Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-29
TRIAL OF ENSIGN OWEN
RT-MARTIAL TO ASSEMBLE
AT NEW YORK NAVY YARD.
Charged With Absence Without Leave
and Number of Financial
Irregularities.

The Secretary of the Navy today issued
an order for the assembling of a general
court-martial at the navy yard, New York
tomorrow for the trial of Ensign Alfred c.
Owen of the navy on the charge of "ab-
sence from station and duty after his
leave had expired and the charge Of
tion of good morals
The single specification under the first
charge is to the effect that Ensign owen,
while attached to the battle ship Massa
chusetts having been granted leave of alb
sence, which expired July % last, re-
manned absent from his station and duty
without proper permission until September
% last, when he again reported on the
Massachusetts,
Alleged Financial Irregularities.
There are eight specifications under the
second charge alleging specific financial
Irregularities. In the first specification it is
alleged that while attached to the gunboat
Castine on the Asiatic station In June, 1901
he obtained from Captain Frank H. Law
ton, commissary of subsistence, United
states army, cash for a check for $3.50,
oraWn on Ffoulke & Co., bankers, of Wash
ington, D. c., without placing funds with
the bankers sufficient to meet the check
In the second specification it is alleged
that after giving Captain Lawton the said
Worthiess check and having subsequently
paid $50 to Captain Lawton on account
ne mas ever since failed to pay the bal
ance or the check. The third specification
alleges that Ensign Owen while at Iloilo
IN March. 1901, borrowed $500 from Lieu
tenant Colonel George S. Anderson Of the
army and has failed to repay the loan In
the fourth specification 1t is alleged that
Ensign owen while attached to the Mas
sacnusetts In home waters in August 1902
got Mr.. Robert L. Meade jr of New York
city to cash a check for $50 drawn on the
Rlggs National Bank of Washington. D. G..
ana neglected to provide for the payment
OF the check, allowing it to go to protest.
Failed to Pay His Tailors
Specification number five alleges that En-
sign owen, In the fall of the year 1901. be-
came justly indebted to Hughes & Muller
ta1lors of Philadelphia, and has failed to
discharge such indebtedness The sixth
speclhcation alleges that Ensign Owen In
August, 1902, represented to R. c. Hunt
or New York city that he had 5000 to his
credlt at Riggs National Bank in Wash
lngton, on the strength of which he OBJ
tanned loans amounting to $100 from Hunt
Tor which he gave check on the bank
named without having funds there to meet
turned unpaid
Similar transactions are alleged in the
seventh and eighth specifications. In one
case 1t is alleged he borrowed 500 from r.
e. Hunt of New York on a worthless check
IN August, 1902, and failed to refund the
money. In the other case it is alleged that
on the 11th of August. 1902 while at the
Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York he OBJ
tanned from ]. T. Hendrick of Washinston
ID. C., the sum of $50 for which he gave a
check drawn by Charles w Raborg.
agent" upon the Colonial Bank of the CITY
Of New York which he (Owen) indorsed at
the same time representing to Mr.. Hen
dr1ck that Raborg was his uncle and that
the check was good. The check was pro-
tested and Ensign Owen has since failed to
refund the money to Mr.. Hendrick, this
to the scandal and disgrace Of the naval
service"
The detail for the court is as follows:
Capt. P: F. Harrington, Capt. Albert S.
Snow, Commander Raymond p Rodgers
Lieut.. Commander Henry Morrell, Surgeon
J. c. Byrnes, Lieut.. Oscar w. Koester and
Lieut.. L. S. Thompson, with Capt L. J.
Magill Of the Marine Corps as judge advo-
cate
Ensign Owen is a Washington boy of dis
t1nguished ancestry and is wei known in
this vicinity. Many of the witnesses sum-
moned to testify at his trial are residents
OF this city, so that the case has unusual
local interest