The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-02-01
GROSS INSULT DENIED,
Captain Healy Contradicts the
Story of Lieutenant
Daniels.
End of the Inquiry Into the Second
Charge Against the Veteran
Commander.

81 did not take drink on Thanksgiving
morning until got aboard the Bear, be-
cause | had no liquor in the house."
This was the sworn statement of the
aged defendant at yesterdays session of
the Healy investigation. A. P. Hourigan,
Michael Hilbert and Christopher Hansen,
members of the Bears crew who rowed
the captain to the cutter from the wharf at
Sausalito on the morning of Thanksgiv-
ing day, 1895, have all testified to his So
briefly on that occasion, and the old COM
mander was giving his explanation of the
passage-at-arms between himself and
Lieutenant Daniels Immediately after he
boarded the vessel.
ION the night of the 9th of November, I"
said the captain, II retired shortly after 9
O'Clock. At the next morning, Thanks
giving day, 1 arose and took breakfast,
leaving for Sausalito Immediately after
ward. l did not drink anything because
there was nothing to drink in the house
When l boarded the cutter, which was
then lying at Sausalito, l sent for Mr.
Daniels and asked him whether he had
made certain entries in the cutters log
which l had ordered him to make. He re-
piled, in a very off-hand fashion, that there
was plenty of time, and was so uppish and
insolent in his demeanor that it disgusted
me.
~ spat on the floor, not in Daniels eye,
and ordered him out of my presence. In
place of leaving, Daniels raised great out
cry, accusing IL of splitting in his face.
Mr.. Emery, who seems to have been list
| ening without the door, rushed in forth
with in great excitement, without knock
ing at the door or noticing me in any way.
| told Mr.. Daniels that his insulting state
ment was lie. Emery and Daniels then
went off. and l am told they sent a dis
patch to the Secretary of the Treasury at
Washington.
THE day after Thanksgiving Mr.. Emery
handed me dispatch, signed by the As
sistant Secretary of the Treasury, which
read, if recollect Alright, as follows:
Inform Healy he is detached Turn over
command 10 Buhner.
AFTER reading the telegram L went on
deck and ordered the officers and crew
summoned thither. l told them all to be
faithful in the performance of their duties
and respectful and obedient to their new
commander. The poor fellows cheered m e
with all their might, and some of them
cried a little. | then turned over the COM
mand of the Bear to Lieutenant Buhner,
and have not seen the vessel since"
Lieutenant Buhner, in the most en-
phatc terms, reiterated his former state
ment that the captain was perfectly sober
on Thanksgiving day and the day follow
ing.
At the afternoon session an attempt was
made by the prosecution to impeach the
testimony of the witnesses, Boundy,
Powers and Hourigan. on the ground OF
alleged enmity on their part toward Dan
iels. That official had been in difficulties
by reason of certain charges made against
him by the three men and others and
affected to regard them as enemies. They
contended that they were entirely I'M
biased.
Lieutenant Daniels was closely ques-
toned by Captain Healy's attorneys as to
his motives in attacking his super or.
Il feared physical violence at his hands, .
! answered the youthful lieutenant. 1.-The
captain and ] were once debating as to
which one of us was the better man and
the captain dared me TO take off my coat
and light him. L have Deen awfully afraid
OF him ever since"
Captain Healy was then called to the
/ stand to give his statement. His manner
| was dignitied, and perhaps even tr:fle
| naughty, as he remarked:
u may as well let the testimony go as it
! is. There is no statement against ME
which l consider worthy of nv attention.
The assertion that [ was intox icated on
the morning of Thanksgiving day is lie,
| and what more need | say about it? Dan
! lels has evidently made up his mind to
down me, and had Emery and Coffin by
him to serve as witnesses to the scene
which he endeavored to create. But his
| methods seem to me singularly crude and
unscientific. As for the telegram to Wash
| ington, ii sent at all it should have been
sent by Buhner, the first in command after
myself, and not by an underling''
This concludes the investigation into the
affair at Sausalito. To-day the charges of
misconduct on the high seas will be taken
| up.