Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-01-13
HAS BEEN WRONGED.
CAPTAIN GRAHAM, LATE OF THE r.
NANCE, EXPLAINS MATTERS.
Declares the Report About Ills RcsiGna.
tion Falss--Tints at q Conspiracy
Two Good Letters.
New York Herald.l

| the matter, as well as those relating L
| his suspension from the navy. he de
| ciares. have been grossly and malcouslj
| distorted and exaggerated. He intimates
| moreover. that both misfortunes have
| been the outcome OF conspiracies agains
| him.
Captain Graham was the commaudini
officer Of the feet Of monitors in th'
| James river. near Richmond. Va, Il
1892. when charges OF conduct sub
| versive Of good order and discipline were
| preferred against him by James ID. Prem
tiss. formerly ships writer. and others
| A court-mar,ial convened at Richmond
on March rs. 1892. 10 investigate tht
| charges.
Many Of the charges showed great per
! sonal luminosity against Captain Granan
I and were proved TO be without founda
| ton. Several prominent Richmond gen
| tlemen, including Colonel j. Il. Purcell
president OF the Chamber Of Commerce
Major F. NJ. Boykin, Henry T. Wickham
State senator. and Major c. OBJ. Co
wardin. testified TO Captain Graham's
honor and integrity. Popular sentimen:
though at first against him owing tt
his refusing TO allow eXcursionistS &c
visit the monitors. latterly turned In h.:
favor
As a result OF the court-martial how
| ever Captain Graham was on July J.
| 1892, given seven years suspension from
| the navy. and five officers were promoted
over him. lie has always contended that
| the charges were invented by those whose
enmty he had incurred In the enforce
ment OF discipline.
Captain Graham in June last assumed
the command OF the merchant steamer
Finance. Of the Panama Railroad Com
panys line between this city and Colon
He said yesterday that on OF his let
tiers of recommendation TO the company
was from Captain j. w. Philip. VINO
preceded Captain Evans In the command
OF the cruiser New York, and who was
one Of the judges at his court-martial.
CAPTAIN GRAHAM'S STATEMENT.
Captain Graham remained in command
Of the steamer Finance about six months,
when his resignation was accepted. In
the publication of the reasons for and In
cdents connected with this rcsignation'
Captain Graham says he has been great
" wronged. In this letter TO the Herald
he states his version OF the AFFAIR
TO the Editor Of the Herald:
In newspaper OF Thursday January
81, appears q very scUrrlOus article IN
regard to myself. / have waited 10 an
swer 1t until today for good reason.
The statement that dinner was held
on board the Finance at Colon, mat
covers were laid for six. that much wine
was drunk. and that I said / was
naval officer and not merchant tap
tain" Is untrue. No dinner was ever
held, no wine drunk, nor did ! ever use
the words attributed 10 me. The state
ment has been made simply as sub,er-
fuCe for the rest of the article. The
facts are simply these:
The Columbian Line steamers are char
tered by the Panama Railroad Company
from the Brazil Steamship Company. The
representative Of the Brazil company Is
Mr. George a. Burt. Mr.. Burt having In
person advised me TO apply for the COM
mand OF the Finance. and stating that
he would. az the representative OF the
Brazil company. approve my appointment
(the appointment Of the captain and chief
engineer requiring the approval OF the
company owning the ships. | sought the
position and obtained the command. I
took to General Newton strong letters
in my behalf from prominent naval Off
GERS OF high rank with whom / had
served. and from General Schofeld. the
general OF the army, who has known
me from my boyhood.
On my return from Colon December 81.
was compelled to report 10 my agents
two persons serving on board the FL
nance-one for drunkenness. the other FOR
gross characterization and disrespect TO
myself. The one reported for drunken
ness was discharged. The other was re-
prima ndei. Both OF these men were
80 r Az n m n
TO command rest-1 on Mr.. Burt's ap-
prevail, I was punished for doing my
duty. by finding on my arrival here that
Mr.. Burt had written the Panama Rail-
road Company Withdrawing the approval
he had given in my case. and nothing
could be done but for General Newton
to ask for my resignation. which was
done.
The charge made in the newspaper that
7 was put ont for incOmpctency X also
false. enclose copies Of two letters re-
ceived this day from President Newton.
which ask YOU to publish with this.
They will show my status with the COM
pany exactly. The entering by the news
paper article into my former court-mar-
tial IN the navy was entirely uncalled
for, and shows the animus OF the author
to vent his personal spleen.
When General Newton was approached
by n reporter from another paper ard
asked about the article. he rcul,cl tia, II
was something "no gentleman could
touch; that It was a. scurrilcue article.
written by n scoundrel" General New
ton and the reporter both told me This.
20 to you 70 ask you - publish this.
because ! have been for twenty-five years
reader Of your paper. and also because
you are a good friend to naval officers
No matter what | have been cOurt-mar-
tailed for o. what punishment | To-
c-ivel. am bearing the punishment ikt
n gentleman and enleavor,lg = conduct
myself az such. and the article !n tho
newspaper from its face shows - much
personal venom that Il has done me- more
good than harm with the Panama Rail
road Company and my friends.
Respectfully. T. y GRAHAM.
Late Master Steamship F.n1ace.
New York. January 3, 1885.
EXONEEATINC LETTERS.
The letters referred 10. by Captain Ora
ham as having been sent to him by Presl-
dent Nowton. Of the Panama Railroad
Company, are given in the order OF their
receipt:
panama KiUrotD COMPANY
COLUMBIA BUILDIS1 q BROADWAY.