The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-06-19
THE VENICE AFFAIR
NAVAL OFFICERS WILL NOT BE
COURT-MARTIALED
CRoWNINSHIELD's DECISION.
COMMANDER or CHICAGO SEVERE
LY CENsURED.

should Have Given His Personal At
tentiOn 10 Defense of OhHcers-Con-
sui johnson at Venice Gave Very
Queer Advice To Observation-Disclosures
of Court of Inquiry shows That
Three of Officers Were Drinking
and That There Was some Disor-
derby COnduct-AdmiraI CrOwnin-
shield Evidently Thinks They
Have Suffered Enough.
London, June 1S.-The text OF the
findings of the court of inquiry in the
case of the United States naval officers
imprisoned at Venice in the latter part
of April, throws a new and important
light on the affair. 1t now appears that
the United States consul at Venice,
Henry A. Johnson. and the lawyer pro-
vided by him for the defense, urged the
officers to plead that they were violent
ly drunk. This they utterly declined to
do. Rear Admiral Crowninshield, COM
manding the European squadron, in re-
viewing the findings of the court. Sc
verely censures Capt. James H. Day.
ton. the commander of the Chicago, for
not personally attending to the de-
Tense of the officers and comments on
the, revolving indignities." suffered by
the officers while confined at Venice.
Under the circumstances. Admiral
Crownnsheld holds "a court martial
would be a farce"
Capt. Daytons court of inquiry min
utely traces the movements of the Of
fees of the Chicago on the day of their
arrest, and says Lieut. John S. Dod-
bridge and Surgeon Robert T.. Ledbet-
ter were affected by liquor to a no.
ticeable extent, but were not intoxi-
Gated in the ordinary meaning of the
term and there is no evidence that
the other parties were affected by
drinking"
The disturbance arose when Capt.
Robert f. Wynne. commanding the
marine guard of the Chicago. seeing
Doddridge and Ledbetter sitting out
side Florian's cafe. gave a hail, un-
usual in this place, resembling vi!
Yf."
Lieut.. Doddridge and Surgeon Led
better ran towards Capt. Wynne. up
setting chairs and two small tables. A
| large crowd and the police immediate-
| ly surrounded Lieut.. Doddridge, who
was roughly handled by the police
Findings of the Court.
In summing up the court finds that
while the actions of Cadet Kress
were indiscreet, no further proceed
ings against him should be taken.
the same conclusion being arrived at
regarding Langley, and the court rec
ommends that Liet. Doddridge. Capt.
Wynne and Surgeon Ledbetter be tried
by court martial for conduct unbe-
coming an officer and a gentleman,
Ledbetter be tried for being noticeably
affected by liquor and upsetting tables
and chairs, and that Capt Wynne be
tried for "his unusual hail in the quiet
of ST. Marks square" and running
among chairs and tables in public
cafe.
Qunshed by CrowninshieId.
In quashing all the recommendation
for court martials, Admiral Crownin-
shield says:
After a minute examination it APP
pears that there was not sufficient evil
dence adduced before the court of in
quiry to establish the allegations
against Surgeon Ledbetter, Lieut..
Doddridge and Capt. Wynne. The
weight of the evidence shows that the
two first named were not noticeably
affected by liquor. The matter appears
to have been forced to trial on account
of the representations of civilians who
were in no way under the authority of
any branch of the Italian government.
national or municipal, and whose char
acter was such that the officers we're
victimiZed."
1.-THE sum total of the matter is that
two officers had dispute with wait
er there and ran amongst chairs and
tables. all the tables and chairs being
deserted at the time; that one of them
then 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 indis-
Greet or lacking in dignity. none OF
them merits a court-martial. and none
can be characterized as bringing scan
dial or disgrace on the naval service"