The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-21
CHAPLAIN JONES IN TROUBLE
CHARGES AGAINST HIM AT THE
NAVY DEPARTMENT.

A letter lie wrote to a woman Soliciting
Correspondence Goes to the Dead
Letter once and Thence to the Dcpart-
ment-He Is Said 10 Re slow Pay.
WASHINGTON, July 2O.-Charges alleging
conduct unbecoming an officer and a gen.
tleman lave been made at the Navy Depart
men against Chaplain Harry W. Jones,
who holds the rank Of Commander and was
recently attached to the battleship Minne-
sofa. IL ia rumored that a court-martial
will be ordered soon to try the chaplain
and that some interesting Incidents in con-
nection with his career "a n minister and
an officer in the navy may be developed.
IL IL alleged in the charges that the chap
lain has been negligent in the payment Of
his ~pecuniary obligations. and that almost
any one who will trust him has been made
his creditor Complaints AVE been coming
into the Department for a long time against
the chaplain. but owing to the disinclina-
ton to order a court-martial for an officer
Of that grade, and to the further fact that
he navy has no authority to compel the
attendance at courts-martia OF civilians,
the matter has dragged along for many
months without action.
Chaplain Jones IL the man who a year
or more g crea ted the ingenious and
perhaps innocent little pastime Of Summing
by mail. II was an original idea. as ex-
planned by the chaplain. but he was caught
at it. and IL did not become popular. As
the story developed from the explanation
made TO the Department by the chaplain.
he saw an advertisement in the personal
column Of a New York paper wherein a
woman solicited correspondence with a gen.
tleman whose qualifications were enumer-
ated.
Chaplain Jones made haste to write a
letter to the adventures whose cleverly
wordcd advertisement had attracted his
attention. He wrote tina he felt that he
filed the bill entirely and answered her
requirements ia toto. Then, to make his
case stronger, he added that he closely
resembled Theodore Roosevelt, Presi-
dent OF the United States, not only in
general appearance, so that persons
sometimes mistook one for the other,
but that he possessed the marked charac-
teristics, inclinations and sentiments of the
President. His letter, according TO those
who read IL, was truly the work OF an artist
at composition and might be calculated to
arouse the expectation, admiration and
wonder OF any young woman. As a further
evidence Of good faith the chaplain en-
closed a s. bill and requested further CORE
EDDtutnCt.
Unfortunately for the chaplain, however.
and perhaps for the woman, the letter was
miscarried. They say 81 bills always are
unlucky. n then, too, mail clerks some
times are careless. At any rate the letter
went astray and failed TO reach its intended
destination. 1t finally reached the dead
letter Office, where the clerks ruthlessly
open all letters, and whether or not il caused
the clerks who read it any amusement
they made every effort TO have IL returned
to the writer. especially as II contained
money. The chaplain's name was signed
in full. together with his rank and station.
In some inexplicable manner. however.
the letter was returned addressed 10
the Navy Department. Because IL was
addressed 10 the Department instead OF
it was returned TO the chaplain. with a
request for an explanation.
Chaplain Jones. who ia resourceful, ex-
planned. He realized that perhaps II was
not quite the proper thing 10 do. but the
idea occurred to him. as he explained, that
explore in order to warn others OF its pit
falls.
II was a sort OF stunning by mail scheme.
He had no idea Of doing anything naughty
and promptly apologized. He got a rather
blunt letter Of censure in return and the
admonition hat Summing by mail was
not one OF the duties expected of a chap
lain in the navy. He promised to be good.
Since then Chaplain Jones has not been
free from complaint. Numerous mer-
chants and others lave told the Depart
ment that he did not pay his debts, but 1t
has been only recently that formal charges
AVE been made. The outcome will be
watched with interest by naval officers
who know of his career.
Chaplain Jones was appointed by Presi-
dent Cleveland in 1893. He had been a
travelling evangelist. and he presented a
monster petition asking for his appoint
ment. signed mostly by members of various
women's organizations. Recently he tech
nically exceeded his leave, but was excused
on the ground that his wife was i'll. He In
now on leave waiting orders.