The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-15
AS SOON SEE THE DEVIL.
So the Naval Doctor Went on
Deck as Little as
Possible.
GETTING AS CRAZY AS MEADE.
Some Rather Interesting Testimony
to Support the Charge Of
Perjury.

BROOKLYN, N. Y, May IA Ex-
Medical Director Bloodgood and Surgeon
General Tryon were witnesses before the
kershner court-martial at the navy-yard
to-day. A letter from DR.. Kershner to
Surgeon Tryon. which was marked ''per-
sonal, " was read. 1t was dated Kingston,
Jamaica, April Z, 1895, and was as follows:
Ny Dear Tryon: They had q hearing yester-
day and now send you copy. hope it will
not get you into trouble because it got into
the paper. You must have informed the Secre-
tary you had a copy. I said I had sent it to
you, and if they had asked me would have
been obliged to tell them that I sent it to Dr..
Bloodgood.
l can't tell you how appreciate your afec-
tionate friendship. 1t is about the only thing
that has saved me from going overheard after
what have suffered-such vile, baseless, crazy
words from man who is untitled for place
of admiral. l don't go on deck for fear OF see
ing him. would as soon see the devil. 1hate
him from head to foot as I never hated any
man before. I sometimes think if this con-
tinues will soon be as crazy as he is. hope
that when the ship goes to Kiel it will leave
him there. He will retire; at least he says he
viii.
DR.. Tryon said the accused had always
=
and he saw no reason why he should be
removed.
Captain Glass of the Cincinnati, presi-
dent OF the court of inquiry held on board
the United States cruiser New York, off
Kingston, Jamaica, on April 6, swore that
he administered the oath to DR.. Kershner
and that the doctor testified that he had
only sent a copy Of the second indorse-
ment to the surgeon-general of the navy in
personal letter. The doctors testimony
was read over to him and so was the testi-
mony of every other witness.
Mr.. Choate in cross-examination asked
the witness if the judge-advocate had not
told DR.. Kershner that the object of the
inquiry was to find out if any verbatim
copies of the reports and Endorsements had
been sent out by him.
Captain Glass said he did not think the
word verbatim" was used during DR..
Kershner's examination. Mr.. Choate then
read from the reports of the inquiry in
which the word verbatim occurred.
Dr. Kershner was then called to the
stand. In reply to Mr.. Hinsdale he said
he entered the navy in September, 1861,
coming to the cruiser of the Atlantic
squadron early this year. The witness
said he was feet surgeon, and was very
careful so that no fever could possibly
come on board.
While off ST. Lucia he believed there
was fever ashore, and he persistently re-
fused to allow any water from the shore to
come on board. His suspicious as to fever
were afterwards found to be well founded.
When the request for assistance came
from the Nova Scotian bark, the doctor,
after hearing the description of the sick
man, felt sure he showed symptoms of yell
low fever.
when Captain Evans spoke to me"
said the witness, 81 told him of the danger
of either going myself or sending an as
sistant to the bark, fearing to bring con-
tagion on board.
eff 1 had not spoken so to the captain I
should have been derelict in my duties.
did not refuse to go or send DOCTOR for if
the captain had ordered me to do SO 1
rlost certainly would have obeyed. As it
was, however, Captain Evans went and
saw Admiral Meade, as he did not dare to
take the responsibility of issuing the order
himself. When he came back and told me
the admiral had ordered assistance to be
sent I Immediately sent DR.. Cook"
at this point court adjourned until to-