Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1902-07-13
FREE TO SEE HIS MOTHER.
Naval Seaman to Be Released From a
Prison Sentence Too Severe.

Oscar E. Bundy seaman in the
navy, will be released in a few days
from the naval prison at Mare island,
Cal, by order of the secretary of the
navy, and Bundy will then hurry
across the continent to little town in
the New Hampshire hills, where his
mother who is dying of consumption,
clings to life only on the strength of
the hope that her son will come to her
before she passes away. Bundy is ap-
parently a young man of educa ton.
His people are refined and OF high
standing in South Sandwich, n. H. His
father, the Rev. Mr.. Bundy, is Bap-
fist clergyman there.
When the war with Spain began
Bundy, then residing at North Sand
wich, was wild to get into the navy He
believed there was better chance to
distinguish himself there than in the
army. From all accounts he enlisted
from purely patriotic motives. He is
on record as saying he would enlist if
he had to scrub the decks He saw
service in the war with Spain, and at
the expiration of his enlistment joined
for another three years.
While one of the crew of the gun
boat Don Juan de Austria, in the Phil
| ippines, his high temper got him into
| trouble, and while confined in irons for
a breach of regulations he refused to
obey an order to change his clothes.
When brought to trial before a court
martial for refusing to obey this order
| he pleaded that rust from the irons
ne had worn ruined the white uniform
he was wearing, and that to change it
meant the ruinatiOn of another uni
form. He did not have any blue
clothes, he said. The court convicted
him and gave him short sentence al
the naval prison at Cavite. This was
reduced considerably for good behavior
and he was ordered back to the Dor
Juan de Austria, then at Hong Kong
Bundy asked to be. sent to some other
vessel, but the request was not grant.
ed. When he went aboard the Dor
Juan he renewed his request for trans
fer to Commander Charles c. Bow
man OF that vessel. Commando
Bowen declined to sanction it.
Then Bundy lost his temper again
and, according to specifications, in
dulged in abusive, profane anc
: threatening language" He was imme
diately placed under arrest, and tn
court that tried the case sentenced hin
to four years imprisonment, with los
of pay allowances, and TO be dishonor
ably discharged. At the trial Bund,
said that it was his nature to act OF
. the impulse of the moment; but tina
he realized the character of his offens
and could not ask for clemency. Rea
Admiral Remey, then commanding tn
Asiatic station, reduced the sentenc
OF imprisonment to three years am
sent Buhdy to the Mare island prison
to serve it out.
In reviewing the record of Bundy'
5 case recently the navy department
came to the conclusion that the sen
: tence imposed on him was too severe
The loss of pay and allowances, actu
, ally fine, would amount to nearl
: $500, and the Imprisonment was par
5 tcularly heavy. So Secretary Mood
, decided to reduce it materially, an
$ when he received a physicians certifi
cate showing that the young man
mother was dying, he issued the orde
2 to release the sailor with a dishonor
able discharge. Bundy has alread
! served nine months of his sentence a
7 Mare island He will be given S25 a
: he leaves the prison.-Washingto
Times.