment-l conan fiio mado an ihNeh-
/ tory last August: that all the siorehouses ana
! hnies we're not broken out He stated mat the
| ones aboard the MahOpac were not DroAen out
| There were several shops, Shells purchases, &c,
| in the holes. The reason why II was sHlppeu WAS
| that It was near supper-time, but COhlhahuer
| Graham had the entire WORK done over again
| about a month later, when he had the stores ac-
I curately counted ,,.oo .,.,o.,. an,
| Captain Graham invited those present to his
! qaarters where lunch was served.
| THE BABY-HOUsE.
| The court was called 70 order again promptly
| al 1 o'clock, and the charge taken up was mat
| which accused the Commander OF having
! baby-house built on the ships by the earpen-
| ters and out Of government material, the
amount OF which should have been about So.
| The nrst witness called was William l. Stew
| art a carpenters : mate.
! lie remembered making the house in Decem-
! her 1890. The witness stated that captain
| Graham got IA material and asked that II he
! made INT did not order that the work be done.
| s.qhe work was done at leisure times testined
| the carpenters mate. lie was certain thar no
! royernment material whatever was used IN the
| c,nstruciion OF the house. Stewart stated that
! he MAS not IN charge OF any stores on the mon
| itors and In order 10 procure them from conan
| life he said the lattsr had 20 go 10 the captain
| and get the Order-bOOk signed. This method nad
| Iecn i'm use over two years and was introduced by
| Captain Graham. leCman Palmer followed
! this method Also during his time under the pre-
| sent commander, and ne lthe witness never sO'
any stores without an order from the captain
IIe did not know of any lrregularitics IN the re-
| ceipt and expenditure OF the stores, nor dld ne
! know of any government property during his
time aboard Inc ehps. nc .es'ivou 'ua' 1is iso
was aboard the monitors when feoman fiie
| took the inventory. but had no knowledge as 10
| the thOrOughnes5 OF the WORK.
! TuK MATERIAL BOUGHT IN RICHMOND.
Edward Ellis, carpenters mate, testified that
| he assisted in making the playhouse Ioi cap
| TAIN Graham that the material was bought by
! mat gentleman IN Richmond, ana that nothlug
belonging 10 the government was usei IN u. lie
| said the carpenters volunteered 20 build the III
| ,ie structure for their Commanders child. lie
| had gotten nails from the yeoInen 10y reduiSitlon
| dnIy signed by che Commander lie knew OF no
irreeulalites ia the issuance or receipt OF stores
| on t5e monitors. and did not know OF any tin-
| nroDeruse of government property.
| The testimony OF the other Witnesses was c)r-
| reiterated AS TO the inventory.
| Thenext witness introduced was A. l.. Ford,
| ,he blacksmith. He testified that he bought n
| Sssstaad from Commander Graham; that he
| Knew n was private bedstead, because he saw
| Tho ill for IL and saw IL unloaded. The piece OF
furniture was on board the monitor when he pur-
| chased H.
PAYMAsTER LOWELL on THE sTANO.
pavmaster Lowell was the next witness intro
| ancaJ He testified that he had been on duty on
| rs"ay,, me monitors since April 10. 1890.
The Ju ia -Adyocaie: Was bureau sent
| t,rr, these monitors to your quarters In Rich
| mond. and II 30, by whoso orders ana Tor wnat
| 'Witness: Yes, by order OF Commander J. d.
Graham, II was placed in my quarters IN Rich
| mond. needed II TO keep In safe deposit gov.
| ernment papers and books over night. ol
| conrse used it Tor other purposes, my omciai
naners moi consuming the whole space.
has IL been returned?" asked the Judge
| Advocate. -, o., ,;,,o,