The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-02-24
Lieutenant Ross of the Commo.
dore Perry Forwards a Com.
plant to Carlisle.
DEATH OF A SAILOR INVOLVED
He Is Said to Have Been Drowned
Through Dereliction on Nun.
gers Part.

On Friday there went forward to Wash
ington from this City a communication
that is destined to create an upheaval in
the revenue-cutter service, compared to
which the Healy investigation, Just con-
cluded, was an almost imperceptible
TEN blor.
1t was learned from absolutely reliable
sources that the cause OF the impending
sensational exposures was the recent pro-
motion of Captain Munger, formerly in
command of the revenue cutter Corwin, to
be assistant superintendent of construc-
ton, on the recommendation ofCaptain
c. l.. Hooper, senior officer of the revenue
cutter service, formerly commander of the
Rush and now superintendent of con-
struction, with his office in the Appraiser S
building In this City.
The document referred to is statement
of certain occurrences that bear date as
far back as May of last year. and involve
directly Captain Munger and indirectly
Captain Hooper. This statement was
mailed to Secretary of the Treasury Car
Isle on Friday by Captain H. D. Smith,
commander OF the revenue cutter Commo-
dore Perry. 1t was formulated and writ
lcu ny LIS liISt 1lculeudlll, w. ". fLOSS, an q
simply passed through the hands of Cap
tain Smith in the regular routine of such
proceedings.
The matters mentioned in this state
ment have been the subject of comment
among the officers of the Bear, Rush and
Perry, now all in the harbor, for some
time; in fact since the news was first re-
celved OF the promotion of Captain
Munger.
In order to obtain full appreciation of
the grave character OF the charges that are
likely to result from this preliminary it is
necessary to take up events OF nine months
ago, at the time the revenue cutter feet
was consolidated in Boring Sea.
In this statement it is charged that last
May, while Captain Munger was in charge
of boat conveying number Of men from
one vessel to another, he was in such a
state OF intoxication that he was incapac-
ltated from properly discharging the du-
| ties OF his position, and that as a conse-
quence the boat was capsized and one of
the crew drowned. The incident it is
stated, was known to a large mum Der of
the men connected with the service but
no notice was taken officially of the matter
until last September.
AT that time Lieutenant Ross was ex-
ecutive officer of the Corwin under Mum
ger, and under what he considered his
proper sense of duty he filed charg IS
against his commanding officer with Cap
tain Hooper, the senior officer of the fleet.
alleging drunkenness and relating the in
cldent which ended in SO tragic a manner.
SO far as Lieutenant Ross was able TO
learn these charges were ignored or taken
up in such mild way as to amount to a
virtual ignoring of them. Feeling that
he had fulfilled his DUTY in the matter
Lieutenant Ross allowed the matter to
rest without further action.
Subsequently he was placed on the Perry
as executive officer under Captain Smith.
and Captain Hooper received the appoint-
ment to be superintendent of construction
of matters connected with the marine rev.
enue service. Such an appointment is one
OF the most desirable in the service as it
involves shore duty and is considered one
OF the highest compliments that can be
paid to an officer.
But when Captain Hooper. who had ap-
parently ignored these charges against
Captain Munger, recommended the latter
to be his assistant, with extra compensa-
ton and added honor and comfort Lien.
tenant Ross found it incumb bent on him to
call the attention of the highest authority
to the matters already mentioned. His
course is unprecedented, as his mplaint.
according to the usual mode of procedure
should have gone through Captain Hooper,
who Is still the ranking officer of the rev.
enue-cutter fleet of the Pacific.
But In view OF the action taken by Cap
tain Hooper on the charges previously led
against Captain Munger, Lieutenant Ross,
it is claimed, had no other recourse but to
ask his commander to forward the state
ment direct to the Secretaryof the Treasury
Under ordinary circumstances such a
course would have been deemed nothing
less than mutlny.
In this statement the charges again al
Captain Munger are not only repeated. but
attention is called TO the peculiar conduct
OF Captain Hooper in connection with
them and of his recommendation of Cap
tain Munger for promotion while knowing
OF the charges that had been made against
Munger.
1t is the general opinion and expectation
OF all who are cognizant of the matter