Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-13
CONVICTED
Review of the11'19ase of Com
mander F.''S. Carter.
WILL BE REPRIMANDED
SENTENCED By UoURT-MARTIAL
TO BE DISMISSED.
Circumstances Attending the Ground
ing Of the Piscataqua Near subig
Bay Last December.

BY order of the President a letter of repri-
mand Will be sent to Lieut.. Commander
Fidelio s. Carter, U. s. NJ, for negligence
In navigation in failing to have casts of
the lead taken frequently while under way
on soundings.
Commander Carter was tried by general
court-martial on the Asiatic station last
winter on five charges in connection with
the grounding Of the United States tug
PiscataQua December 20 last, near Subig
bay. Philippine Islands
The court found him guilty on all charges
and sentenced him to dismissal from the
service.
After a careful review of the testimony
Acting Secretary Darling, who has spent
months OF study on the case, prepared
review OF the findings for submission to the
President. The acting secretary expressed
the opinion that Carter was only guilty of
neglect in navigation and not guilty on the
other four charges He recommended that
the sentence Of dismissal be mitigated to q
reprin1and, and the President has approved
his recommendation.
Acting Secretary Daring's Comment.
Acting secretary Darlings statement of
the case to the President is as follows:
Lieut.. Commander Fidelio 8. Carter. U.
8. NJ, was tried by general court-martial
on the Asfatic station on five charges. the
gist Of which is as follows:
Il. Negligence in that he ran the U. s.
tug Piscataqua aground.
2 For leaving said tug while in COM
mand OF the same for the purpose of per-
sonally experimenting the taking of
soundings about the tug.
3. For failure to report the grounding
of the tug Immediately, as provided by the
regulations.
"a For scandalous conduct, in that he
attempted to procure one Boatswain Null
Ter to make false report as to the ground
ing:
Garter was detailed to the command of
the U. s. tug Piscataqua in or near Subig
bay, in the Philippine Islands, on the after
noon Of December Is. 1902. and was or
the next afternoon He reached Manila
in due coourse. and on the return, a few
minutes past o'clock on the evening of
December o. the ship grounded. Not be-
ing able to get the vessel off by reversing
the engines or by ordinary means, 1t be-
came proper to take soundings about and
astern of the ship. Carter determined to
personally superintend the same, and to
that end, left the vessel In the captains
gig. While so absent those aboard sue
ceeded in floating the ship.
Garter called on the boatswain that
evening for report with respect to the
grounding, and the same was submitted to
Carter on the afternoon of the next day.
Carter drew his report on the same evening
and filed the same with the commander-in-
chief Of the station on the next morning.
81st.
TT was claimed that during a conversa-
ton between Carter and the boatswain.
after the ship had foated Carter attempted
to procure or influence the boatswain to
make false report of the grounding.
1.-The court found Carter guilty of the sew
eral charges. and sentenced him to dismis-
sal. and the commander-in-chief approved
the findings ST. Fs