The times., 1899-08-09
SULLIVAN GETS THE PAY.
Assistant Comptroller MitcheIFs
Opinion In the Paymaster's Case.


Assistant Comptroller MitchelFs
Opinion In the Paymnster's Case.
A decision of considerable interest to
naval officers was rendered yesterday by
Assistant Comptroller Mitchell. The de-
cision gives Paymaster John Clyde Sulli-
van, United States Navy, the benefit of
ary, and places him on the payroll the same
as if he had served continuously from the
time he was commissioned paymaster In
Paymaster Sullivan was dismissed from
the Navy during President Cleyeland's
Administration, after having been
found guilty upon trial by court-martial
of embezziing S12, coo. After his dismissal
Mr. Sullivan appealed to Congress for his
restoration, and ON March last bill was
passed authorizing the President to reap
point him. The President thoroughly in
vestigated the matter and last June he re-
stored Mr.. Sullivan to the Navy. The
Presidents Investigation was Independent
of that made by the Naval Affairs Com
mittees of both houses of Congress, but
resulted in the same conclusion, namely
that the charge OF embezzienent was not
well founded
1t appears from the report made by Au-
ditor Morris from the Navy Department
budt at Tie tiille VI the diieSGQ eUlDcZZlc-
ment the Government owed Mr. Sullivan
something like $500 instead of his owing
the Government over So, 600, as alleged. 1t
appears that the naval officers constitut-
ing the court found Sullivan guilty of en-
bezZlement because in one of his state
ments to the Treasury Department he
counted as cash on hand warrant for S12-
600 sent him by the Treasury Department
When be made the report the paymaster
did not really have the cash on hand, but
it was in transit. Auditor Morris, in his
report to the President, stated that it was
the custom among paymasters to count
such drafts as cash actually in their pos
session, and that Mr.. Sullivan had 6one
exactly what every other paymaster is
doing at this time
Notwithstanding this state Of affairs, the
Navy Department. officials made strenuous
objections to the reappontment OF Sulli-
van. The Judge Advocate General, Cap
tain Lemly, was called upon by the Pres-
dent for report. and in that document he
set forth the objections of the naval off,
GERS to the restoration. 1t is said to have
been a very bitter document, reviewing
the testimony at the trial, in which he
expressed the opinion that the court had
not erred in any particular. For that
reason he advised the President not to act
upon the law passed on the last day of the
Fifty fifth Congress.
Comptroller MitchelIs decision is TO the
effect that Mr.. Sullivan is entitled to the
pay and allowances from the time of his
reappointment as if he had never been out
of the Navy. He was commissioned pay
master September Il, 1891, and is therefore
serving his second five years in that grade.
The pay while at sea is 50, zoo while on
shore duty s2,S00, and while On leave OR
waiting orders s2.400. The question pre-
sented TO Mr.. Mitchell was whether Sulli-
van should be paid as a paymaster who
had just received his commission, or
whether his previous service should be
counted in computing his pay The de-
cision makes difference of $500 year ad-
ditional in sea pay; $500 in shore pay, and
81, SEQ on leave or waiting order pay.