Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-23


WHITE HOUSE, March %, 1905.
The sentence in the case of Midshipman
Milton W. Arrowood, L. S. N, is hereby
confirmed.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
Unique in Naval Annals.
Unique in the annals of the navy is the
Arrowood case Briefly this is it's history:
Appointed to the Naval Academy from
North Carolina September l. 1900, Arrowood
went to sea after four years a. the academy
in March. 1904, on board the flagship Kear-
sarge While at the academy his father
caused tie Annapolis authorities consider
able trouble regarding the religious train
ing of his son, who he insisted should be
allowed to attend the Presbyterian Church
at Annapolis instead of the college chapel
From time to time the Rev Mr. Arrowood
in written communications, protested to the
Navy Department against what he declared
to be the immoral atmosphere aft the
academy.
While at sea young Arrowood, who ap-
peared to be Of unusually religious turn
is said to have frequently expressed himself
as dissatisfied with the service and told his
brother officers that he could make more
money in private life
Finally he submitted to the department
his resignation, and requested that it be
accepted. AS all midshipmen are required
to serve a certain time in the navy after
graduation Arrowoods resignation was not
accepted.
While the kearsargu was at Hampton
Roads. Va, January 6 Arrowood deserted
from the ship, and the Navy Department
after making earnest efforts to get
in touch with him and impress him
with the seriousness of his offense,
finally called upon the treasury
secret service with the result that
Arrowood was apprehended in New York,
where he had obtained position in a real
estate office, and was delivered on board
the receiving ship Hancock at the navy
yard, BROOKLYN, February 13
His trial by court-martial was ordered
and he was sent to join the Kearsarge in
that ship, convicted of desertion and sem
fenced to dismissal. The converting author
ity. Rear Admiral Barker. commander-in-
chief of the North Atlantic fleet, approved
the sentence, and forwarded the papers in
the case to the department
Appeals in Arrowood's Behalf.
In the meantime the Rev Mr.. Arrowood
| addressed several communications to the
department aspersing the service and
claiming that his son acted rightly in de-
serting, because, as he says, young AFRO
wood had not been given just treatment
| In behalf of his son he claims that II was
| impossible for him to lead what the Rev
Mr.. Arrowood terms a religious life and re-
| main in the service.
Within the last few days members of the
Presbyterian Church have appealed to the
| President to mitigate the sentence by dis
missing Arrowood for continued absence
| without leave in order that he might not
be decitizenized. That request was re-
| fused because of the fact that Arrowood
! was found guilty-not of absence without
| leave, but of desertion. the prescribed pun
| lshment for which is dismissal Arrowood
| Is therefore declared a deserter from the
navy and is hereafter deprived of the rights
| of citizenship.
The Law in the Case.
The statutes bearing on this case are con-
| tanned in sections 1896 and 1898 as follows:
Section 1895: All persons who deserted
the military or naval service of the United
States and did not return thereto or report
themselves to a provost marshal within
| sixty days after the issuance of the proc
| lamation by the President dated the nth
| day of March, 1865. are deemed to have vol
unfairly relinquished and forfeited their
| rights of citiZenships, as well as their
| rights to become citizens; and such desert
| ers shall be forever incapable of holding
any office of trust or profit under the United
States or of exercising any rights of cit
| liens thereof
Section 1898: Every person who here
after deserts the military naval service
of the United States, or who, being duly
| enrolled, departs the Jurisdiction of the
| district in which he is enrolled, or goes be-
yond the limits of the United States with
| intent to avoid any draft into the military
| or naval service. lawfully ordered, shall be
! liable to all the penalties and forfeitures
L