Arizona republican., 1914-05-07
TRIAL OF CAPTAIN M'CALLA

captain BOWnan Ii. McCaIld, naval officer who attained consider able distinction during the Spanish American war, and eventually be- came q rear admiral in the United States navy, was the subject of a naval court martial. which attracted with the result that he was for st time relieved of his command.
 This court martial trial was or dered by Secretary of the Navy Tracy and at the complaint of Il number of petty officers and men at tached to the United States sloop of War Enterprise" at the time com handed by McCalla. It was held al the Brooklyn navy yard and those who sat in judgment were Rear Ad miral Lewis A. Kimberly. Commodore William P. McCann, Captain Oscar F. stanton and Judge Advocate Per ry Garst. All were in full uniform
 McCalla had as his counsel. Jos eph H. Choate, the eminent lawyer, and Gustavus B. Mensez, who was q classmate in the training school with
 
 the court by the secretary of the navy was dated March A. and re- quired them to inquire into the management of the Enterprise the system of discipline, and any cases of cruelty or oppression of any ot the officers or crew upon her cruise from October 4. 1887, the date in l7 i,h bo i,, mission to the present time.''
 Eleven men had volunteered to give testimony against McCalla, in cluding an ensign, a chief engineer as well as other petty officers and seamen. The taking of testimony was begun on March F, 1890. the examining judge being Garst. The first to testify was Lieutenant In gersoll, who said he regarded all the punishements in accordance with the regulations. When questioned by the judge he related how d sail makers mate had been placed in irons and shut up in one of the coal bunkers for getting drunk. He gave the name of five seamen who were placed in straight jackets for various offenses, and that others were lashed to the rungs Of the Jacobs ladder by means of hammocks. He also told how. when Fireman John E. Walker cursed and abused the captain. Me Calla ordered him gagged, that a bucket of water be thrown in his face, and finally that he drew his sword and struck Walker on the head with it.
 Ingersoll also testified that the En- terprisc had an exceptionally tough lot on board. A most important witness was Lieutenant Samuel C. Lemley, who testified regarding the ungovernable temper of Captain Me | Calla, and how, upon one instance | where he imagined a sailor had smil- | ed sarcastically at him, McCalla sent | for his sword and brandishing it said to the sailor: Now, blast you
 if you smile at me I'll kill you DC you hear? I'll kill you
 l Additional testimony was given al | the hearing relative to McCalla' E | cruelty to the crew, which demon | strated that there was at least ar | unusual sort of discipline maintain | ed on board. Paymaster Mudd and | the ships surgeon testified favor | ably for the captain. Different sail ors related how McCalla had kept
 members of his crew ironed togeth- | CT for eight and nine days at a time ard upon one occasion ten men were | ironed hand and foot in a line, and that he had strung them up by the wrist. As the trial developed it was
 brought out that Lieutenants Inger-
 sell and Mulligan were as cruel tt the sailors as McCalla.
 Just before the trial was conclud
 ed a number of officers testified as land petty officers, and that nothing had occurred in the way of punish
 ment that was not in strict accord
 with the rule on board ship.
 The remainder of the trial wa!
 held behind closed doors. It wa:
 finally concluded on April 23 Th'
 courts findings were sent to Wash
 ington, and on May 15 the secretar!
 of the navy made public his actioI |
 that the court had found Mccall; guilty of all five charges of whicl he was accused, and the secretary
 sentenced him ito be suspended iron
 rank and duty for a period of thre, years, and to continue his presen
 number on the list of commander!
 while on suspension" His pay wa!
 thus reduced from S3500 to abou $1400 per annum.
 The sentence deprived Captain Me Calla from wearing his uniform from leaving the country and iron
 visiting the navy department during
 that time. McCalla did not serve { very long sentence, and lived t'
 make his name honored by his coun try through his brilliant achieve
 ments during the war with Spaii
 and the Peking relief expedition. fo
 which he received q congressiona medal. He was retired in June. 1906 and died in California on May 6 l1910
 Tomorrow-The Trial of William
 Burke.