Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-09
VERDICT IN THE PEASE CASE
Not to Be Disclosed Until Reported to
Secretary Bonaparte.
THE TESTIMONY HEARD TODAY
Same Line Of Procedure Followed as
in the Preceding Trial-The
Witnesses.

Hearing in the case Of Assistant Sur
eeon The eodore Norman Pease U. 8. N,
charged with violating his oath in an ex-
animation for promotion, having been
practically completed yesterday after
noon, as stated in The Star, the naval
corrt-martial board today began the in
vestieation of similar charges against
Assistant Surgeon Thomas Lee Brown,
u. s. N.
The verdict in the case of DR.. Pease
will not be made public, it is stated, until
after the report of the trial with the find
ing of the board has been transmitted to
Secretary Bonaparte. This, 1t Is explain
ed, is in accordance with the usual course
followed in such matters. Until the find
ing Is reviewed by the Secretary of the
Navy the accused officer himself, 1t Is
stated. will not be informed of the result.
The verdict was reached after short
Geliberatio1 following the closing OF the
case by the defense and the prosecution;
Owing to formalities connected with the
review of the proceedings the case OF Dr.
Pease was not officially closed until about
noon today. DR.. j. D. Gatewood. the
principal witness for the prosecution,
went over the record of his examination
and indicated some minor corrections,
ed the room cleared for brief delibera-
ton 1t was learned that this action was
simply of a formal character, deemed
necessary under the rules, and that 1t
did not in any way affect the nature Of
the verdict agreed upon by the board
yesterday.
DR.. Pease Formally Notified.
Dr. Pease was presented with a form
which merely stated that the case was
ended. 1t contained no information as to
the nature of the finding. That, it is
pointed out, may either be vindication or
1t may prescribe different penalties ranging
through several degrees of severity.
While not the slightest fntimation OF what
the conclusion is could be obtained from
an official source, all the officers of the
court being under oath not to dfvulge the
finding until after it has been passed upon
been ventured by certain outsiders who are
understood to be familiar with the case
that the verdict will be found to be not
wholly unfavorable to the accused officer.
The Brown Hearing Begun.
Scarcely any progress was made In the
case of DR.. Brown at the earlier session
which adjourned at 12:45. The formal or
der of the Secretary of the Navy directing
the investigation was read, and the oath
was administered to each member of the
board. The specifications embodying the
charges weres then read, after which the
adjournment for luncheon occurred.
At the afternoon session the same order
of procedure was followed as IN the case
against DR.. Pease. Dr. p. A. Lowering,
medical inspector, United States navy, the
president of the examining board, explained
the conditions under which the examination
at the laboratory of the Naval Medical
School July 16 to % was held.
The next witness was Surgeon ]. D. Gate
wood. U. 8. N, upon whose report con-
cerning the alleged behavior of DR.. Pease
and DIR. Brown in the examination the
charges were preferred. His testimony COW
cred, in part, the same ground gone over In
the other case. 1t was to the effect that
he had discovered alleged similarities In the
papers of the two accused assistant sur
geons on different subjects of the exam
iD Dation.