Evening star., 1904-02-25
FRIENDS INDIGNANT
NEWS OF THE ARREST OF PAY
MASTER HARRY E. BIsCoE.
Charged With Neglect of Duty-His
Accounts in This City Pro-
nounced ALI Right.

Considerable surprise has been caused In
naval circles here by the receipt of cable
dispatch from Rear Admiral Evans, COM
mander-in-chief of the Asiatic station, re-
fusing to comply with the request that
Paymaster Harry E. Biscoe be detached
from the station that he may return to
Washington for duty at the Navy Depart
ment. Admiral Evans reply is that Mr..
Biscoe is being held to face trial by court
martial charged with neglect of duty in
connection w-.h his accounts. News comes
this morning that pending his trial Paymas-
ter Biscoe has been placed under arrest
This news has aroused intense Indignation
among his friends, of whom Paymaster Bis
coe has a large number.
Biscoe's Accounts Here All Right.
While, of course, it would not be proper
for officials here to comment upon the case
until further details are known, this state
ment from Rear Admiral Harris, paymaster
general of the navy, in reply to the simple
question as to what was the condition OF
Mr.. Biscoe's accounts here, Is significant:
''The accounts of Paymaster Biscoe at the
Navy Department and at the Treasury De-
partmenf are in perfect condition"
1t will, of course, be recalled that 1t was
Paymaster Biscoe who several months ago
protested vigorously to the department
against the action of Rear Admiral Evans
in arraigning the personnel of court or
which Mr.. Biscoe was a member for pass
ing what Admiral Evans regarded as an In
adequate sentence. The language used by
Admiral Evans in his arragnment of the
court was perhaps unequaled in its severity
in naval annals, and at one time 1t looked
very much as if Admiral Evans would be
recalled. Mr.. Darling, the assistant secre-
tary of the navy, to whom the protest of
PaVm3Stpr RiSrOQ submitted
Secretary for comment, vigorously criticised
the language used by the reviewing author
ity. In the end however. Admiral Evans
was not recalled, but nominally sustained
in his action though the official comment
indica ted that the department did not de-
sire to record itself as favoring the Ian
guage used by Admiral Evans.
Placing two and two together the friends
of Paymaster Biscoe in and out of the serv-
ice cannot but be interested in the news of
his arrest, and it can be stated on the high
est authority that the papers in the case
will be finally reviewed here. and with the
utmost care.
What Biscoe's Father-in-Law Says.
Paymaster Harry Earl Biscoe's father-in-
law, L. R. Hamersley, who is also the
father-in-l law of r. B. Roosevelt, jr., the
Presidents cousin. is quoted in the New
York World today as saying to World
reporter yesterday:
Harry BisCoe was member of the
Nicholson court-martial, whose verdict did
not please Admiral Evans The latter, in
orders read from the quarterback, CEN
sured every member of that board indi-
vidually and by name in the most intem-
perate language.
'Biscoe with the moral support of all
the officers of the fleet. protested against
this in a letter to the Secretary of the
Navy, and the latter. while upholding the
admiral. did so in half-hearted manner.
'.AS a result of this. Biscoe, who had
been paymaSter of the Oregon for three
years, and who is thought of very highly
by the heads of his department, was Or
dered to transfer his accounts to the pay
master of the Solace and return to this
country On his arrival it was intended to
give him one of the highest posts in his de-
partment.
knowing that he was to be detached
from the squadron, Capt. BurwelI of the
Oregon, a friend of Admiral Evans, ar
ranged to take the present action. 1t was
meant to be a star-chamber' affair." and
the Navy Department knew nothing about
it until it cabled to Manila within the past
forty-eight hours to find out what the
charges were. The answer was that he
was charged with neglect of duty and a
shortage of $2,60o in his stores.
1.-The neglect of duty charge is trumped
up. Shortage in stores has never before
been made court-martial charge. 1t is a
thing that happens to nearly every paymas-
ter after an extended tour, and is always
settled by board of paymasters. If the
board decides that the loss is the paymas-
ter's fault, the fourth auditor charges him
with the amount
Under the circumsta noes the Manila ca
Bile stating that he was s., 600 short in his
cash account. evidently inspired from the
flagship. has made us all nearly broken
hearted.
NO more upright man than Harry Bis
coe ever lived, and no more un-American
proceeding than the present one has ever
taken place in our navy"
Native of Washington.
Harry Earl Biscoe was born in this city
in 1873 and graduated fifth in his class
from the Virginia Military Institute, Lex
ington, Ky. In September, 1894, he was
appointed assistant commissioner and pro-
fessor of mathematics and military science
at the Michigan Military Academy. Orchard
Lake, Mich.
In 1893 he resigned to beesme an as
siStant paymaSter in the navy. His first
cruise was on the training ship Essex, his
second on the Yankee, during the Spanish
American war, and after two years' duty
on the receiving ship Franklin he was ap-
pointed nf hn