Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-07
VERDICT IS REACHED
Court-MartiaI Believed to
Have Found Spear Guilty.
|CLOSING ARGUMENTS MADE
Twelve Years in Prison Is Possible
Penalty for Offense.
ANNOUNCEMENT WEDNESDAY
Prisoner to Be Kept in Confinement
on Presidents Yacht, Mayf1ower,
Pending Final Action.

The hearing of the charges of forgery.
theft and scandalous conduct against
Assistant Surgeon David A. Spear L. S.
N, was concluded late yesterday after
noon at the Washington navy yard.
After celebrating less than an hour the
court-martial, composed of naval officers,
reached a verdict. Rumor has it that the
finding was guilty
The record of the court will be submit
ted to the judge advocates Office of the
Navy Department tomorrow where it will
be reviewed and the verdict and recon-
mendations given consideration. 1t is be-
lieved the verdict will be publicly an
nounced by the department next Wednes-
day.
In the meantime Dr. Spear will be kept
in confinement on the Presidents yacht,
Mayf1ower. 1t is stated that the maxi
mum penalty for the offenSes charged is
twelve years confinement in naval
prison after dishonorable dismissal from
the naval service.
Three Charges Believed Proven.
The officers composing the court have
maintaine absolute silence and secrecy
concerning the verdict, as required by the
were present after the adjournment of the
trial say they have reason to believe the
court found the accused guilty of the three
principal charges-forgery, theft and
Scandalous conduct.
In his address to the court, which con-
cluded the hearing, Lieut.. Joseph A. Ros-
sell of the United States Marine Corps.
the judge advocate, declared. with empha-
sis. that Spear was guilty of the offenses
nl,1 rc< h IN, ort hn Soj .
DIR. Spear admits he took these checks
March 16. He also admits he had high
time that night. that he spent all his
own money and had a date' for the
next night. His funds were short and he
cashed the checks that did not belong to
him. In doing so he represented himself
as Surgeon c. G. Alderman at the Treas
ury window and got the money.
The evidence shows. Lieut.. Rossell
continued. that he was the black sheep
of his family. He must have had such
inclinations before he entered the navy.
This was not the first time he has done
such things
1T is the case of young man coming
to a big city and going the pace. But it
was only a question of time when he
would be caught up at 1t. 1t is. perhaps.
a good thing he was caught as soon as he
was.
The witnesses who testified Yesterday
were much interested in the outcome of
or eight high balls and six or eight
cocktails and followed with champagne.
no wonder he was in the dreamy, droopy
condition described by witnesses for the
defense, and that his eyes were heavy
looking and his manner erratic.
There are no eXtenuating circum-
stances The accused was considering the
engagement he had that evening and his
money was all gone. He had his own
pay check cashed at hotel where he
was known. Why did he not have the
forged checks cashed at the same place.
instead of going to the treasury and CIV
ing the name of Alderman. brother off,
Ger, so that the blame for taking the
checks and writing the Endorsements on
them might be placed on him?"
In conclusion, Lieut.. Rossell argued
that had Spear had the checks cashed at
the hotel where there would have been no
question of his identity. his arrest would
have been made much easier.
Arguments for Defense.
Attorney Henry H, Classic, in conclud-
ing his arguments for the accused. said: