Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-07-14
Lively Charges in the Nautical Al
manac Bureau Investigation.
DR.. MORRISON THE PLAINTIFF.
He Makes a Bitter Attack on Prof.
Simon Newcomb.
THE TESTIMONY TODAY

CATION into the ways and workings OF the
Nautical Almanac bureau is in progress at the
naval observatory. The sessions are being con-
Quoted in room and are presided over by
Capt. McNsir, U. 8. n, superintendent Of the
observatory. The investigation ID the out
growth Of charges preferred before the Secre-
tary Of the Navy by DR.. Joseph Morrison
against Prof. Simon Newcomb. Prof. New
comb is the official head Of the almanac and
DR.. Morrison is the mathematician. The in
vestigation has been in progress each day, ex-
cept Sunday, since last Friday. Although the
sittings thus far have been orderly, the rela-
tons between the plaintiff, defendant and their
partissns have become badly strained. Much
sarcasm OF a reasonably parliamentary nature
has been INDUCED in.
DEMANDED HIS RESIGNATION.
About the middle of last February Prof. New
comb placed a note upon DR.. Morrison's desk
requesting his resignation. That request was
not granted. 1t stated the resignation should
be to take effect within few days
After the change Of administration DR.. Nor
rison's resignation was peremptorily demanded
by the professor. Dr. Morrison vehemen.ly
refused to leave. Prof. Newcomb then re-
ported the case to the Secretary Of the Navy
with a recommendation that Morrison
be dismissed, alleging him to be
negligent, incompetent and utterly un-
fitted for the duties required of him.
DIR. Morrison was politely furnished with
COPY of these recommendation. An inter-
view with the Secretary ensued. and that Off
cial must have requested that DR.. Morrison
furnish the department with a detailed state
ment Of his connection with the almanac
bureau. Such paper was prepared and is
now on file at the observatory On its contents
the investigation is based. 1t is Q closely
written document. covering seventeen pages Of
foolscap paper, and is accompanied by about
fifteen exhibits. In it Prof Newcomb is charged
with being petty tyrant and OF being pos
Sesseo VI al an-rouho unio'ao'o oisPos'von-
"hoI. TIT SooA'
!" s0's LUZ t'n 'n"' al .o0i Of' 'osePn 'norr.son'
s'"uo VI ,o''"'', '''sou''' M'o-
oieDoro ana fmiadeiphis universities ana
fellow Of tho Royal Astronomical Society Of
London, was called to Washington from the
north to DO some special work for the almanac
bureau. He came at salary Of 81 200 per
annum. Soon after he was promoted to 81, 400
by Prof. Newcomb without solicitation from the
beneficiary. He was put to work on text book
on analytical geometry and directed to write
certain chapters on comic sections and on some
questions He supposed that the text book was
being prepared for the government as had been
those OF Lee and Conn After the wo-k had
been printed, and on which he iabored As q
proof reader, consuming time that properly
belonged to the bureau, he learned that it was
the work was out defendant told the plaintiff that
ne would remunerate MIN, and Few days later
piMeTU apou nls oesA paper cou'."cung 70
centage iii, sncb ROYALTY reached the tot.f -
$3.50 He has never received a cent. When
Newcomb went over to the Cape Of Good Hope
IN leSz TO observe the transit OF venus he Nor
rlsonl was le,t IN cnarge OF .ne almanac ana
ran IL accurately not"itnstahoing the manlIolo
oo''es 'na' were neapeo upon him.
TRIED FOR PRoFEssoRsH1p.
About the year 1886 vacancy occurred in the
..,,,., =, I,aI.ou. C.u.,. oh;. ,,--:.
iaouiy VI Aae'oer. Oohese, onio. "oiriSon
appneo ior 'ne 'na'r VI ln"'nemaucs ana sent
the trustees, one OF whom was Rutherford B.
Hayes, batch OF credentials and Endorsements
p.au uy aoi Ne~Vn,u ;''. Ss. , nenurcAs1n, On
received a reply couched in the most encourae-
ing terms. little while after Newoomb said
to him: you are trying for college profess
so,sn'p' m' sha msn eanea nefe eoaey from tne
eoneso ~ ioletsnco ..s " .ai' A'er. l oon
ssnH sno pvsion pe~. "ouiu sur you. WIN
=, cna w .n"s youI ety oo oresseo 70
I,ovy per annum me very mex. aay 'ne man
pIouSn' ., MN ms reIec,eo creaeneais Inaofsea,
80 oaeu Inses WV. uany . mn Iin iniers
'na. aelenIan' Pu. nal AZ nls CONN:
hSsan' wneh Snele oSnie = saSan.t In Sanson
Sohese, New iork, ana Pia,nun thoagh' tnat
nls apPolnainen' was assu,ea: aeIehaant, VINO
wa Was "iin sJinnlesns .m .ns hssA wens over 70
aee s: so.eee ana secured .ne aPpo,n.men' OF one
VI n'S irienoS W 'ne co's'eo posiaon'
JOHNS HOPKINS CHAIR.
He also charges that Newcomb has never had
authority fr ON the Secretary of the NAVY IN
.o,.,,t =. nro,.s.o,sh;r IN Joh,s uo,l;,, ~;
ep po .",> =. :" Aa, AopH.n' III
Sersi'y, ou' tUoh ~ n ~ oniy On tne warrant OF
ComMooore maker, VINO was ~ 'ne time IN
pIa;nt;fv .Iso n,snt;ons &c = faot th.t NaManr,h
Is repeatedly attacked with long spells of sick
ness, but is always well when Johns Hopkins
opens
ne a,eges . snau 'ne almanac was saken from
nm because lioui soliie iesSon, vPosraphica,,
sacond that 10 1-6asOOO ~ an orc
1a 49,. =. 49, o,
Ao "A' "' ..". o"o " A' p''.''P", foa'oa'
1or tne request ior us resignation is tnst In
stating authorities for certain formulas he men,
toned In the appendix of the almanac the name
of Prof. Asaph Hall. He saws that Newcomb
is bitterly Jealous Of Hall and that the mention
of that Sentleman's name in the almanac griev-
ously offended defendant.
Then again he incurred the i'll will of de-
fendant by reporting the case Of IAN old
fossil employed in the bureau and who had
been there for forty years. who averaged only
about half an honr Of work nor dav The al