Omaha daily bee., 1902-06-19
TRIAL WOULD PROVE FARCE
Rear Admiral 0rowninshield Stands Up for
Officers Accused in Venice.
ACTION OF THE CAPTAIN IS CENsURED
Imprisoned Men Suffered Revolving
IndIRnities at Hands of Italians
Because He Did Not At
tend to Defense.

tend to Defense.
LONDON, June 1s.-The text Of the ind
ings OF the court Of inquiry in the case of
the United States naval officers impris-
oned at Venice in the latter part Of April
throws a completely new light on the affair.
1t now appears that the United States con-
sui at Venice, Henry A. johnson, and the
lawyer provided by him for the defense
urged the officers to plead that they were
violently drunk. This they utterly declined
20 do.
Rear Admiral Crowninshield, commanding
the European squadron, in reviewing the
findings Of the court. severely censures
Captain James H. Dayton, the commander
of the Chicago, for not personally attend
ing to the defense OF the officers and COM
ments on the revolving indignities" SUI
fered by the officers while confined at
Venice. Under the circumstances Admiral
Crowninshield holds "a court-martial would
be a farce"
Captain Eayton's court Of inquiry NIL
nutely traces the movements of the officers
Of the Chicago on the day of their arrest
and says Lieutenant John S. Doddridge and
Surgeon Robert E. Ledbetter were affected
by liquor to a noticeable extent, but were
not intoxicated in the ordinary meaning
OF the term, and there is no evidence that
the other parties were affected by drink
ing"
The disturbance arose when Captain Rob-
ert F. Wynne, commanding the marine
guard Of the Chicago, seeing Doddridge and
Ledbetter sitting outside Florlan's cafe,
gave a hail, unusual In this place, resem-
bling vi VII vi"
Disturbance is in n Cafe.
Lieutenant Doddridge and Surgeon Led
better ran toward Captain Wynne, upset
ting chairs and two small tables. A large
crowd and the police Immediately sur
rounded Lieutenant Doddridge, who en-
deavored to explain. The crowd" the
findings continue, pressed on, shouting and
gesticulating, and were not well controlled
by the police. The police seized Lieutenant
Doddridge and apparently at the same time
the crowd attacked him. Lieutenant Dodd-
ridge was roughly handled by the police and
1t required the assistance Of citizens to
effect his arrest. But there we're no means
Of distinguishing the persons assisting the
police from those who were wantonly at
lacking the prisoner"
Captain Wynne. Surgeon Ledbetter, Ma
val Cadet James c. Kress and Langley, a
mdTlut, Ill iUEClDlg Buuch W III
Lieutenant Doddridge, retalisting for the
assistance Of the civilians, but not attack
ing the police.
AT the station" 1t is added in the find
ings of the court, there was much excite
ment. The crowd was at first allowed their
own way and no one seemed to be in au-
thority. The crowd shouted and g~esticu-
lated and the officers made demands and
protests. Their treatment in prison was
severe and extremely humiliating, but there
is no evidence that the prison rules were
exceeded"
Self-Defense Against Civilians.
The officers pleaded self-defense against
civilians, that no police were knowingly re-
sisted and that their intention was not to
rescue Lieutenant Doddridge, but to protect
him from violence inflicted by outsiders.
The court refers to the disadvantage at
which the officers were placed during the
trial. owing to their ignorance of the Italian
language and laws, and says:
The interpreter, who was a consular
clerk, was not successful or satisfactory.
The strong feeling against the officers
tested and orders were made by the magis-
trate to suppress the manifestations.
In summing up the court finds that, while
the actions Of Cadet Kress were indiscreet,
no further proceedings against him should
be taken. The same conclusion is arrived
at regarding Langley and the court recon-
mends that Lieutenant Doddridge, Captain
Wynne and Surgeon Ledbetter be tried by
court-martial for conduct unbecoming an
officer and a gentleman" that Lieutenant
Doddridge and Surgeon Ledbetter be tried
for being noticeably affected by liquor and
upsetting tables and chairs" and that Cap
AaH- Vy.,r. H. Nrgal g. gNAta ,,n,,a,,oI ILL
in the quiet Of 81, Marks square and run
ming among chairs and tables in a public
cafe"
CrOwninshieId Disafirms Finding.
In quashing all the recommendations for
courts-martial Admiral Crowninshield says:
After a minute examination it appears
that there was not sufficient evidence ad-
the allegations against Surgeon Ledbetter,
Lieutenant Doddridge and Captain Wynne.
The weight of the evidence shows that the
affected by liquor. The matter appears to
have been forced to trial on account OF the
| demands of civilians who were In no way
under the authority of any branch Of the
Italian government, national or municipal,
~oficers were victimized. That the matter
did come to trial, resulting in notoriety
detrimental to the reputation Of those in
was due at least in part to the omission
to observe that custom OF the service
whereby the commanding officer of a
United States naval vessel, in case of the
arrest on shore of one of his command,
himself either makes Immediate and direct
representations for his relief or appears in
court to aid in seeing that justice is done
or designates an officer to perform these
duties. Without this customary assist
ance all parties were suffering revolving
indlgnities during the period of their con-
hnement, and even In court, such as are
unknown In the case of lowest criminals
in our own court, and, though these mat
ters are apart from the question OF the
culpability of persons arrested, they are
the cause of much of the notoriety attend
ant on the case.
Dispute with n Waiter.
The sum total OF the matter is that two
officers had a dispute with a waiter. ran
amongst chairs and tables. all the tables
and chairs being deserted at the time; that
one OF them upset tables and chairs and
that another called out in loud tones in
the deserted square. While some or all of
these actions may be considered indiscreet