Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1906-10-18
CAPTAIN 5. }.
COMFY ACQUITTED.
Abeyed Regulations, and AVeFted a
2 Disaster.

That our townsman, Captain $. P. Comfy
81 the u. S. S. Alabama, has come through
the trying ordeal of Court Martial with a
fsdict Of acquittal from one Of the most
Astinguis he'd naval courts eyer held in this
country, is a source Of keen satisfaction to
his townsmen.
& The court was composed Of Rear Admir-
ais Dickins, Thomas, Walker, Meade and
and Hemphill, and Captains Hawley, Har-
ris, Nazaro aud Mahan. Admiral Dickins
was president Of the court.
Last Sundays N. X. Herald contained a
sull page account Of the trial, from which
we quote few paragraphs.
On the morning OF July 81 last, in a
dense fog, off the entrance to Newport har-
Dor, the Alabama and the Illinois, side
!. wiped in a collision. The impact was
slight. owing to the coolness displayed on
both ships in the emergency; but during
the trial facts SO extraordinary were exhum-
ed and exposed to the court under the
search light questions Of the two most skill
fful cross examiners in she service, Captain
Mark and Lieutenant Clark, who respec-
eiyely defended Captain Comfy and Lieu
tenant Pressey, Of the Alabama, as to war
rant the c0nvening of SO august body Of
men as the five admirals and four senior
captains who composed the court
The story Of the happenings in the fleet
Of eight battle ships, the Maine, the Mis-
souri,, the Kearsarge, the Kentucky, the
Alabama, the Illinois, the Iowa, and the
Indiana, on the last day Of July, between
eight and twenty minutes past eight in the
forenoon, has been detailed in the Herald
in its daily reports Of the proceedings Of
The cerrt. TIE evidence adduced during
she trial indisputably placed the onus Of
the collision upon the flagship Maine in
lalling TO repeat signal for change Of
course when requested by the Missouri (the
vessel following her in the formation) and
altering her course before the signal which
she herself had given had been repeated up
and down the line and before the signal of
execution had been sounded by her.
A few moments later Lieutenant Pressey,
officer Of the deck on the Alabama, sud-
denly perceived the Kearsarge ahead, the
latter having slowed down to avoid ram
ming the Missouri. The KeaIsarge came
into view little on the Alabama's star
board bow. Upon sighting her Lieutenant
Pressey sprang forward, and setting the
engine room telegraph at full speed astern,
blew three blasts Of his whistle to indicate
shat his engines were backing, and put his
helm over hard-a-starboard Lieutenant
Pressey then sounded the most dreaded
signal in fog one long blast on the siren,
ordering all water tight doors to be closed.
Ii is the signal for collision quarters. But
these same three long blasts are also the
signal for end Of the message" and as
such was understood by the Illinois, which
did not, therefore comprehend that the
Alabama was backing, and ranging up
alongside the latter vessel, which had
turned to port and into the track Of the
ships in order to avoid ramming the Kear-
sarge, the two big vessels touched bow to
bow. broadside, pivoted, and then inn
mediately swung clear Of each other
Captain Comfy was courb martIalIed for
starboarding his helm and turning to port
IS order to avoid hitting the Kearsarge.
Tbe regulations are specific in their instruc-