The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-03-03
SIX OFFICERS PUNISHED
THEY WERE COURT-A1ARTIALED
FOR VIOLATING RULES.
Fletcher Says Some Of the Sentences
Were Too Mild-President Saves
Offender from Dismissal.

The discipline that prevails In the
Atlantic feet IS emphasized in an or
der OF the navy department, just
made public, in which it Is announced
that six commissioned officers Of the
navy have recently been court-mar-
italed for violations of the naval reg
ulations. In each instance the officer
involved was found guilty. None of
the officers was dismissed, but all re-
ceived more Or less severe sentences.
In one instance Rear Admiral Fletch-
er sent back the findings with in
structions to submit different rec
ommendation on the ground that the
first recommendation was too lenient.
The officers named in the navy de-
partment order are Lieut.. Rufus F.
Zogbaum, Jr., Of New York, Ensign
H. A. Ward of New York, Lieut..
Lindsay H. Lacy Of Texas, Lieut..
Jonas H. Ingram of Indiana, Ensign
Jay K Esler Of Michigan, and En-
sign John T. Melvin Of Oklahoma.
Lieut.. Zogbaum was much in the
public eye Immediately following the
outbreak Of the war in Europe, Is a
result Of his activities in London,
where he was attached to the Ameri-
can embassy and assigned to look
after the interests of Germans then
In London. Previous to that he was
flag lieutenant of the first division of
the Atlantic feet during the time the
division was under command Of Rear
Admiral Cameron MGR. Winslow. He
Is son Of the marine painter Zog-
baum, who is mentioned in Kipling's
poem, bob Evans"
Lieut.. Zogbaum was charged with
neglect of duty and was tried on
board the superdreadnought Arkan-
sas while that ship was at the navy
yard in New York. He was found
guilty and sentenced to be publicly
reprimanded by the secretary of the
navy. The sentence was declared in
| adequate and was ordered revised,
whereupon the court sentenced Zog-
| baum to lose one number in his
grade. Admiral Fletcher, the COM
mander in chief Of the fleet, ruled
that the sentence was still made
quate, but approved it "in order that
the accused might not entirely escape
punishment"
Lieut.. Lacy, who is a native OF
Texas, was also court-martialed on
board the Arkansas at the navy yard
in Brooklyn. The charge against
him was drunkenness, and he was
found guilty and sentenced to lose
ten numbers in his grade. The find
ings and sentence were approved b!
Admiral Fletcher.
Lieut.. Ingram is famous in the
navy as one Of the greatest athlete:
ever turned out by the naval acad
emy. He is remembered as the acad
emy's greatest oarsman and as one
of the best football players in thu
history Of the institution. He was il
the thick Of the fighting at Vera Cru:
and commanded one Of the Arkan
sass battalons during the naval oc
cupation Of the city. He was charg
ed with neglect of duty and sentenc
ed to the publicly reprimanded b.
Admiral Fletcher. The admiral ap
proved the findings Of guilty, but dis
; approved the sentence as inadequate
Ensign Esler was found guilty o
absence from station after leave hat
expired. He was tried on the flag
ship of the Pacific fleet and sentence'
to a loss Of two numbers in grade
Rear Admiral Howard, commando
in chief of the Pacific feet, approves
the findings and sentence.
Ensign Melvin was tried on tn
dreadnought Michigan at Philadel
phia and found guilty of drunken
ness, conduct unbecoming an Office
and gentleman, and conduct prejudi
cial to good order and discipline. H
, was sentenced to a loss of ten nun
, bers in grade. Admiral Fletcher ap
proved the sentence.
Ensign Ward was tried on the bat
tleship Kansas off Tampico, Mexico
and found guilty Of absence fror
duty and station after leave had eS
pired and disobedience of an orde
OF the chief of the bureau Of naviga
tion in Washington. He was sen
fenced to be dismissed from the navy
but on the recommendation of tn
young officers superiors the sentenc
; was commuted by President Wilso
to loss Of fifty numbers in grade
: Under the law the president has th
final word in all cases in the arm
and navy which involve dismisss