The Washington times., 1906-01-03
LIGHT SENTENCES
FOR NAVAL OFFICERS
Young and Wade Are Treat.
ed LenientIy.
Mr.. BONAPARTE'S VIEW S
Returns Findings of Court Martial
to Board for Further
Consideration.

Although Commander I.ucien Young
commanding omcer, and Ensign Charles
T. Wade. engineer officer, of the ili-
fated gunboat Bennington. which blew
up of San Diego, Cal. last July with
a loss Of sixty lives have been found
guilty on certain charges by court-mar-
tiaI, neither sentence meets The approval
of either the Secretary of the Navy Oh
The judge advocate general, both being
lacking in severity. The sentence OF
Young. who is recommended TO be- re-
primanded by the Secretary. bas been
approved by Mr Bonaparte however
but that of Wade has been disapproved
and sent back 10. the court at Mare
Island for review. The sentence la the
Wade case mas not been made public.
The Judge Advocate Generals decision
IA the Young case. together with an APP
pended note OF approval BY the Secre-
IaTy. Wds made public this morning
Young was found guilty of ''remissuesS
IN the performance of his duty, as
commander of the Inflated WarShip
The court found three speci6ca tious not
proved. and the other three proved iu
part, but in less degree than charged.
Accordingly. IL decided that the com
Inander was guilty or remissness in
duty.
Captain Diehl the Judge advocate gen
eral, clearly states that he does not
Of rulings made by the court ia regard
10 the admission OF evidence. As neither
the Judge Advocate General nor the
Secretary of the Navy can change the
sentence of the court il is understood
that they have approved IL npFely in
order that at least some degree of pun
1shment be meted out 10 the officer
whose negligence may have had some
bearing on the fearful disaster and
wholesale loss Of life. Both agree that
The punishment recommended is not
severe enough in accordance with the
evidence in the case and in CONSEQUENCE.
lister all the punishment possible in his
IepTimand, when il is issued.
Officers Treated Leniently.
The finding. 'remissness in the per
formance of duty is based upon speci-
Ication 8, which alleges that Command
er Young failed TO approve the steam
log OF the Bennington for the months of
November and December 1904. and Jan
uary. February. April, May and June,
1905, says Captain Diehl, in his decision
Continuing, the document reads
After careful and painstaking consid-
eraIOn or tie evidence adduCed this Of
ice does not concur in the findings of
The court nor in number of the court s
rulings upon the admission of evidence
IN order, however, that Commander
Young may not go wholly unpuniShed
II is recommended as best subscribing
the ends of Justice that the proceedings.
based upon specification .. and the sen
tence be approved, and the findings upon
specifications I, .. ., and be disap-
proved.
The following comment ON the case
was made by Secretary BOnaparte-
The foregoing remarks and recon-
mendations of the Judge advocate Cen
eral are approved. and the Department
viii address a letter of repTimand TO
Commander Young
Ensign Wade. ii is understood was
either acquitted of the entire charge of
blame for the explosion in the boilers
of the Bennington, or else ne was giVeE
"a very light sentence. In any event, af-
ter carefully reading the entire case
with all the testimony, the Secretary
was dissatisfied. and has sent the en-
tire record OF The case 10 the trial
board. IT the court should stand by
its verdict. this would let the officer
on from any sentence that has been
recommended. n is believed. however,
that the Secretary is confident that a
more severe sentenC may bc recon-
mcnded On further consideration
IL was generally expected that the
court which tried Young and Wade
would give the latter. particularly, q
heavy sentence.