The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-03-16
Accused Captain I latly
Contradicts Testimony
Of Marshall.
TOLD IN PERSON
Al END OF TEST
Evidence Creates Sensation at
Court-Martial, Where Ord
nance Board President Is on
Trial on Charges of Neg
ligence in Connection
With Sinking Puritan.

Norfolk, Va, March l5.-A sensation
was created at to-day's session OF the
knight court martial. when Captain
NJ. Knight, president Of the Naval Ord
nance Board. testifying in his own be-
half. hatiy contradictei the testimony
OF Eear-A dmral w. a. Marshall. given
earlier In the trial Rcar-Admirul
Marshall declared tina, neither Captain
Nnisht nor any one else had notified
| MN. IN person or By telephone. Of any
thihS concerning the monitor Puritan
AZ the conclusion OF the explosive
tests
captain knight. "ho is being tried
on charges Of negligence OF duty III
connection with the sinking Of the Pur-
i'an alter the tests. while on the stand
to-day. testified that b. telephone he
had notified Admiral Marshall In ncr.
son OF The conclusion Of he tests and
mat the ship was ready TO be taken
70 the Norfolk Navy YARD Captain
knight said lie called the Office OF al
iniral Marshall BY telephone from Old
Point Comfort, and that some one else
ans 'crcd al first but that aftcrward
Adrni!al Marshall himself came to the
Recognized His Voice.
y recognized his voice. and he told
me on the phone: This is MarshalI.'p
declared Captain knight
Inc Judge advocate asked Captain
Knight several times II he thought, Ills
GUY WAS 20 make this experiment
without FIRST satisfying himself that
proper preparations had been made.
AS a captain In the United States
Navy, did YOU think II right TO risk a
Sio0oo0o ship without first satisfying
yourself that due precautions had been
taken for her safety?" asked Iteuten-
an. Commander Mclean
~ didn't think that my duty demand
co that make an Inspection" an
swered Captain knight
The captain acknowledged layInt.
signed letter which contained what he
SAID was Typographical error He
SAID that he had dictated to q stenoe-
raphar the word posi- hility. when il
appeared in the letter nroba bility. The
Judge advocate brought out the fact
thai the letter had been signed by
Captain knight, although he did not
know that II contained the wrong
word
IN response 10 all questions leading
10 whether or not Captain knight salts
ned himself that all conditions in the
memorandum from the Ordnance Blu
rcan mad been complied with, and as TO
what he should have done TO protect
the government from loss ,y the sink
Ing OF the Puritan. the captain stated
that he had done everything necessary.
so far a s his duty required
IN MS examination in chief Captain
knight described the manner in which
inc charge was placed on the monitor.
ana IN reply to question from Major
Leonard said that lie met Admiral Mar.
snail on the street In Washing ton. and
was talking to him about the prepa-
rations He said that the admiral told
MIN that everything was all right and
finally said with n touch OF what
seemed to be little heat: Don't YOU
worry about that, Knight. You look
out for your part. and we'll look out
Tor ours lie said that the admiral
seemed to be little resentful.
Left for Washington.
Captain knight stated that it had
peen previously agreed that he should
remain in Norfolk hntil after the Pur-
itan was In dock. but things seemed to
be all right after the explosion, and
ne did not deem his presence in Nor
Ioik necessary. and sent message to
the commandment asking that lie be al
lowed TO proceed to Washington He
said that he sent this message by Lieu
tenant Murdoch when he went ashore
in the boat with the newspaper men,
and that Nh Murdoch. when he came
back, stated that the coInmandant said
that Captain knight could return to
- ds''iiE toii. Ile SUM tndI ne Old not
have the Puritan sent to the dry dock.
and that he had no orders to have her
sent there
Captain knight stated that II he
had been the senior officer present he
did not think it was his duty to send
the ship TO the dock. He said that he
mad been nearly forty-two years in
TIC service, and had never been before
n court Of any kind on charges.
On cross examination. he stated tina d
ne fired the charge nndcr instructions
from the department. and that he
would not have fired It unless things
were ready. He said that he under
stood his duty to be to take the shin
as the commandant sent her. and TO fire
the explosive against her, and that his
duty did not consist In making any
examination Of the ship or to sec what
facilities had been prepared for her
docking after the charges had been
fired.
The court adjourned until tomorrow.