The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-31
The Old Salt Accused of Abusing
Lieutenant and Being
Tipsy.
IN TIE CABIN OF THE BEAR.
"a Liar, Sir" Was What the Captain
Called His Subordinate, According
to the Evidence.

What do you mean by splitting IN my
face?"
"If you say spat in your face you're a
liar, SIR"
This brief but spirited conversation and
the events said to have called it forth
formed the subject matter for yesterday
proceedings in the Healy investigation.
George II. Daniels, second lieutenant of
the Bear, was first examined. He said
that on Thanksgiving day, 1895, he saw
Captain Healy in an advanced stage of in
toxication on the ferry wharf at Sausalito.
The Bear was lying in the stream, not far
from the wharf. He and the captain went
aboard in q small boat, and in few min
utes the captain called him into his cabin
As soon as I witness was inside the cabin
Captain Healy closed the door and COM
menced to insult him, making use OF many
outrageous expressions, and ended by the
insult already alluded to.
AT this stage in his testimony the wit
ness appeared to be overcome by the recol-
lection of events described, and burst out
into prolonged giggle.
Funny, wasn't it?'' queried one of the
captains attorneys, initiating the Daniels
glggle as best he could.
well, yes, il was rather funny" re-
sponGe ed the lieutenant, and he giggled
asan.
"By the way, Mr.. Daniels, when the
aptain spat in your face what did you
do?" asked the attorney.
Il wiped off my face, was the witness
answer, whereat smile circulated abouU
the judicial chamber.
Did you say anything? Any bad words,
for nstance?"
Il asked the captain what he meant"
answered Daniels, and he said that if l
accused him of such an insult l was a
liar"
That was all there was to the little af-
fair, was it?' inquired the captains repre-
sentative.
Yes" answered Daniels, ''that was all. :"
And the captain was really drunk?"
ION, yes, was the lieutenant's answer,
livery drunk"
The morning session here closed, the
reading OF the charges against the captain
having taken up considerable portion of
the time. These charges were drawn up
by Lleutenants Daniels and Emery, tand
accuse the captain of drunkenness and
conduct unbecoming an officer on Thanks
giving day, 1895, at Sausalito. The latter
charge is based upon the assertion of DAN
iels that the captain spat in his face and
tried TO pick a quarrel with him on that
day.
D,
taken lunch, congregated in little groups
about the corridors and conversed upon
the affair at issue.
As the afternoon session opened a man
attempted to enter the room in which the
investigation was gong on. His entry
was, however, barred by an individual in
uniform, who after furnishing bayonet
in midair drew with it al imaginary line
on the floor in front of the door, remark
ing grlmly as he did so:
That's the dead line"
h. +. Emery, first lieutenant of the
Bear, was the first witness of the after
noon. He said Daniels had requested him
TO go with him aboard the Bear on
thanksgiving morning, as he expected to
have row with the captain. The witness
listened at the door while the captain and
Daniels were within the cabin. He heard
Daniels eXclaim, What do you mean by
splitting in my face? To which CAPTAIN
Healy answered, "If you sayI spat in
your face you're a liar" He knew the
voices, and said he could not be mIsled in
this particular. He had seen the captain
shortly before the encounter, and he was
then ''dlsgracefully drunk" Immediately
after the cabin scene, the witness, at the
suggestion OF Daniels, telegraphed his YER
sion OF 1t to the Secretary of the Treasury
at Washington.
MIR. Emery's testimony consumed long
time, and all present exhaled a sigh OF re-
lief as he left the stand. When asked a
question, the lieutenant, before answering,
spent from two to five minutes Sin rumi-
nation deep and long" Being asked his
reasons for that, he said he wanted to be
sure of what he was SAYING When his
answers told against the captain, how
ever, they came without delay, circum-
stance which caused the old man to glare
more tnan once in Indignation.
Albert Buhner, temporarily in command
OF the Bear pending the outcome of the
investigation, was next called upon to tes-
THY. He SAID he had conversed with Cap
tain HeaIy on the wharf at Sausalito on
the morning of Thanksgiving day, and
that the captain was perfectly sober. This
was perhaps fifteen minutes before the
alleged spirited interview between the cap
tain and Daniels in the cabin.
Chief Engineer Coffin OF the Bear testi-
he'd That he had heard Daniels question
and that be had also heard the Captains
answer without being able to distinguish
the words. He was on deck at the time
and got giimD use of the captain through
the skylight. The old man appeared to
be much excited, but sober.
TINS closed the case for the prosecution.
ID. b. Noeel, steward OF the San Francisco
acht Clubs establishment at Sausalito
said he saw Captain Healy between 9 and
10 O'Clock on Thanksgiving morning at
the clubhouse. The captain was sober
and converSed with the witness Tor several
minutes.
William Boundy, a gunner on the Bear;
Thomas Powers, quartermaster; Herman
Dunberg, coxswain, and ]. 2. Peterson
and Joseph Byrnes. seamen, all of the
Bear, were in the boat which convened
Captain Healy to the cutter from the
wharf at Sausalito on Thanksgiving morn
ing Immediately before the little affair
with Daniels. All testified that the cap
tain was perfectly sober at the time. at
this point an adjournment was taken for
the day.
In the evening Captain Healy was seen.
and on being asked his views in reference
to the probable outcome of the investiga-
ton replied:
my attorneys will not permit me to
speak for publication, SO | can say but llt-
tie. They would wish me to keep my
mouth shut tight as a clam, as they do,
but, hang it, a man must speak some
times or he'll burstl This whole thing is
= job put up by few young fellows who
don't want to work and hate to obey. And
then l suppose the bows think the old men
ought to get out of the way and give them
chance. Perhaps they're right, but even
though am old l don't relish being run