The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-11-16
THE OLD LiNE-STAFF FIGHT.
1uxT,s uHAr TIM DANFOR1H COURT
MlRTIIL REALLY NJ Ans

Tho court martial OF Assistant Enginee
George W. Danforth OF the United state.
cruiser Philadelphia was actively begun yes
terday. The court had met on Monday mercl,
10 organize and TO read tho charges. whicl
we're to tho effect that Mr.. Danforth was guilt
Of "disobodicnce to the lawful or Ter o! his SUI
pcrior officer" in refusing to come on deck n
tho order OF Junior Lieut.. Albert A. Ackerma,
ON Nov. 5. The court had then adjourned.
Yesterday morning 1t met promptly at II
o'clock. md the prosecution OF tho charge
was begun without delay. The court martha
was held In the room reserved for that rur
pose on the third floor OF building in tn
Navy Yard.
Tho Dnnforth court martial Is one OF tn
most interesting to naval mon which has eve
been held In thai nag dockcd room. II tou'he
tho ancient conf ct o. authority between I'M
and staff. a conflict which has been tho orch
sion Of moro i'll feeling. moro jealousy. more
wounded dignity and broken friendships thar
any other condition which Affects lie In th'
United States Navy
Was Assistant Engineer Danforth. stat Of
hcer. compellsi to obey the command OF
Junior Lieutenant Of tho line when that COM
mand endangered matters for which thr As.
sisinnt Engineer was wholly responsible iit
Thnr" IL the whole question.
imnn NOM th., first arrivals in tho court room
yesterday morning we're, tho prisoner and his
counsel. Assistant lnGinecr nnntor,n, III n
fis wears glasses His counsel Is W. u. stay
ton recent, Assistant Judge Advocnte.Men-
II was III Mn Of B. caa hree
ii? Tho iIrsi Witness wa. tho naval arprentice.
william II. Hum rhrey. who had carried the
messages between Lieut. Alderman and A.
to tho left Of the Judge Advocate. and. lenninG
over on his elbow. spoke in plain straiGht'or-
What happened" asked tho Judge Advn-
cato. when you took the first message to Mr.
Tho first time was sent to Mr.. panforth."
wanted him to report ut once. Mr.. Dnniorth
lie was standing at the engine room door"
,..A Ani what happened in connection with the
Mr. Danfcrih lind said. Mir ,Ackerman, told
mo to toll Mr.. Danforth that he directed him
n FfHH1f TT sna that he IN assS
gould not come IN. but he said. II tho First
or tns Captain sent for him no
%WhcTo was the accuse when you delivered
to him tho second tnessaget
He was standing in tho engine room door,
whore hs was the first time"
Mr. Stayton then submitted questions for
eross,sSImination; They were written out on
BY the Judge Advocate. according to the limo
honored custom Of conducting, courts martial
the berth deck out side the engine p one
OF these questions read.
"On the berth deck outside. sir. said tho
boy. talking to some of tho men. sir"
The next witness was the assistant engin-
eers accuscr. Junior Lieut. 4: A. Ackermnn
I set boss fSsy i " "ffs
the time of the difficulty with Assistant En-
What duty was tho accused performing ?"
am informed that he was on duty In tho
engine room-or not in tho engine room-on
Lieut.. Alderman told the story Of the Diff
Guilty in these words:
Il received tho commanding officers order
to reconilne u ri -oner ut large whose puniSh
mont had been intcrruptc': rs sickness. Hav-
ing recovered from his sickness. he was now
to he recontlnca for three days to complete
his sentence. accordingly directed the mas
tsr-at.a.ms to bring this nrii3n,er ut large to
reconilnement was authorized.
In u fcw minutes the master arms re-
5nsp Ia. n fS m so sr
M r. Daniorth. WIZ H. said that Is wished to be
case t the man was taken away. '''
Now it was something entirely ueyond my
order an enlisted man t" disrhey the lawfully
Transmitted order of the manding officer.
it to the rvcrntive officer. Mr Logan. Mr.
Logan advised me t, send for Mr. Danfnrth in
order to Ind out what was the matter. then
told Humphrey. the messenger I" tell MIR.
Dariori.i that tho officer Of The deck wished to
see him on derk. Humphrey returned in =
was on duty and could not come on deck. Mr..
Danfurth asked for II" DELAY. and d'! not init
mt" thu, 10 Was "nIMse IN any ,, ,
request. considered that tie general state
cons,derin ne what had preceded; The engineer
on duty 'r,:n"entls c"nteTs with ths officer OF
~ ohjort." put in Mr.. Starton. jumping to
Tie judge Advo 'ntc asked him to put his
Mr.. Ackerman's testimony was rambling and
wandered far from "a" facts. Cant. Miller
so that the courts discussion o, this monien-
tous question Nigh; u. secret. 1t was decided
that Mr.. .Ackrrman must stick to facts. and no
Mr. Dantorth's reply not being considered
sufficient thore WAS II" course op"n for mo
mort to me on deck. | told tn. messenger.
Humphrey. to deliver this message to Mr..
Tile officer OF tho deck directs you to report
to him on deck NJ once
The messenger returned with the rerly:
rs no is on duty. He would only come II sent
for by the executive or the commanding
reported this to NJ. Logan; who was still
the guard to Mr. Danforth with the message:
wish to see You on the quarter deck.
Mr.. Danforth came up at once. md replied
to tho questions Of tho executive officer. and in
my presence acknowledged the correctness OF
the messages ho hal received and tho replies
he had sent me. shortly niterwerd Mr. Dan
forth apnear"d on deck and wished TO speak to
me In regard to the matter. ] refused to dis
cuss It with him; AS the matter had now passed
out OF my hands. IN the mean time Dunlop.
the machinist. had appeared on deck at the
mast. and had him recontned'
After an hours recess the witness was
. large number OF Questions prepared an!
TO L!out. Alderman. Tho questions were in
the first pqrson. 50 Worhed that they appeared
to re asked personally by the defendant.
Have you ever" one Of the first VI thsse
questions read. heard this case rcferred o as
Q line and staff case. or in similar terms?'
II dent know. renlied Mr.. Ack ermsn; in
case"
Have you ever directly or indirectly re-
ierrsd to this as line and staff case. or in any
II don't know that I have. There's been
talk-yes, would like to qualify my previous
k,r> InAu 4,