Sunday morning globe., 1901-10-20


bers Of the crew aud no action was taken 200
the matter Another apprentice refused
point blank TO coal ship. called the officer of
the deck auumbcr of vile names invited him
to take of his coat and hc would lick him.
The apprentice was confined for safe keep.
ing and no further action taken An ordi.
nary seaman ovcrstayed Dis liberty ninety
six hours returned and a few days later
left the ship without authority. remained
absent one hundredand sevcuty-uiue hours.
aud was awarded solitary confinement for
FIVE l5l days on bread and water. and special
fourth.class After being confined for three
DAYS he was released from solitary c0nfne.
meut aud placed in double irons instead,
hc thereupon left the ship the same evening
with the irons on and returned q day OF SO
later without them having thrown them
away after going ashore lie was entered
on the ships log recommended for trial hv
general court-martial, but was never tried. n
The above all took place within twenty.
five days
About fourteen or fifteen of the crew left
ship without authority while / was uuder
suspension and upon returning were placed
in double irons. Some of the above men
were on.duty as anchorwatch Several of
the men used very vile language To the
oidcerof the deck A private of marines
assaulted the guuuery sergeant iu charge of
the guard All of the above mentioned
cases were reported to the commanding
officer who had the men appear before him
at the mast and recommended some for
general courts-martal, some for summary
courts-marual, while some of the less
serious ohenses he would punish himself
None of the above men were ever tried as
upon our arrival at Hampton Roads, Va
the commanding 5thcer told the men that
owingto the ship being ordered out of com.
mission no further action was taken After
our arrival in Boston the men received class
punishment
The above is an excellent illustration of
what 1 had TO contend with 100 maintaining
the discipline of the ship, aud was my chief
reason for wishing to leave this vessel for
another where discipline was more rigidly
enforced, and my position as chief of police
of the ship, at least respected
The forward part of this ship, during the
period of time of the last cases cited, was in
such an uproar that a madhouse could not
compare with il, and every sober man on
the ship was disgusted
H. ! hope the department will not look
upon this statement as a criticism of any
ones action. 1t is not intended so, but
merely to explain why ! desired to leave
the ship. If possible to do so, I request
that the following records and documents
be examined so that my statements may be
couoborated viz. The ships log, report
book, punishment reports (now on file at
the Bureau of Navigation) my enlistment
record, showing quarterly marks and recon-
mendatons, such documents as l mentioned
in the body of my statement and Gunnery
Sergeant Horvath.
Some of the officers couversant with the
conditions mentioned herein are on duty
elsewhere, and do not wish 60 place the
Department to the trouble of summouing
them unless absolutely necessary.
Very respectfully,
MARTIN JACOBSON,
Chicf Hqyiey--atArDlS D. S. NaUp.
THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY
As an illustration of the estee m in which
this outraged seaman was held by the Off.
GERS under whom he served, where discip-
line was maintained aud where the officers
were gentlemen as well as sailors, we re-
produce the followiug
U. S. S. CAESAR.
SAN JUAN, PORTO RICO, dHgHu %, ly1g.
l have known Martin Jacobson, chief
Masterat-Arms q. S. Navy, for several
years. He was under my command on the
4. S. $. "Nesomite" for several months,
also blacksmith ON the "Theus," " Of which
ship was navigator. In both instances
found him TO be sober reliable. capable,
and a man Of most excellent character.
Il. T.. SAWYER,
Lieut.. Com'd'r U. s. Navy Commanding.
Martin Jacobson was in Washington all of
the past week vainly seeking redress at the
Navy Department He was advised By a
friendly officer to apply to Lieutenant Cott.
man, the officer who some time ago iusulted
am applicant for re-enlistment with the re.
mark, You look as IL you didn't have
square meal for "a month" When Jacobson
attempted TO explain his grievance to this
wellfed and highly groomed officer and
tax cater with a request that the stigma of
disuonorabie discharge from a service 20
which nc had given almost ten of, the best
years of his life be removed and his record
mlde clean. C0umau swclled out his Aat
cHe-taud 800 ,oice tremulous with anger
DE exclaimed "Why If / was the Com.
manderoi the Bancroft would have hanged
YOU lo the yard arm 4" Aud then C0umau
hNsNNN N' 1rA % ANNN|0Il NIiiAl 20 lINllNl Win
alright into nothiugness But Jacobson.
compact and powerfully built, stood smil-
iugiy iu front of the terrible Lieutenant and
replied you think, perhaps you would.
but you know you wouldn't couldn't
This is q Republic yet Mr. Lieutenant and
I ann your peer as citizen aud American
born freeman
Mr. Jacobson left for Cincinnati failing TO
secure redress at the Navy Department and
proposes TO bring the matter before Congress
at It's incoming session, when it is more
than probable "a committee of investigation
into the cruise or rather the orgies on board
the Bancroft win be the result That Con.
gress viii take some action ON this disgrace
full cruise of an American war vessel there
is hardly doubt. and Commander Adams,
now on the Alert will be called upon to
defend his commission AS an officer of the
United States Navy.