Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-06-21
MULLAN COURT : MARTIAL
Continuation Of Inquiry Into Pensacola
Navy Yard Affair.
The COmmandant Denies the Charge
ferences With Lieut.. Bull.

When the court-martial which Is trying
Commander Mullan OF the navy on charges
Of drunkenness was reconvened this morn
ing at the navy yard. the case had reached
the point where the defendant was on
croSS-examination.
At the sessions Saturday Commander Null
Ian denied the charges alleged in the
various specifications, and his defense was
materially strengthened by the testimony
of several witnesses who stated that they
had seen the commodore on the different
occasions mentioned in the specifications,
and that they had never seen him under
the influence Of liquor.
On cross-eXamination Mr.. Hayden of the
counsel for the defense read such portions
of the testimony in the Pensacola court of
inquiry he deemed of importance to his
side Of the case.
Counsel at Outs.
1t was not long before the judge advo-
cate and defendants counsel were at outs.
1t came up over a question which was in
tended to bring out the relations which
existed between Commander Mullan and
mis- subordinate officers. The question was
as to whether Mullan, as commandant of
the Pensacola yard, ever sent communica-
tions to his subordinates through the me-
dunn of his colOred servants, the cook or
steward.
Mr.. Hayden objected to this line of tes-
timony whole. The court was cleared,
and after due deliberation the doors We're
reopened and the court announced that the
objection was not sustained.
Further reading of the testimony then
developed the fact that Lieut.. Bull re-
quested in writing that he might have the
use of the navy yard launch one evening to
leave Pensacola at IL o'clock. The request
was granted in writing, but in his indorse-
ment the commandant requested that there
after Lieut.. Bull should prefer such re-
AT
Commander Mullan sent word TO Lieut..
Bull by one Of his colored servants. re-
questing that the latter should never ask
for any further personal favorS from him
so long as he was commandant of the yard.
OccnsionaIly, but Not Often.
Further. Commander Mullan testified
that while he was at the Pensacola yard
he occasionally took a drink of beer or
whisky. but not often Sometimes he
would take two or three drinks. sometimes
three or four, but he was never under the
influence of liquor on any of the occasions
referred to in the specifications.
There was no bar in the Escambia Hotel
and he was sure that he had never taken
a drink OF whisky in the hotel. March 4,
when he turned over the command of tho
yard to Lieut.. Bull. he may have taken a
drink-he was not sure-but he was certain
that he was not under the influence of
liquor.
Commander Mullan testified that he has
been in the navy nearly thirty-seven years
1t was his opinion that there was a COM
binatfon of the officers IN the yard to force
him cut of the command. After June 10
ne noticed that the relations of the Off
GERS toward him were of the most formal
and distant character.
Clause as to Conspiracy,
In answer to a question Commander Null
Ian replied that he knew that in the ar
tlcles for the government of the navy
there was clause bearing upon officers
VINO cor spire to lessen the authority and
influence of superior officers. However he
took no action against his subordnates in
the Pensacola yard because he had moth
ing definite upon which to act
Commander Muilan further stated that an
January Lieut.. and Mrs. Bull, to whom
he had refused the use of one of the build
ings In the navy yard for the purpose of
holding dance, gave a reception at their
hoIse Ii was quite large affair." and in
vit&tlcns were sent to all the other officers
In the yard. their families many of The
civil employees of the yard many residents
Of Pensacola, ard the officers at Fort Rar
ancos, ard yet the commandant of the
Fer sacola navy yard, was not invited. He
slight.
Commander Mullan said that he notified
the coXswafn of the navy yard launch NOT
10 10 nonor any passes on the launch. unless
they We're signed by him. He did not re-
yoke Lieut.. Bulls authority to sign passes
for he did not know that the lieutenant
mad ever had that authority. He did not
look into the matter to find out whether
Lieut.. Bull had ever had any such author
ity from his predecessor Capt. Whiting.
Might Have Been More Proper.
He admitted, however. that it might have
been more proper If he had inquired
whether Lieut.. Bull had the right, and
then spoken to him i'm a pleasant sort of
way. He himself was to command the
navy yard. and he intended to issue all
passes, and he was satisfied that he was
acting quite properly when he failed to
notify the second In command of the new
order. except through the medium of the
ccxswain of the launch.
At this point recess was taken until