New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-20


20 include some unnecessarily trivial Offences
but tor the purpose os maintaining rigid discipne
Of the service they have been found desirable III
almost every navy in the world. While admitting OF
enient Interpretation IN special cases in times OF
peace they are strictly adhered TO when hostiiues
become imminent 1t is when the war cloud throws
its grim shadow over the horizon that the reguIa-
tons are enforced with rigorous severity.
Standing this capital list is the offence OF
rnutiny That in al naval administrations ana
among all peoples has been justly regarded as the
cardinal sin OF the man-o'-war's man, Suppression
OF INSTRUMENTATION is the cornerstone on which the
s,,nerstrlctlre OF authority on the high seas is
founded. only mutiny. but the chreat to strike
q superior dsobey his order is punishable by
death Seldom has it been necessary, In the one
hundred and thirty years OF the C1ted States navy
:, ssort 10 this extreme penalty. and its enforce
,ent has been exceptional as almost TO establish
the rule OF its never having been carried out
The most conspicuous instance of its enforcement
a. our navy was the triple execution Of Midshipman
s,e-cer Boatswain's Mate Cromwell and seaman
named Small in the brg-of-war Somers Captain
Alexander Slideu Mackenzie. in 1872 Young Spen-
,er being the OF the Secretary OF Ner'
and the two other having influential relatives
,he tragedy created a profound sensation all over
che country and involved Captain Mackenzie in
hitter controversy. Notwithstanding the fact mat
both the court Of inquiry and court martial sitting
on the case absolved him.
The Sorners cruising in the west Lndles nav
,-K on board a hundred or so cadets or naval APP
prentices." Some mysterious actions on the part
cf Spencer-a youth Of only nineteen years-led 70
q charge being brought before the commander that
g Mot TO murder the officers and turn the brig into
& nitrate Graf, was under way. When the alleged
plot was betrayed Mackenzie. ne only said: i re-
gard the story as Gnonstrous ana improbable. ana
e.n under the impression that Spencer has been
reading piratlcal tales and amusing himself
,-i,,, M, infornants. a close watch was kept on
the SUSPECTS however. although nothing on per-
sonal examination before the captain was allotted
20 arouse serious alarm Spencer declaring 'ha' lAe
whole matter joke.
Certain ;rexplIcable accidents happened a few
nights aftcrward. however which convinced Mac
kenzie that something of criminal nature was con-
,eropated and he put Spencer, Cromwell and Small
fn irons H. the four days following this step tne
c~evy manifested q sullen and threatening DISPOSE
tion So much in fact that Mackenzie called MS
six officers council. where II was DECIDED thAU
the men under arrest guilty OF full and de-
terulined intention commit mutiny in TINS YES
Sc of most atrocious character. On the strength
Of this verdict Mackenzie promptly caused the
tfree men 10 hanged al the yardarn2-ho 'rIal Oh
chance for defence being allowed them
This was the one great instance where the deatn
uenalty on a charge OF mutny was actually car
riel out the United States Navy That 1t mas NOT
been Of more frequent occurrence IS Il gratifying
commentary on the spirit and general excellence OF
The men who have manned our craft Of defence'
Among ;he twenty specific offences for which the
death penalty be inflicted are those OF giving
news or Of receiving messages from the enemy
d.sartior or betrayal OF time of war, leaV-
ing station before being properly relieved caus-
ing OF knowingly causing injury TO any part OF IAe
ships tackle machinery by which the hFeS %
others on board might be jeopardized, cowardlce IN
time OF battle, sleeping while on watch, etc no
6aatb nenalry can be inflicted without the concur
renee Of tTvo-thirds Of the members Of the court
martial and the subsequent approval OF the SELL
tence by the President OF the United States
II was in committing the last mentioned oHeloe
shat two lads in the battIeshlp Texas, while IN the
santiago campaign, were nearly scared TO death
II occurred IN that month OF watching Tor Ger
vera's ships TO out. The late Admiral Philip
who told the story said: IT was terrible strain
that month Of watching for what no man knew"
For three weeks hammocks were unknown on the
Texas with halS Of the entire crew on Watch al
night Every one on board, from prentice to Of
ncer. met the arduous conditions cheerfully. One
night two tired boys reported to me as asleep
when they should have been awake It was an
offence punishable with death in time OF war.
called them At next morning, in the presence of
the assembled crew, and told them that the safety
Of all on board depended on the vigilance OF each.
They looked for sympathy from their comrades
hut got not a glance. With 8 few moro words OF
edmonton I them below IN tears, knowing
full well that never again would those two boys
seep on post
More frequent than death penalty offences, but
stl gratifyingy conspicuous by the comparative
.nfrequency Of their preparation, are the lesser
rnisdeeds Of navy life. such disorderly conduct,
trtoxicaton slovenliness. overstaying liberty" on
shore and ;rreverence at religious services. The
penalties for these offences largely left 10 the
ton Of the regulations IS required 10 make special
e.ort 10 make the punishment fit the crime"
When complaints made ct the mast, the
meeting place where the and officers exchange
communications, court martials can be convened TO
try petty officers and those Of lower ratings.
Punishments. when the verdict Of guilty" IS re-
turned, limited definite schedule. the most
common infections being discharge from the ser
vic for bad conduct solitary confinement in the
brig for a period over thirty days On single
or double irons. both, a..d on ratons limited to
bread and water reduction to an inferior rating,
deprivation OF liberty on shore when on a foreign
station. extra police or ship duty loss Of pay not
20 exceed three months.
This brig, or ships prison. IS small cell. built
IN some Convenient quarter Of the deck, which, by
the regulations is required 10 be not less than six
feet long by three one-half feet broad. and TO
be Of full height between decks. 1t is required
20 be well ventilated and kept scrupuously clean.
Confinement IN the brig" is one Of the most COM
mon forms OF punishment resor1ed TO in the
United States Navy.
a forceful illustration of the dislike sailors have
for this apartment given some time ago in
e ship commanded by Fighting Bob E-ans. me
chip had for some days been engaged In great gun
practice One Of the best seamen in the ship was
Z gunner. whose long service in the navy had been
without blemsh and entitled him to special con-
sideraton. In the target practice this gunner
nerves had become shattered by the strain
caused by the terrific conclusion Of the big guns
that he felt that ne could stand II no longer
LEARNING that target practice was 10 be resumed
on the following day, he asked for q few hours
I0erty. promising De back in time for the drill
He purposely overstayed his time, and when hailed
before Evans frankly admitted his fault. Evans
uirigated the penalty eight days in the brig
The gunner afterward declared that he would
rather face a thousand cannon than again suffer
the humiliation Of Imprisonment.
special proyisOp If tbe oil