The times., 1897-06-17
MULLlA PLAcED ON TRIAL
Navy Yard Commsndant Charged
With lnioxication.
THE SPECIFICATIONS READ
The Accused Answers "NOt Guilty"
Stories of Intemperance Alleged
to Have Been Inspired by Per-
sonal Animosity ty-The Testimony
of Hotel Clerk Submitted.

Commander Dennis Mullaa, United states
! court-lnarsiai at the Washington navy yard
/ yesterday afternoon. The charges on
which he Is being tried are those OF
| intoxication on and off duty, while the ao-
| cused was serving as commandment CT the
! Pensacola nayy yard, during the summer
| and fall OF 1886 and the ensuing winter
of sc and 'S7.
| The first charge of lntox ication off duty
contains seven specifications alleging
| specific cases of mtoxication at the Es-
| Gambia Hotel at Pensacola, and on the
| cars of the Pensacola Traction Company.
! The second charge, that OF intoxication on
| duty. contains six specificat ons alleging
| specific cases of mtoxication at the Pensa-
cola navy yard
1T is charged that Commander Muilan
| vas under the influence of strong Drink
| when he assumed command OF the navy
yard. and that he was also under the
| influence Of liquor when he was relieved
One of the specifications OF the second
| charge alleges that tie commander was
| into xicated while entering the steam
launch at the navy yard on an occasion
duly specified.
| the dercasr expects TO prove that these
charges are groundless and incidentally
may show that they We're inspired by
personal animosity.
The composition of the coUrt-martlal is:
Judg. advocate. Lie-t c. II. LaEclieinier,
L. S. Nj. c.; president Of the court Comsno-
| dore Charles S. Norton. commaGdant OF
| Washington navy yard; Capt John c.
Watson, L. s. N; Capt. Siias W. FERRY,
U. s. N; Capt. Francis j. HigsiDson,
Capt Merrill Miller, Z. s. "; Capt. William
c. Wise, u. s. N; Capt Purpeii +. Har-
riugtoR. L s. n.
Judge Advocate Lauchelmer, of the Of
flee OF iudge advocate general. wasRnorg
| the early rivals at the trial Soon after
| Commodore Norton came in, and the
other officers arrived in good season.
Most Of them came in civilian dress, but
brought their uniforms in satchcls and
paper wrapped cases
Attorneys McCainmon and Hayden, coun-
sci for the accused, came early. Capt
! JOHN Mallan, brother 20 Commander Mui-
Ian. was with the attorneys, and display yed
an affee tionate interest in the cause or
his brother. Capt Mullan explained to
the reporter for The Times that this
court-nartial was ordered by the Secre-
tary OF the Navy, at the earnest solicita-
ton OF Comma nder Mullan, and .'ertain
COZ respondence which was read during the
progress OF the trai confirmed this state
ment. Capt. Mnilan stated that these
stories OF intoxica tlOn had been originated
by let OF women at the navy yard
at Pensacola Tie stories had been given
considerable circulation, and court Of
inquiry had been ordered at the Pensacola
navy yard. But, said Capt. John Muilan.
the commands is an applicant foT pro-
motion TO the rank of captain, and will
soon apply for examination in consequence
of the vacancies which giil follow the
tircrnent of Admiral Brown. The CON-
mander demanded that the charges against
hIm be tried according to martial law,
that there might be no stain upon his
name or record.
The accused entered the courtroom
few minutes before l o'clock and sat with
his counsel. He wore the fun uniform of
a commander, and bore himself manfally-
He responded to questions in firm and
respectful manner. and evinced no trace
OF nervousness.
Commodore Norton called the court to
order at 1:25
The charges and Specifications were
read. and az the Judge advocate TUNED to
ask thu accused to plead Attorney Hayden
objected and presented a motion that speci-
ficati6n No. : and charge No. be stricken
out on the ground that they were uncertain
as To time and place. Attorney McCaInmon
read from the rules and regulations OF the
Nayyin support OF this motion The judge
advocate was ready with mass Of au-
thorities and arguments to prove that the
specification was sufficiently exact as to
time and place.
A warm debate ensued between the
prosecution and the defense on the ques-
tion of the exactitude of the specifi-
cation. Thecourtroom was ordered cleared
of all but the judges while they should
consider the motion made by the defense.
After due consideration, Commodore Nor
ton announced that the court had sustained
the point made by counsel for defense
and that specification Z and charge l
would be stricken out. This specifica-
tion was that Commander MHllan had been
seen Intoxicated by certain officer in the
Nary The time and place were not
stated
Then the Judge advocate called upon
the accused to plead and as each speci-
fication was read, the accused responded
mot guilty.
The judge advocate then read a letter
addressed to him by the Navy Department,
inclosing a letter written by Commander
Mullan. requesting that court martial be
called to try the accusations against him
The judge advocate also read considerable
correspondence which passed between Sec
retary Long, Commander Mullan and the
attorneys of the latter, preliminary to the
court-martial.
The testimony OF the following witnesses
for the prosecution was then taken; Lieut.
Bull, q. 8. n ; Paymaster Jewett. q. s. NJ:
Or Gorgas. u. s. A.: Lieut.. Jeryey, U. s.
A: Capt Cotton, U. s. A; Clerk Walter
Atzuger, Mr.. T. v. Kessler, Dr. Harris,
u s. N.
Judge Advocate Laucheimer then pro.
ceeded for the prosecution He began by
reading the testimony that was taken by
the court of inquiry which was held at Pen
sacola First came the testimony bearing
upon specification No / of charge No l. 1t
was the testimony Of Clerk Cecil Maddox,
OF the Eseambia Hotel. Florida Maddox
testifiedt that MuIlan was intoxicated at the
hotel and had whisky breath As to the
second specification, the etestimonyo Henry
E. Jewett, passed assistant payinaster on
duty at the Pensacola navy yard at the
time when Commander Mullan was com
mandant there, was read He had seen
the accused Intoxicated at the Escambia
Hotel.
The oourt-martial was adjourned at 2
O'Clock to meet at 10 O'Clock this morn