The San Francisco call., 1904-02-25
ORDERS BISCOE
UNDER ARREST
Rear Admiral Evans Charges
Paymaster of Oregon With
Being Short in His Accounts
SENSATION Is CREATED
Action Revives Story of Nichol-
sons Court Martial for Of
Tending the German Consul

News was received here yesterday
from Manila that Paymaster Harry
Earl Biscoe of the United States bat
tleship Oregon had been ordered under
arrest by Rear Admiral Evans. in COM
mand Of the fleet in Asiatic waters, for
an alleged irregularity in his accounts.
The arrest of Biscoe is the elimination
of the controversy that has been 60
ing on for some months past between
Admiral Evans and Biscoe, growing out
of the findings in the Paymaster Rich
worth Nicholson court martial case.
Biscoe, it seems, was Dne of the mem
bers of the court-martial that tried
Paymaster Richworth Nicholson last
September at Chefu, China, for conduct
unbecoming an officer and gentleman.
The offense charged against Nichol-
son was that he attacked the German
Consul at Chefu at public ball at that
place and caused great commotion by
his actions. Nicholson was said to have
been very drunk at the time. The case
created great stir in naval circles
and nearly became an international af-
fair between this country and Ger
many.
A court-martial was convened at
Chefu and Nicholson was found guilty
and sentenced to a reduction of five
numbers in grade.
Rear Admiral Evans. commanding
the Asiatic squadron. in his review of
the findings severely arraigned the
court for the inadequate sentence i'm
posed and some of his statements in
his review were far from compliment
ary to the members of the board.
The conduct of Nicholson. was a
source of modification to the Navy
Department officials and the action of
Admiral Evans in arraigning the court
for what is deemed its inadequate sem
tence was heartily approved
The review of the findings caused
great indignation in the breasts of the
nine members of the court-martial,
and headed by Biscoe, they sent a
formal note to the Secretary of the
Navy, demanding that Admiral Evans
be requested to withdraw certain
statements in his review. After
time Secretary Moody gave out re-
ply, which, while it upheld Admiral
Evans in the course he had pursued,
mildly intimated that the admiral was
to be slightly more conservative in fu-
ture cases of a similar order.
This answer was in no way salts
factory to Biscoe. and while the other
members of the court-martial decided
to let the matter rest. Biscoe deter
mined to force the issue to the limit
and a month ago he put his side of
the case straight before the President,
hotly demanding that Admiral Evans
be made to withdraw the statements
that were Objectionable. The Presi-
dent has now the case under advise
ment
Biscoe is said to be very hot-headed,
gritty and tenacious, and from his ac
tions in the premises it would appear
that such is the case. He is a native
of Michigan. A short time ago he
married the wealthy Miss Hammersly
of Philadelphia, one of the society
bellies of that city. He has brother
in the army, Earl Biscoe, lieutenant
in the Ninth Company, Coast Artil-
lery. stationed at Fort Barrancas, Fla.
Harry Biscoe joined the oregon at
Bennington navy yard last June, re-
lieving Paymaster Lawrence Heap.