Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1905-02-17
(LASSED ALL BY HIMSELF.
MIDSEIIPMAN ARROWOOD'S
CASE REMARKABLE
He Is Criticised BY His Superior
Officers In The Service
A Prisoner on
Hancock.

The New York Evening Post in a
lengthy article on Midshipman AFRO
wood who is q prisoner of the Hancock
at the Brooklyn navy yard, charged
with desertion from the United States
Navy, says he is in q class by himself
in the annals of the Navy.
The Post says at the end of his two
years cruise the young man, accord
ing to letter directed to the depart
ment by the elder Arrowood, discov-
cred that his associations were of such
an immoral character, as he told his
father, that no Christian gentleman
could live in them and not suffer
Rear Admiral Ooghlan, the conman-
dant of the Brooklyn navy yard, told
all he knew to the Post reporter, and
gave his expert opinion of the moral
value of naval training.
"Officially," he said, I've don
know that there are any charges
against the young man. Our informa-
tion in connection with the case be.
gins and ends with an official notifica-
tion that if he was brought TO us by
the civil authorities we were TO keep
him until further orders. / believe,
however, that his father, who is a
clergyman, did write quite a remark
able letter concerning what he assert
ed was the demoralizing effect of life
aboard battleship."
"Have you, in your long career,
ever felt this % he was asked.
me hurt by the navy Ne in a
state Of decentralization ~ responded
the commandant. Why-er-bles
your soul, young man. aim t | Young
Mems Christian Association preacher
in my old age? It's all very we'll to
talk about moral atmosphere, but what
kind of an atmosphere does fellow
live in whose oath is nothing to him,
carrying with it no moral obligation.
suppose the consideration of this side
of the moral question never suggested
itself to our young friend.
Its really awful to think of the
possibilities that his discovery has un-
earthed. Just fancy the conditions in
which Catholic and Protestant chap
aims must be living. The elder Mr..
Arrowood suggests that they cannot
be living in such surroundings and re-
mainO hristians. There is an oppor-
tunity for missionary work. Someone
ought to start chaplains' rescue mis-
sion. - Lieutenant Chadwick, Admi-
raj Coghlan's aid, said
"It is a most remarkable case.
When it first came to our notice / ask
ed the Admiral if he ever knew of an
other instance Of q commissioned Off
Ger in good standing deliberately de-
serting. He told me that the only
case that had come under his notice
during the whole of his long career
was one of paymaster, who lit out
about 1865. He drew q voucher for
all the money that was due him, OBJ
tained shore leave and disappeared.
He was never captured and died years
after in either Ohio or Iowa.
"Of course. it is often the case chat
a midshipman. having obtained shore
leave, fails to snow up at O'Clock
the next morning. II .he hassno valid
excuse, five or ten days for him. But
occasionally he cannot get back; be
may be taken sick or he may be at
tackled while ashore-anything may
happen to him. / remember a class
mate of mine who was absent for a
week, when he got word to his ship
that he had been down with malarial
fever.and part of the time mad been de.
lirious. But that midshipman should
deliberately drop out OF the game al
together and prefer to 60 peddling
real esate or selling stock on the curt
in defiance of his oath Of service that
is something which hitherto has been
altogether unknown"