The Washington herald., 1907-07-21

Charges alleging conduct unbecoming
an officer and a gentleman have been
made NJ the Navy Department against
Chaplain Harry W. Jones, who holds the
rank Of commander and was recently at
tached to the battle ship Minnesota.
It was rumored that a eourt-martial will
be ordered soon TO try the chaplain, and
that some interesting incidents in connec-
ton with his career as a man Of God and
an officer Of the navy may be developed.
II is alleged in the charges that the
chaplain has been negligent in ;he pay
ment of his peculiarly obligations. and
that almost any one who will trust him
has been made his creditor. Complaints
have been coming into the department Tor
a long time against the chaplain. bUt
owing 10 the disinclinatiou 10 order
cOurt-martial for an officer OF that grade.
and 70 the further fact that the navy has
no authority to compel the attendance At
courts martial Of civilians. the matter has
dragged along for many months without
action.
Chaplain Jones is the man who a year
or more ago created the ingenious and
perhaps innocent little pastime of slum-
ming by mail It was an original idea,
as explained by the chaplain. but he was
caught AT il, and il did not become popu-
lar
Answers Her Advertisements.
As the story developed. from thu ex-
PLANTATION made TO the department by the
chaplain, he saw an advertisement In the
personal column of a New York paper
wherein q woman solicited correspondence
with a gentleman whose qualifications
We're enumerated. Chaplain Jones made
haste to indite letter 20 the fair charmer
whose cleverly worded advertisement had
attracted his attention. He wrote that he
felt he filed the bin entirely and an
swered her requirements in toto.
Then. 10 make his case stronger. he
added that he closely reSembled Theodore
Roosevelt, President Of the United States,
not only 50 much in general appearance
that persons sometimes mistook one for
the other, but that he possessed the
marked characteristics, inclinatons, and
sentiments Of the President His letter
according 10 those who read it, was truly
the work Of an artist AZ composition, and
might be calculated 10 arouse the expec-
tation admiration, and wonder Of any
young woman. As a further evidence Of
his good faith, the chaplain inclosed q s.
BILL and requested further correspond
euce.
TwO-dOIlar Bill UnIucl1y.
Unfortunately for the chaplain. how,
ever, and perhaps for the female charm
er. the letter was miscarried. They say
two-dollar bills are always unlucky, and
then, TOO, mail clerks sometimes are care
less. At any rate the letter went astray,
and failed 10 reach its destination
1t finally reached the dead letter Of
fee where the clerks ruthlessly open all
letters. and. whether or not it caused the
clerks who read it any amusement. they
made every effort TO return It TO the
writer. especially as it contained money.
F1e chaplain's name was signed in full.
together with his rank and station. In
some inexplicabie manner, however, the
letter returned, addressed 10 the Navy
Department
Because il was addressed TO the depart,
ment instead of 10 the chaplain. II was
opened and read. Then it was returned
10 the chaplain with the request for an
explanation. Chaplain Jones, who is re-
sOurceful, explained. He realized that
perhaps il was not quite the proper t.ing
10 do, bat the idea occurred 10 him. as he
explained. that this was "a new form OF
vice which he would explore in order 10
warn Others Of its pitfalls.
Didn't Mean 10 Be Naughty.
Il was a sort Of Summing by-mail
scheme. He had no idea of doing any
thing naughty, and promptly apoIogized
He got a rather blunt letter Of censure in
return and the admonitlOn that Summing
by mail was not one of the duties ex-
pected Of a chaplain in the navy. He
promised 10 be good
Since then Chaplain Jones has not beer
free from complaint Numerous mer-
chants and others have told the depart
ment that he did not pay his debts; but
il has been only recently that formal
charges have been made. The outcome
will be watched with interest by nava
officers who know of his career.
Chaplain Jones was appointed 10 the
navy from New Jersey in 1856. Recently
he technically exceeded his leave. but was
excused on the ground that his wife was
Ill. He is now on leave awaiting orders.