The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-06-03
NAVAL CLIQUE SCANDAL BREWING
COMMITTEE REPORT SENSATIONAL

active list On the ground that his
/ retirement was obtained by "coer-
/ ciOn, duresB and fraud
The house committee by unani-
nous report holds that the contcn-
/ ton Of Colonel Perkins Is true, and
| thereby hangs one Of the Btrangest
/ tales Of misuse OF power that have
! been recorded against the Ameri
/ can navy In all It's history. The
! house committee, democrats and re-
| publicans alike, unqualifiedly agrees
/ that Colonel Perkins was deliberate
/ ly placed In situation where he
| had TO choose between retirement at
| his own request or dismissal from
the service as a lunatic. and that he
was persuaded, by deception and
! fraud, 10 solve his dilemma by ask
Ing retirement. The navy cabai pro-
misses 10 be the source OF a most
drastic investigation at the hands OF
congress.
Aside from the effect which the
naval affairs committee report may
have on the bin introduced to re-
store the American Dreyfus' as
Colonel Perkins has been called, TO
the active list OF the marine corps,
the facts and opinions set forth by
the committee have started all who
know anything about The matter to
wonder what course viii be pursued
by General George +. Elliott, now
retired. who, as the then command
ant of the marine corps, approved
Of the treatment OF Colonel Perkins.
The committee reports most serious
ly upon General Elliott and 1t Is sug-
Ecstcd that he may ask for "A court
OF inquiry In an effort TO clear his
skirts.
Under Roosevelt Regime.
Appeal was made 10 congress IN
behalf Of Colonel Perkins only after
Secretary of the Navy Meyer had re-
fused TO take any action. The sec
rotary based his refusal upon the
ground that one administration does
not correct the records of prey ious
administrations in such matters and
that such correction, If warranted,
should be by Legislative act.
Reviewing the Perkins case. the
naval committee finds that the
Georgian discharged his duties Tor
many years with only commendation
from his superiors until 1894, when |
lie resumed duty In the fall of 1905 |
and was sent to California and |
II was then that the work against !
Perkins Is declared by the house |
eral Elliott, In December 1908, re
ported Colonel pcrrIns as unfit Tor |
service, although no medical exam
nation had been made. nor had I'll |
liott seen him for over seventeen f.
Years. This report was kept from |
Perkins knowledge for six months. |
until a time when he was about To .
appear before the board Tor eXami- |
nation Tor promotion from the rank
of major to the rank of lieutenant
colonel. Despite General Elliotts
he appeared before the
examining board, was subjected to
an examination and was promoted 4
with hearty congratulations in the
face of another mlavorable report
.2w Elliott.
According TO the committees
indmcs, General Elliott had inform
"a Colonel Perkins that in the event
le Went before the examining board
and was promoted, he probably
Would be sent TO Panama, which was
known to be u dangerous station
or u man once afflicted with trop-
cal fever, and at the same time.
,ays the committee report, came
proposition from Captain Borden TO
'ay Captain Perkins $1,000 for his
number II Perkins would retire"
Persecution Fine Art.
True to General Elliott's warning.
'oloucl Perkins was soon after pro
notion, assigned to duty at Panama |
,here he remained until May. 1907
md where every order he made
as disapproyed and he was usually
in sever terms, al
loush q number Of these orders