The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-10-30
dorm IS
IN DEMAND
TiIIey's Second in
Command An
Invalid.
NOW ON HIS WAY
TO SAN FRANCISCO
Work of Court Martial is Likely
to Be Much Eiindered by
His Absence.

What may be one Of the most remark
able court martials in the recent his
tory of the Navy, may be cut short ow-
ing to the enforced absence of one of
the principal witnesses. The Ventura
on the way to the Coast carries as one
of the most distinguished passengers
Lieut.. Commander E. J. Dorm, who sue
ceeded Commander B. F. Tilley in COM
mand at Tutuila when that officer was
given leave of absence, early in the
spring.
Since Lieut. Commander Dorm has
been acting as governor he has been
very busy and this in connection with
so that board of medical survey was
held upon him and the result is that
he is now on his way home, facing q
prospect of retirement. 1t may be that
the court will have TO send for him
again to return to the islands or in
stead may not be able to conclude it's
hearings there. Commander Dorm was
the second in command, and what he
would have to say about the alleged
occurrences which led up to the charges
Of the missionaries, would have con-
stituted one of the principal items Of
the evidence before the court
The absence of Commander Dorm
leaves the command of the station up
on the shoulders of Lieut.. ]. L. Payne.
Lieut.. Payne is a young man who is
commended by all the officers here on
their way to the south, for his skill and
discretion, and they believe ali is going
forward as it should in the islands, but
the fact remains that 1t may hinder the
work Of the Board, and perhaps cause
some material obstruction, to have
Commander Dorm out OF the islands
when the court Is sitting.
One Of the first effects may be to
cause the return Of the members at an
earlier date than was intended. The
Solace is expected to reach Page Page
November 7th or Sth. The next mer-
| chant ship which will pass through or
| the way back to the coast will be the
| Sierra which is expected to reach the
| Samoan port November 18th. 1t is i'm
possible for the court to do it's work II
| that time, owing to the fact that al
the testimony must be taken long hant
and read and approved each day, after
which the Admiral must pass upon the
decision, as he may wish to reconyent
the court. 1t was the original though
that the court would remain in Tutu
| ia until the return OF the Sonoma
which ship will pass through about De
cember 3rd. The fact that Commando
Dorm is not there may be the caus
of hurrying matters so that the mem
bers of the court may get to San Fran
cisco at once and there hear the evi
dence of Commander Dorm.
Commander Dorm was very actiY
lduring his incumbency of the governor
ship. He made a trip aboard the Aber
enda to the island of Manua last month
The chiefs and leading men of Manua
lsaid Commander Dorm, extended to him
self and his officers very cordial re
ception. During the stay on Manua
case involving certain questions of Sa
moan customs was amcably settled an
an increased friendly feeling among tn
natives of this island for the Unite
States was clearly apparent. Mr.. Dor
said everything was in an excellent con
dition, and there was no friction Il
sight.