Evening star., 1897-01-20
MAJOR LOWRY'S CASE
Result Of the Court of Inquiry Into the Let
ting Of Laundry Contracts.
COurt-Martinl recommended. hut No,
Ordcred-The Secretary of the
Navy's Reprimand.

on, were made public today The court was
appointed Ito inquire into the circum-
stances connected with the letting of the
contracts for laundry work at the several
posts of the Marine Corps for the current
fiscal year." and the result Is that Major
Lowry has been reprimanded by the depart
ment.
Secretary Herbert has made a long men,
crandum in regard to the case, in which
he reviews fully the testimony taken by
the court. From this it appears that
Major Lowry in May last, after due ad-
vertisement, opened bids and let the con-
tracts for washing for the Marine Corps
of bed sacks, mattress covers, pillow cases,
sheets and towels at the several stations
napolis, Norfolk, Portsmouth, N. H.; Bos-
ton, Mass, and New York. to William H.
BelfOrd, who was the lowest bidder at these
several stations. At the four other sta
tioLB, Port Royal, S. c.; Mare Island, San
Francisco and Newport, r. l., he let the
laundry work to other bidders, each resid-
ing at or near the places where the work
was to be done. The contracts with Bel
ford, who was not a laundryman, were at
prices considerably higher than those at
which the washing was Ut to the other bid
'ders, but Belford was the lowest, and, in
fact, the only bidder in the case of all the
washing let to him. When the bills for the
laundry work at Washington began to come
in the officer commanding the marines at
the navy yard protested to the colonel COM
mandant that the prices being paid for the
work were exorbitant as compared with
those of last year. This protest led to a
somewhat voluminous correspondence be-
tween this officer, the colonel commandant.
and Major Lowry. The matter was, on
September 26, 1885, submitted by the colonel
commandant to the department. and,
eventually, court of inquiry was called at
the request of Major Lowry.
The Courts Recommendation.
In his report to the department the court
recommended that Major Lowry be tried
by general court-martal for the following
specific acts: For awarding the contracts
for laundry work at Portsmouth, n. H.:
Boston, Mass; New York, Philadelphia,
Pa; Washington, d. c.; Annapolis Nd,
and Norfolk, Va, to the lowest bidder, Mr..
w. H. Belford, when the evidence shows
that Mr.. Belford was not a proper person
to be received as a contractor for laundry
work. For awarding the contracts Tor
laundry work to Mr.. W. H. Belford at rates
exceeding by 10 per cent the fair market
value for the work to be performed; Tor
entering into contracts for laundry work
with MIR. w. H. Belford, which contracts
bore no evidence whatever Of the financial
ability of the guarantors to fulfill their
obligation as sureties; for writing letter
to Mr.. w. H. Belford. the contractor, ask
ing certain information with reference to
the conduct of the employees OF his Qhe
quartermas;ers office, which letter should
not have been written; for inattention ana
ne eglect of duty in the awarding and max
ing the contracts for laundry work 1or tne
u S. Marine Corps for the fiscal year 1867
with Mr.. w. H. Belford.
The judge advocate general, IN reviewing
the testimony, concurred In the opinion
expressed by the court, and recommends
that Major Lowry be brought to trial by
general court-martial for the offenses in
dicated by HIM and found by the court.
The secretnry's Action.
Secretary Herbert concludes his state
ment Of the case as follows:
1t is the opinion of the department that
the awarding of the contracts for laundry
work for the United States Marine Corps
for 1S96-'97, for the several stations OF
Philadelphia, Annapolis. Norfolk. Boston,
Portsmouth, New York and particularly
Washington, d. c., to W. Ii Belford was
the result of gross carelessness on the part
of Major H. B. Lowry. 1t was an inefii-
cient and perfunctory performance of duty,
totally unworthy of an officer of his age
and experience, and meets with the severe
condemnation Of the department.
Purchasing agents must be given to un-
derstand that laws relating to advertise
ments, bids, etc, are intended to secure the
purchase of articles or the procurement of
services at reasonable rates, and that no
officer who fails to acquaint himself with
the prices he ought to pay can shield him
self from severe condemnation, in cases like
the present, by pleading strict compliance
with the mere letter of the law.
Major Lowry's recommendation, after
the extravaganza of these prices had been
called to his attention by the letter Of the
commandant, that the contracts be con-
tinued, the department does not regard as
any evidence of corrupt intent on his part.
1t evidences. rather, the obstinacy and in
sui ordinate spirit of an officer who, In spite
of foo &c yyhin f0 h9 r "a n rcd Tic
opinion, persists in the belief that this rou-
tine letting of the contracts to the lowest
bidder was full performance of his duty.
The court also recommends that charges
lie preferred against Major Lowry "for
writing a letter to Belford the contractor,
under date of August 26, 1895, calling for
his views upon subject which was under
consideration by the colonel commandant,
and giving extracts from the latter's letter
to him major Lowry, which letter. If
written at all. should have been submitted
to the colonel commandant before having
been sent to it's address," This letter, and
the letter of August 26, in which Major
Lowry informs the acting commandant
that he had so written, were clearly
prompted by spirit of insubordination.
In his letter of the 26th Major Lowry used
the following language: ut occurs to this
Office that you are proceeding entirely upon
ex parte evidence in this case, and that
Mr.. Belford, the person most interested,
should be given a hearing before this de-
cision is reached, and to this end a letter
has been addressed to him calling his at
tention to the views expressed in para
graphs and in your letter of the 25th in
stant," etc. The language of this extract,
in which this subordinate officer charges
the acting commandant with proceeding Inn
properly In the matter. and further stating
that ito this end" that is to correct an
improperly which he charges upon SUI
perior authority, he, the writer, had taken
upon himself to address letter to the con-
tractor, is palpably disrespectful and un-
becoming an officer Of the United States
Marine Corps and receives the censure of
the department.
The department has concluded not to con-
vene a court-martial for the trial of this
case, for the reason that 1t does not seem
probable that any further evidence can be
obtained, and the evidence now before it is
not sufficient, when taken In connection
with the previous good character Of Major
Lowry, to Justify the conclusion that he
has been corrupt, or guilty of anything else
than carelessness and characterization.
Subject to the foregoing remarks, the
proceedings, findings and opinion Of the
court. SO far as they relate to Major Lowry,
are approved.
Divorce Sought.
Samuel A. Bradley. navigator's writer of
the U.S.S. Raleigh TODAY applied here for