The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-11-13
ACCUSED BY 4 MINISTER
Charges of IntOxieation Against the
Charlesten's Officers Revived.
Rev. }. +. Clark Prefers New Ale
cations Concerning the Accident
to the warship-Eormer Complaint
Had Been Investigated and All
the Parties Concerned EEoBerated.

In a communication received at the Navy
Department today. The charge is revived
that officers of the United States cruiser
Charleston were drunk when that vessel
struck on an uncharted reef OF the north
coast Of Luzon. I. was just year ago
yesterday. that the Charleston was lost
A Times reporter was permitted today to
examine the records Of the investigation
made by the department in1O the charge
and talks with department officials devel-
opsd that although publicity had been given
10 the charge at the time it was made, the
fact that those accused had been completely
exoRerated had never been made public
The Navy Department has heretofore
declined to give the name of the person
who brought the charge to its attention.
1t was shown by the oficifi papers seen
today that he is Rev, ]. F. Clark, mis-
sionary of the American Board, who has
been stationed in Bulgaria. Mr.. Clark re-
turned to Boston recently and the View
Voice" a Prohibition newspaper, cited
him as authority for the statement that
drunkenness among the Charleston's OFF,
GERS did exist when the cruiser was
wrecked. A clipping Of this article was
sent to the Navy Department by Bos-
ton clergyman, who requested to be in
formed whether these charges had been
investigated An answer covering the
result Of the enquiry made by the Depart
ment viii be sent to this gentleman
The papers show that an electrical en-
gineer on one Of the American ships in the
Philippines wrote to Rev. Ar. Clark. then
in Samo-Koo, Bulgaria. that enlisted men
of the Charleston had told him thac sew
eral officers OF the Charleston, particularly
the navigator, were drunk when the ves-
sci struck. The Navy Department asked
Mr.. Clark to furnish the name Of his in
formaRt and he did SO with copy Of the
electrical engineers letter containing the
charges.
Rear Admiral Watson. then in com
mand of the Asiatic Station. was instruct
cd 10 investigate the charges and the
investigation was IN progress when be
was relieved by Rear admiral ReIoey, wto
completed the enquiry
Captain PigInan Of the Charleston vas
not accused of being intoxicates, but he
was called on for 4 statement He de-
MED the charges and exOReFated the nsvi-
gator and other officers
The navigator also Indignantly 0Saied
The charge and said that he never drunk
while the snip was under way. CT for sew
eraI hours before that time. sE1 that he
had not touched any IntoD ant for two
weeks before the disaster. He claimed
that the accuse ation vas the resul. OF spite
on the part Of men on the Charleston con-
yicted of false swearing before the court
OF enquiry which investigated the yes
sel's loss. This court exonerated Captain
Pignan, the navigator, and other officers
from blame
The investigation Of Mr. C1arks charge
showed 10 the satisfaction OF the Navy De
PaTtmeat that 1t was untrue and the de-
psrtment disposed Of the mater II COM
municStion 10 the commander-in-cnief OF
the Asiatic Station, the main paragraph OF
which follows
The department accepts your sugges-
ticn that for the reasons stated by you
further investigation CT these matters is
now unnecessary
With the revived charge there is coupled
a Eew one. that "a number OF sailors who
testified ct The court OF enquiry that the
loss was caused by the drunkenness Of OIL
GERS. were punished for such testimony By
sentences 10 Imprisonment from two 10 four
years and Rev. &r- Clark Is given as au-
thority for the statement that The men
were released On teiegraphic orders from
The records of the Navy Department
show that several Unlisted men OF the
Charleston testifie,r at the court of en-
quiry that an officer had brought ashore
his personal effects after the men had
been forbidden to take theirs from the
wreck. These men were accused Of false
swearing and we're convicted. receiving
sentences of from enc 10 four years I'M
prisonmeEt. Owing to legal irregularities
in their trials, the proceedings against
them were disapproved and they we're re
leased Although every member of the
CharIeston's crew was asked. a the court
Of enquiry. if he had any complaint to
make. none came forward to accuse any
officer of drunkenness