South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-10-16
COURT MARTIAL
TO TRY ADMIRAL
William N. Little Charged With
Neglect and Careless Meth
odS While Inspector.

TAr.ff ->tEe< D.t. is. = Scc'y
Daniels r~dat ordered the trial by
co.rt 1a-r.ial - Scar Admiral William
y. Little. retired. who was Inspector
for the navy al the Fore River works.
Quincy. Mass. until Dec. 81. 1914.
The general charges against Ad-
miral Little are neglect and careless
methods i'm the conduct of his duties
while Inspector
One Of the specific and grayest
charges against Admiral Little relates
the passing of submarine K-2. Ii is
stated by officials that Admiral Little
knew that the construction OF the YES
sci was defective. IL is alleged that
he entered into an agreement with
officials of the company 10 pass the
vessel on condition that defects in the
storage batteries. which persisted in
grounding, would he remedied later
10y the company.
Battery troubles had been declared
by experts TO make the American sub
marines perilous TO their crews AID
useless for emergency tasks
Trouble for some Time.
All officials know that there has
been constant trouble with subma-
rines and il has been charged openly
that scarcely any Of the older types
are Of value TO the navy.
The official announcement OF tho
department today says
The action OF the department in
this case of ordering the trial by gen.
eral court martial Of ar officer who
has been retired after attaining the
highest naval rank on charges relat-
ing TO duties performed prior to re-
tirement is something radical and
arrests attention.
1T can he accounted for only as an
evidence of the departments deter
mination that the inspection Of ships
under construction for the navy shall
be conducted with the greatest care
and thOroughness.
The charges against Admiral Little
have resulted from trouble which has
recently been experienced with stor-
age batteries of submarines of the Is
class-in this instance the K-2. Ths
source of trouble Of this class has been
the subject of close investigation by
the navy department. As a result OF
this investigation the department has
been led to believe that the inspection
of the K-2 while building at the Fore
river shipbuilding company was not
conducted with care and thOroughness
and accordingly has directed that Al
miral Little. who was responsible for
the proper inspection Of this vesseI,
be tried by court martial"
The maximum penalty for the Of
lenses which are charged against Ad-
miral Little is dismissal from the
navy
Sec'y Daniels said the alleged
agreement of Admiral Little with Off
cials. Of the company was brought 10
his attention about three weeks ago.
He Immediately started an inquiry.
Reports were made TO him which war
rented the action taken Friday. He
therefore appointed as the trial board
the following officers Of high rank.
Rear Admirals Bradley A. Fiske.
James N. Helm, Myth a. Parks. wal
ter r. Wilmington, Albert Gleaves and
Herbert Z. Dunno and Paymaster-
General Thomas J. Cowie. Lieut.
Commander Alfred W. Johnson viii
be the judge advocate Of the court.
The trial will begin at the navy yare,
Boston. on Monday.
says Charge Technical.
Admiral Little. who was located at
the Army and Navy club Friday night,
said:
Il can only say that the K-2 was
in actual commission about a year
and three months before this defect
was discovered The matter involved
in the charges, so far as my infOrma-
ton goes at present, is largely a tech
nical one-sorse thing TO do with the
soldering of the batteries.
"Of course | was the inspector IN
control when the k-2 was built. but OF
course ] never inspected every part
Of the ship personally. My assistants
did inspection work and when they
got through a board Of inspection
went over the boats.
LAS to the secondary charge that z =
made an unauthorized contract / do
not know at present what that In
wolves"