New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-09-20
PRESIDENT TO DECIDE.
Case of Lieutenant UuTt0Ugh Re
ferrcd TO Him.

Washington. Sept 19-IIeutenant General Young
and General oliver. acting Secretary Of the Army,
decided to-day TO refer the OF the court mr.
tial OF Lieutenant Thomas f. Murtaugh. of the
18th Coast Artillery. to President Roosevelt for
final review. No official announcement wil be
made in the time Of the finding Of the court
and the sentence imposed.
The lieutenant arrested some time ago
charged with desertiou. conduct unbecoming
officer and a gentleman, embezzlemeut and the
violation of the sXteth article Of The Of
fences which gave rise 10 the charges were alleged
to have been committed in Cuba. where the lieu
tenant received four days leave Of absence and
then sent i'm his resignation to take effect without
delay and started At once for this country. with
out waiting to hear from the department lie
arrested in Chicago and taken TO New-York for
trial.
The finding of the court martial. which is said to
have been two years Imprisonment and dismissal
from the army. approved by General Chaffee.
commanding the Department Of the East. and for
General Davis reason for changing the
sentence and the papers were then referred to
Lieutenant General Young. and. under the regua-
tons. VIII go TO the President for final action as
they involve dismissal from the service.
Thomas Y. Murtaugh is son of the late James
Nurtaugh merchant Of this city. who left a large
fortune when he died about year ago. The Muir
laugh family is of the most prominent in
Catholic circles in the city and is closely associated
with the Coudert and Crimmins families At the
time Of his death Mr.. Nurtaugh was president Of
the Society Of -. Vincent de Paul officer in
several Of the most important societies Of the
catholic Church.
~ the time IF his arrest u Was said that young
Murtaueh would have no trouble in clearing him
self. could he shown that he had laid himself
open To- charges by Caroessness. and had wrong
intentions and it stated by his friends that he
had the general sympathy of his brother officers
Murtaugh said Of the charge of emoezzlement that
he Kept the money for the cauteen fund of the
regiment which he held and his personal funds to-
rether in the bank and had drawn either as he
needed To-. He said That when he handed in his
resignation ne had idea that there not
enough the bank all his debt To the can
teen fund. and that rs he learned that
there a deficit he scrt the money 10 make good.
His resignation not accepted because OF the
shortage in this fund. and he believed that when
the matter explained he would be relieved Of
the charge Of dcsertiOn.
The charges of conduct unbeComiug officer
were brought because h. UVCrdTew his bank account
] in Chicago. He said that he had written TO his
friends to deposit sum in the bank and had drawn
/ checks in the belief that they had done SO He
. says the Overdrawn account was Strengthened out
/ absence which improperly signed This was not
! explained. but considered serious by Muir
/ laughs friends.
AS President Roosevelt will have to review the
findings the court i'm the IL is expected that
the Young mans friends will appeal for ClemenCy.
a least far the sentence of imprisonment is
concerned.