The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-04-21
SAUCY LIEUTENANT PUNISHED.
II He Mas Right lie Had NJ Business TO He
Right when Ordered TO he Otherwise.

II tie was Hlkht lie ha0 NO business 70 nc
Right When Ordered TO he Otherwise.
That four dollar steam gauge up at the
recruit station at Fort Slocum whose break
down Crack Shot John A. Pearson had to
survey and report upon is 10 cost MFR. Pear
son six months confinement to post limits
and a reprimand. The findings Of the court
martial we're reviewed by Major-Gen. Fred
srick d. Grant last week and the order Of
sentence was published on Saturday.
Il will be recalled that when Lieut.. Pear
son was told to review himself, as it were,
and change his findings in the survey the
suggestion was made by higher authority
that perhaps an officer Of more experience
might do the job better, and that Mr.. Pear
son In standing by his first findings OBJ
served that his Efforts had been stimulated
by the courteous and complimentary re-
quest or suggestion just referred TO. Some
body found this 10 be sarcastic and disre-
s~pectful and 80 charged in the court-martial.
which found the Lieutenant guilty on this
charge.
On the charge Of neglect Of duty in not
revising his findings he was found not
guilty. but he was declared guilty Of failing
10 revise his recommendation, a distinction
no doubt full Of meaning within the service.
On the charge Of INSTRUMENTATION. in which
was involved Mr.. Parsons unhappy state
ment Of fact that his findings and recon-
mendations were subject to revision by
every authority between him and the Secre-
tary Of War and that therefore his findings
were Of no consequence. and since he had
presented the facts and all the evidence all
that was necessary was to reverse him II he
was in error, he was found guilty.
IL will he further recalled that in recon-
mending that the broken gauge he paid
for out Of the company fund (since he could
not place individual responsibility any
whereJ Lieut.. Pearson held that the Re.
vised Statutes were the supreme Law Of
the land. superseding any Department order,
and therefore found himself unable to sub
scribe TO the suggestion that he change
his recommendation because, in the view
of the Ouartermaster-GeneTal' depart
ment, company funds could not be charged
with such an item. This caused him to he
charged with wilful disohedience Of orders,
On this charge Mr., Pearson was found not
guilty, but in COntradistinction TO wilful
disobedience he was declared guilty Of disc
bedience through misconstruction o. the
law.
Nlaior-Gen. Grant. whose approval Of
the court-marttal's findings was promul
gated by Col. Heistand, Adiutant- General
Of the Department Of the East, subscribed
to this comment upon the sentence Of the
court;
4 study Of the case shows that the accused
from piQue took an III advised, contentious
and untenable position, and then, in spite Of
the increasing gravity Of the situation, with
foolish pride positively refused to place him
self in a proper attitude Of subordination
Officers must realize that the efficiency Of
the service and the reputation Of the guilty
oflcer are both injured by the manifestation
Of such a trait.
So for six months MIR. Pearson may enjoy
all the beauties OF Fort Slocum. but the
theatres Of New York and the haunts Of
his friends must mourn his loss-Or maybe
he may mourn theirs,