The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-07-31

That psbs and OTHERS Resu1ted in
His Ger1ine Out of the Navv-His
Refrigeration Accepted for the
Good al the Service-'-SecretnrE
Morton Has Directed That the
Navy BE Cleared Of OBcers Who
Refuse 70 Pay Their Legitimate
Debts.
~ r ~. LsrnsT.
Washington. July 30-Psul Morton.
tn newly appointed Secretary Of me
Navy. has siEnahzed ms admirist-a-
non # re department ny directing
,hs- rhe service ne al once cleared n
officers who refuse 10 pay 1he-r legiri-
mate debts
Rear Admiral Sterling. before he
was Informed thai M Morton had
been selected 10 succeed M. Moody
as Secret AIRY # The Navy. received
dispatch signed Morton II re-
plying 70 sand dispatch tns admiral
t-nocentlv inquired.
Who Is Morton ~
Throurhout the naval service to-day,
hcuever- Secretary Morton as pretty
generally known His decision rela-
i've 10 The payment of 5eots was hand
81 out IN 2 case involving the status
Of staff officer which has been pend
5ng before The department for some
rirne past
The Eussars' Club Of Savannah
figures in The unpublished ms
Tory u -he of5cer involved, for
II was upon compliant Of the club
authorities mat an INVESTIGATION into
ms financial derelc1lous was institute
ed
Tor the Good Of the Service.
The 5-y Official announcement that
the of5csr IN question has rendered ms
res Euarlun. and 1he same mas been
accepted with The Endorsement Tor
The good q the service. does not re-
YEA The sensational features uf The
case winch appealed SO strongly to The
new young Secretary
II arrears from The records of The
Navy Department that the oflcer re-
farre5 10 was appointed & member q
The pay corps during the Spanish
War He vas appointed through the
influence of Mort hwesteTn men After
rhs Wal ended ne saw some service
In the Philippines and about q wear
arc ne came home on SICK leave.
While on leave Of absence ne visited
Savannah where ne was introduced al
the E5ussaTs' Club 10y a fellow officer.
After enjoying the privileges Of The
club NJ Jeff Savannah without meet
arg certain personal obligations ne had
contra c1ed while a guest Of the club
The affair created mild sensation,
as the amount owed Fhe dub reached
considerable proportions. II is under
stood throughout The service that
naval officers word is as good az ms
bond. particularly WITH reference 10
such substantial affairs as money.
end especially when II is owed 10 q
club.
Reported TO the Department.
In spite II repeated efforts n col
1ecr th= amount due. the account re
-nsined una d5usteds and al length the
club authorities reported the matter
officially 10 the Navy Department
Taon investigation. il Il said that TINS
was NOT the only case of the kind on
ms officers record, but il appears 10
have the one that continued 10 face
him wherever be went and whichever
way he turned.
Recently. he came up for promotion.
and although be passed a perfect men
tai physical and professional exsni-
nation ms financial character was
subject for special consideration he
was promoted condinonally, and given
F1E ulCNlNE IN WHICH IT " 6lH II l'r-AtAr1-
70 clear himself Of ms numerous awk-
ward financial entanElRments during
the period Of his probation.
i seems NJ did not succeed IN liv-
1nE Vi 10 ms good resolution and be
came further involved De was sub
scouentlv again reported 10 the depart
rnen1 Tor failing 10 pay ms debts. as
required. and also for attempting 10
deceive ms superior officer with refer
ence 10 what he had done IN that re-
EpsC1-
Allowed Fe ResiGn-
Before court martial proceedings
were instituted. The offending officer
concluded 10 resign There WAS some
hesitation about accepting ms resiE-
nation in the face Of the charges pend
1nE. bu1 il was finally concluded that
IN immediate acceptance would he for
The general welfare II The service.
Naval officers have been greatly eX-
srcised over this case, and efforts have
heer made 10 prevent publicity Hs 10
the details This incident Is moi re-
lated 10 cast reflection upon naval ON
GERS generally. who are usually 50
-uncffjous IN financial trsnsa ctlons-
and meeting their social obligations
L shows q disposition on the Secretary
a The Navy 10 rid the service OF such
undesIra BE inCuru branCes.
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