New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-02-27
HEYERMAN AND LYMAN.
THEY ARE NAMED BEFORE THE NAVAL
COURT OF INQUIRY.
INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE OF THE LOSS OF THE
KEARsARGE-THE COMMANDER AND NANl-

INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE OF The LVS9 VI I'M
KEARsARGE-THE COMMANDER AND NAVI-
eating OFFICER WILL TESTIFY
The Court OF Inquiry ordered to investigate 'he
cause of the loss of the famous old warsMp Near
sarge convened in Building No. at the Navy
Yard yesterday, in obedience to the orueT ol So
rctarv Herbert and in accordance with Article l'oo
of the Navy Regulations The regulations pieSOi'O'
that such a court shall consist Of not more IMAM
three commissioned officers members. and OF a
iudge-adyocate or person officiating as SUCH ana
its composition is Rear Admiral Bancroft Eherd'ui'
commanGant Of the Navy Yard ana the senior
officer on the active list OF the Navy 'ap'"'i'
joseph ~ Miller Captain Theodore r Kane ana
Ideutcnant-C Commander j. d. J. Kelley. the last
named as Judge-advocate The ordering OF rear
Admiral Gberardi as president Of the court mas
aroused some comment TO whether Rear-Au-
miral Stanton will probably afterward be ordered
for court -nartal. Article l,729 of the Navy Resu-
lations prescribes that "in case the conduct OF
character of an officer may be implicated IN the
Investigation the members Of the court should not
be If possible inferior in rank TO that oiicer'
Some officers however reason that, although Ad-
mral Stanton was not the commanding officer nor
the navigator of the ship ne was the commandant
OF the North Atlantic Station and was al 'he
time using the Kearsarge as his flagship; hence
while there might necessarily be any relectlohs
upon his conduct il is proper that the president
of the court should be senior TO him. The mem
bers of the VIII not as has been expAalhtu III
The Tribune. express an opinion mat may III any
way prejudice the case Of any officer VINO may De
ordered for court-nartial subsequently. but 1t II
TO report the facts; and. if 50 desired, will give
an opinion on the merits of the case, ana the
propriety or expedlency OF TURNER !uucldi ac . H.
he understood that the bare record of the testimony
Is meant, but the result and conclusion of the
court from hearing the evidence
The first proceeding was the reading OF the order
Teverinan and Lieutenant Charles II. Lyman. the
commander and navigating othcer reSpectNeiE VI
ohi.ciinn 70 any members OF the court whether
they desired counsel to represent them ana whether
they desired to testify before the court 10 me
third question they answered in the affirmative. ana
10 the other two in the negative This proceeding
After organizing the court adjourned until Z
o'clock in the afternoon, when 1t met on the re-
ceiving- ship Vermont. The officers bue-JacKets
and marines attached to the Kearsarge We're as.
sembed on the deck Of the NernorS ana tnf cDor
OF Captain Heyerman in regard to the wrecklnE Oh
his vessel was read before 3 c nT eaen anG
rines were sworn in according to the regular form
hand Hfter this the president of the court put
the following question 10 the captain OF .le IN
as the narrative just read to the court a true
statement Of the wreck of the Unted states '"'e
ship the Kearsarge? ,,
Then the president of the court said 10 the cap
tain Have you any complaint TO make al. against
ship on that occasion?' To this the captain replied
The PRESIDENT of the court then asked the officers
and crew: Have you anything TO OBJECT 70 III Wv,
narrative Just read the court, or anything 10 l
10 the charge of any officer or man with regaru 10
the loss Of the United States late snip the hed ar
SARGE" AS there no response 10 tnlS ~
president Of the court said to the ofcers ana crtm
that If any one had any complaint 10 maxi ~
should step forward, and the judge advocate wo9iu
take his name, and he cautioned them Una. ull'S
was not a matter of like dislike but that was
their duty if there any ground ior Coilplai m
10 make IT, Time given for any one VINO ue
sired 10 comply with this request, but there was
no response This indicated that there was no as
satisfaction OF the officers with their crew OF %
Tho crew with their officers-a happy state OF az
fairs After this the court adjourned 70 meet asaI
this morning at 1890 o'clock Inc court was ope"
and visitors were permitted 10 be present