Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-09-05
A STAR CHAM Der.
Proceedings on Board the Revenue
Cutter Crawford.
CAPT. MITCHELL'S TRIAL BEGUN.
No One Admitted Into the Pres
ence of the Court.
THE CHI ARGES PREFERRED.

The board Of revenue marine officers ap
pointed to investigate the case Of Capt.
Mitchell. commanding the revenue steamer
Crawford, assembled at the Treasury De-
partment this morning at o'clock, but
did no business beyond deciding to hold
their session on the steamer Crawford, now
anchored in the Potomac at the foot Of 18th
street. beginning at IL o'clock this morn
ing. Capt. Mitchell was present with his
counsel. Judge MayA
Aboard the Crawford.
The investigation was therefore formally
begun on board the vessel. These charges.
1t will be remembered, were printed in The
Star at the time they were made. They
imply conduct on the part OF the captain
that was unbecoming to an officer and
gentleman. More specifically. they charge
that on a certain night not long ago Capt
Mitchell came aboard the Crawford in a
state Of very considerable intoxication, and
that he was accompanied at the time by two
mulatto girls. whose reputation was not
even up to the doubtful line.
The detail for the trial board or court
consisted Of three officers of the revenue
marine service. Capts. HenriQues, Moore
and Congdon. They met on board prompt
ly on time. and were received with the Gus
tomary honors.
Star Chamber Proceedings.
So far. so good. From that time on the
proceedings began to take on a much more
irregular turn. and there Is every reason to
believe that an attempt was made to turn
the whole affair into q star chamber pro-
ceeding.
members Of the board. but upon all the Of
hcers Of the Crawford, and every effort was
made to keep any inkling of the courts s
doings from leaking out from behind closed
doors.
Tie officers on board began to wonder,
but their lips were sealed. and when a Star
reporter clambered on board there was an
air OF Sabbath calm brooding over every
thing, and one might well have hunted
Tor snowballs as for news Of what had
transpired In the captains room. The off,
GERS may not have enjoyed the seal of Sc
crecy, but an order must be obeyed, even
II the officer who gives it is himself under
going examination for conduct inimical to
military discipline.
The Character Of the Court.
1t would seem as though there were no
provisions for courts-martial In the marine
service. The present hearing Is merely an
Investigation or court Of inquiry, with pow
ers of recommendation only. It cannot
dismiss from the service.
In the army and the navy courts Of this
sort. and in fact, all such hearings, are
open to the public or to such part of 1t as
court on board the Crawford Is not that
sort of court. To say the least the pro-
ceedings were curious.
In the first place no one was allowed to
be present at the hearing except the three
members of the court, the accused officer
| and the lawyer whom he had brought in to
defend him. The executive officer Of the
Crawford. who preferred the charges
against Capt Mitchell, was not permitted
to attend. nor was the officer who was on
deck the night Capt Mitchell came aboard,
and who claims that his superior officer was
accompanied by two dusky damses.
The court was formally organized and
then the charges against Capt. Mitchell
were read and he was allowed to make his
answer in his own behalf before any of
the witnesses whose stories are said to be
sufficient to sustain the charges were even
as much as given q hearing.
Then the court took a recess until this
afternoon. 1t now remains to be seen how
far the effort to keep it all a secret will be
successful.