The Washington times., 1902-06-20
Italian Ambassador Takes
Exception to Crownln-
SHE DIS Report.
VISITS NAVY DEPARTMENT
Responsibility for Publication Of Find
ings of Court of Inquiry Denied by
Mr.. Moody-International Ccmplica
ton Possible-"Revolting Indignities"

papers OF kear admiral CroWninSnielu
caustic comments on the findings of
the court of inquiry which investigated
the alleged misconduct az Venice OF
four officers of the United States cruis-
Or Chicago, was made the subject Of an
official complaint to the State Depart
ment yesterday by Signor Edmoneo
Mayor dcs Planches, the Italian am
hassador in Washington.
The ambass ssador acted en- his own re-
sponsibility as Italy's diplomatic rep
resentative. He has not received any
Instructions from Rome, but it is feared
that the Italian government may decide
to press the matter, and thus magnify
the Venice affair into painful and un-
necessary international incident.
Signor Mayor called personally at the
State Department, and in the absence
of Secretary Hay stated his business to
DR.. Hill, the acting Secretary of State.
He called attention to the publication
OF press dispatches under London date,
giving a synopsis of the findings OF the
Chicago court of inquiry and the COM
ment of Admiral Crowninshicld dis
approving of the courts recommenda
tion that three of the accused officers
be tried by court-martial.
Structures Offensive to Italy.
Signor Mayor regarded the publica-
tion of Admiral Crowninshield's st7ic-
lures on the treatment OF the Ameri-
cans by the Italian authorities at Ven
Ioa
and he desired to know if the United
States Government was responsible in
any way for the publicity given them.
On this point DR.. Hill was unable to
inform the ambassador. and suggested
an interview with Secretary Of the Navy
Moody, who was better qualified TO say.
Signor Mayor and Mr.. Moody there
upon had a conversation on the subject.
In response to the ambassadors question
Mr.. Moody gave positive assurances
that the Navy Departm ent had not been
responsible for the publication, and, in
fact, deprecated it.
The record of the courts proceed
ings, findings, and recomme adations and
Admiral Crowninshield's comment had
not even been received by the Navy De-
partment, he explained.
No Purpose Announced.
Signor Mayor did not say what he
proposed to do, but while showing that
he regarded the matter as one Of i'm
portance, he was exceedingly temperate
and conservative in his statements and
did not indicate that he intended to
make any sensational report to his
government.
Administration officials regret the
publication and hope that the matter
will be dropped by Italy with the as
surance that nobody in Washington was
in any way concerned in furnishing
Admiral Crowninshields comments to
the press. Their principal fear is that
editorial comment may incite the
Italian Government to make the affair
a diplomatic issue.
Signor Mayor has received a copy of
the proceedings Of the court at Venice
where the Chicago's officers were
tried. and he has intimated that IT may
be necessary to have this published in
order to offset the intimations Of Ad
u.iral Crowninshield that the officers
were net treated with justice. This
Government wants the incident to end
at once. and officials trust that 1t will
not create any adverse comment on
Italian legal methods.
ut will be a great mistake to try TO
magnify the incident into an event Of
international Importance" said one Of
fetal.
Revolving Indignities.
- The part OF Admiral Crowninshield's
ccu-uer.t which is regarded by Am
hassador Mayor an affront to his
government was the use of the express
sion "revolting indignities" with refer
ence to the treatment of the accused
officers while they were confined IN a
Venetian prison. Admiral Crownlh-
shield criticised Captain Dayton of the
Chicago for not looking out Tor the IN
terests of his officers after they had
been arrested, and continuing said:
without this customary assistance
aII the parties were suffering rcvoltinS
indisnities during the period Of their
confinement. and even in court, such as
are unknown in the case OF even the
lowest criminal in cur own country
The Navy Department will at once
institute an investigation to ascertain
how the official record became pubic
taking the first step by sending an IN
oufry TO Admiral Crowninshield. whe
IS now at Southampton, England for
an explanation.
II is believed among naval officers,
however, that the admiral cannot be
held responsible for the publication.
They say that II is customary to ar
pounce the findings of court Of inquiry
and the action OF the receiving author
ity. in printed squadron der. copies
of which are sent to every siip in the
squadron. Such orders -, IA a sense,
matters of public record. and with so
many available arc easily obtained by
persons not in the navy.
Explanations to Be Made.
II will probably be necessary, how
eyer. for the Navy Department to a1-
wise the italian ambassador, through
the Department of State, of the result
of its inquiry, with reiteration Of the
assurances given verbally by Secretary
Moody that the naval administration
and the Government were not response
HE for the wide circulation given TO
Admiral Crowninshield's intorseEl n.
To this the State Department WI
an expression OF regret and the
that the incident VIII not be pro
The record OF the court OF
Law on Secretary Mocdy's desk
He took II home last evening to .ci- =;
his leisure.
While the Navy Department reserves
the right to review all legal proceed
inRs in the service. it seldom takes any
action in connection with court of
INQUIRY when q squadron commander has