The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-04-06
FIFE,s WORD rs NOT GOOD.
Witnesses Say lie Lies, and the Blacksmith
Wanted to Smash His Face.


The eighth session Of tho naval court Of
inquiry began yesterday morning at the GUS
tom-house at $50 o'clock. Prentiss was i'm
mediately called to the witness stand and was
cross-examined on several unimpOrtant
points by counsel for the accused. The
record Of Monday was then read and ap-
| proved IL was II. 10 o'clock when the read
iur had been completed and Lieutenant
Lauchheimer then asked permission Of the
court 20 append 10 the record as evidence
letter from John j. Palmer. ex-equipment
yeOman Of the MONITORS also letter IN refer
ence to Mate Kuhls condition. who Is physi-
cally unable 10 attend the court-martial es
witness.
Lieutenant Lauchheimer also read and mp
pended 20 the record a letter from the Navy
Department which contained a certified copy
Of letter written by Commander Graham
asking that he (Graham) be detached from
the monitors and attached 10 the Ordnance
Department al the nayy-yard az Washington.
The Judge Advocate also read aloud and
asked 10 be allowed % append 70 the record
an ANONYMOUS letter which was written by
some enlisted man on board the monitors. II
was addressed to the Secretary Of the Navy,
and contained some very uncomplimentary
remarks about Commander Graham.
The letter was through proper channels,
referred 10 Commander Graham as soon rs II
had been received by the department, and in
=
language in speaking Of Admiral Porter. he
emphatically denied such charge 20 the de-
partment. He gave excellent reasons In con-
tradictiOn Of the other charges. which IN the
main have been shown to be false by evidence
adduced at the court Of inquiry, Certain por-
ti0ns Of the letter were put in the records.
Lieutenant Lauchheimer then stated that the
prosecution had closed its case.
The court at this point took q recess until
go O'Clock.
When the court reconyened George ;.
Davidson, pay yeOman. was recalled as wit
ness for the defense. question was asked
by Captain Parker and objected 10 by Lieu
tenant Lemly. The point was argued, and
the Court Overruled .he objection.
The question was then asked. In substance
it asked of Davidson If he had ever heard
Fife make use of any remarks against Com
mander Graham.
Davidson said lie onco said THE captain
is down: let's see if we can't down the engi-
neer and doctor
Bv Flies reputation on board the monitors
and elsewhere would you believe him or oath
The question was objected 10 by Lieutenant
Iemly and replied 20 by Colonel Meredith.
The objection was not sustained.
Davidson in reply said: II be was under In
fuence OF liquor in the least l would not
believe him.
suppose his personal interests were at
stake
been drinking. mean if be was under oath
In reply 10 d question from Captain Sicard
Davidson said that Fife seldom returned from
his liberty without being under the influence
Of whisky.
Captain Parker Did any one ever approach
you to obtain the alleged agreement
Yes; Fife once wished to get possession
Of it.
next witness called and in answer to ques-
tion said: ! heard Fife say once. lie lGraham)
is fixed now the chief engineer and doctor
ought 10 be fixed.
Would YOU believe Fife on oath?
Not at oil times, sir. ! would not care 10
believe him if he had anything to gain by It,
George W. Brook machlnlst. was the next
witness called, and in answer 10 question
said: have known Fife since he came aboard
the fleet. heard him once say IN the mess
room. es --- him. I'll have him court
martaled and kicked out Of the navy. 10
not know 10 whom Fife was referring.
Would YOU believe Fife under oath If he
had any interest in the matter
No sir. -
Cross-examined by Lieutenant Lemly Why
did you not report the remarks made by Fife
1t was useless at that time Fife was in too
good favor with the Captain at that time.
Captain Parker: The viper had not then
stung.
Lieutenant Lauchheimer Put that down.
/ want that remark to appear on the record.
Lieutenant Lemly Did Fife ever lie to
you,
Brook Not 70 my knowledge.
Are you friend Of Flies;
was a friend Of bis up 20 three months
ago Then / found out what he was.
Are you friendly and cordial 10 Fife?
do not speak 10 him.
Colonel Stern: You know Flies reputa-
ton on board the ships. do you not;
Brooks: Yes. sir If Fife told me he was
nv friend I would think he was lying. The
men aboard the ships have nothing 10 DO with
him.
Robert Connally. ward-room steward, WAS
the next witness called. and IN answer 70
question said / have known File since he
shipped on tho monitors. lie lFife) once
said: we have dOwned old Jimmy and will
down old Taylor"
Cross.exanined by Lieutenant Lemlyi
How did you know he meant Commander
Graham when he said "Old Jimmy
I'm not particularly sure that Fife meant
CAPTAIN Graham. but / believe he meant the
Captain.
4. J.. Ford. blacksmith, was the next wit
ness called and IN answer % a question SAID:
heard Fife say once III referring 10 Com
mander Graham Yes - -- him, II nave
him kicked ont Of the service. No, | would
not believe Fife on oath.
Cross examined by Lieutenant lemly
Did you threaten Fife during the court Of
inquiry;
did. One morning told him if he called
me a liar | would smash his face. told him
that because he said that all Nirginians were
liars. especially those on the monitors.
Did you ever know him TO lie
Yes. he told a lie on me one morning after
he had come of liberty.
Frederick Smith. machnist, was the next
witness called. and in answer % question
said: have known Fife since last August.
would not believe him on oath.
Cross-examned by Lieutenant Lenly:
What was your last voyage
On the Constitution I was on that ship
from 1877 10 1879. | have heard Master-at-
Arms Larsen speak badly Of Fife. / have
been unfrendly since August OF last year.
lie tried to tell me "a dirty lie.
At this point the court adjourned until this
morning at half-past o'clock.
Manchester Notes.
Monday night Mr.. Joseph Kidd was as