Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-06-05
WunE SAYS he CONFESSED
Secret Service Chief Testifies Accused
Told Him Offense Was Due to
Booze" - Examining Physicians
Says He Traced Handwriting on
Checks to Defendant.

Charged Win 1OfStry. laitfhH' pi'
S, ntipc fraudulent claims against tn
government. and srartalCuS conduct.
Assistant Surgeon Dahl A. Spear, u.
5. ~, is on trial bcfo"r a court MARTA!
sl,nhs at the Washington navy yard.
Spaar is accused OF stealing and cash
ing after having forged their indorse-
.neris, pay checks lrlon%ing to Sur
gyun F. J. Grow ard Assistant Sur
scCn C. G. Alderman and F. II. Stib-
bcEs.
Ths checks were is;. ed by Pay In
spcCtor S. l.. .Hean, CT the navy de-
partment house, whcr' FRS. Grow. Al
drriran Stibbens. ana Spear lived.
The envelopes containing the checks
G's lp2t AIRED, and Lac: the vouchers
.:tre presented at the raymaster's Of
flee Ey DR.. Spear. It is alleged. and
Cashcil. The matter was placed in the
hands Of the secret service depart
.Eent. AMI. 1t Is .:an.. DI. Spear con
fpsSad to John F. Wi.kie chief q: the
department. that he WAS guilty.
Entered Navy Last October.
DIR. Spear. who is about twenty
eight years old. is a SON Of Judge W.
the Ohio Supreme Court for thirty
years He Is n graduate of the Uni
.versity of Virginia. and entered the
naval service last October. He was
at the Washington navy yard for in
structicp at the tins of the alleged
Off nse His father. Judge Spear. Is
in Washington. and will appear as 4
witness for his SOP.
The defense will he that the accus-
ed was insane at the time he COM
mitted the Cffense.
Pending a decision of the court
martial, DR.. Spear is a prisoner on
the Mayf'ower. If all the counts
against him are sustained his punish
m mt may tp dismissal from the ser
vice. besides Imprisonment, not to
excesd twelve years. He is defended
by Surg. 8. g. Evans. " s. n. and Fl
H. Grassey. a civilian. Lieut.. Joseph
A. Rossell. u. s. NJ. as judga advo.
cate. has charge Of the government s
case.
Members Of court-Martiai.
The members OF the court-mSr;ial
are Capt William ]. Barnette. Lieut.
Col. Benjamin r. Russell. Medical In
spector Samuel II. Dickson. Comman-
der B. G. Bryscn. Surg. Charles NJ.
Dyson and Frank l.. Pleadwell. Pass
ed Assistant Surgeon Cary T. Gray
son and First Lieut.. Joseph A. Ros.
sell. judge advocate. Lieut.. c. Camp.
bell is provost marshal.
The case as presented by the gov
ernment yesterday was that on March
lG last the pay checks Of Drs. Grow.
Alderman, and Stibbens were mailed
from the pay inspectors Office to their
homes at the Ben-dict apartment
house. On the day following they
were preSented by DR.. Spear. and
cashed. When the three physicians
failed to receive the checks they mott
fed the pay inspectors Office and an
investigation was ordered.
Thought II Was His Writing.
DR.. Grow. who was a member of
the examining heard when DR.. Spear
tooH the examination for navy sur-
geon. was shown the cashed checks
with their Endorsements. and looked
over the examination papers to see II
he eonld trace a resemblance in the
handwriting. H testified that he
thought the writing was that Ct Dr.
Spear. This information was given
30 Chief Wilkis. who sent for DR.,
Spear on April ~. but the latter de.
MED all knowledge Of the matter.
On May %. having other inforna-
ton. Chief Wilkie again. sent fer Sur
geon Spear. That time be boldly ac-
cussd the doctor Of taking and cash
ing the chrrks. and he testified YES
ierday that Spear confessed he had
taksn tho checks. According to the
testimony. Spear saiAhe saw the on
veiopes containing the checks lying
on table in the hallway Of the
apartment hcuge. He took them. he
Is ALLEGED TO have said. and, going ont
and took cut the checks. throwing the
envelopes away. Next DAY. March ~.
he is said TO hava added. he went 10
the pay inspectors once. Endorsed the
checks. and obtained the money.
amounting TO $2s3.sa.
Asked " " Was Due to Drink
Chief wiIkie ,esi'fei he asked
Spar why no had done IN. and
whether the alleged nfense was dne
to wine. women. or cards. The ans
uer was. according TO the testimony.
"tooze-
r. G. Wright. chief clerk IN the paw
insp 7c,cr's oficn. tsstia"d as IN the
method Of s"ndinr ous checks ard
identified tho checks.
Ctiaf X-iiiin akzn tns. .Acd h rou,-