The sun., 1919-02-20

with disrespect TO the colors. the COM
plant being laid by Roe before the
proper officials of the Third Naval Dis
rict Thereupon Roe was called upon
the carpet and was asked to withdraw
his charges against the favored ex-officer
OF the yacht club, Roe refused to take
his charges back.
Immediately Roe was transferred to
an undesirable job in the mine sweeping
division at Tompknsvlle. Then he was
sent to sea. Roe, former policeman
or Newark, received a medal from New
ark citizens after he had saved three
little girls from drowning and he was
commended by Secretary OF the Navy
Daniels for his heroism while in COM
mand OF men at the Perth Amboy ex-
plosion some months ago.
Despite his record, however. his
charges against the Lieutenant, whose
gold was more important than the coll
ors, never have been acted upon. And
Roe Is still at sea and no attention has
been paid to four applications he has
made since the ending of the war to be
discharged from the service.
Commander of the "Mad House,"
The most fragrant case of scandalous
behavior by an officer that came to light
yesterday concerned the past and pres
ent performances OF the commanding
officer of the Mad House" referred to
above. This officer came into the service
as an assistant paymaster. Eighteen
days later he was jumped to the rank OF
ant-Commander!
The mysterious fortune which has been
favoring him thus first began to attract
ha M Of IN a
him. simultaneously with his elevation
in rank came his appointment as COM
handing officer OF the naval base OF
which he Is still in charge. On the day
OF his appointment his finances were so
low that he had to borrow his carfare
at the Neptune Society here so that he
could journey to the site of his new
command.
Shortly afterward the First Liberty
Loan was fioated The officer. now
seemingly in remarkably afiluent circum-
stances, paid cash for $4,000 worth OF
the first loan bonds He rarely was
sober and he was violently abusive to
his naval interiors whether drunk -por-
sober. One lad asked him one day for
shore leave to attend his mothers flu
neral. The officer, drunk. az usual. called
the young sailor unprintable names and
refused the request.
The sailor lad thereupon took French
leave of the base for the day and went
to his mothers funeral. When he re-
ported for duty again his drunken SUI
perior, following more violent abuse.
had the sailor court-martialed. The lad
was sentenced to serve thirty days
In the brig and was fined three months
pay.
Oncer's Sudden Amuence.
Finally Chief Yoeman Mckinney. son
of the late Police Capt. Mckinney OF
Flatbush was detailed to make n
preliminary investigation OF the many
charges lodged against the drunken
Lieutenant Commander. Mckinney
turned in his evidence to Commander
Rittenhouse. who is aid for information
for the district, and Commander Rtten-
house Immediately began an investiga-
ton of his own.
In the investigation which followed
seventeen witnesses testified in fifty
eight afridavits on the items in the forty
seven charges that had been lodged
against the acknowledgements
Among other things uncovered was the
fact that the acknowledgements
who had to borrow money at the Nep
tune Society here to travel to his com.
mand not only had bought the s10,-
900 worth OF Liberty Loan bonds but
also had at least one bank account
showing a brand new balance Of more
than 100000.
would you care to state" Com
mander Rittenhouse was asked last
night by a reporter from THE SUN.
"why no action ever has been taken
against Lieutenant-C Commander Blank"
whose real name Is withheld here for
obvious reasons.
81 can only say" replied Commander
Rittenhouse cordially. what everyone
from Admiral Usher down, must reply,
that all information regarding the pres
ent investigation must come from the
Secretary of the Navy at Washington"
At Now Under Arrest.
Seven officers and forty yeomen OF
the local naval district was the total
given yesterday as the number Of navy
men now under arrest in connection
with the present investigation Graft
to total OF a quarter of a million dol
lars, some say 100000. has been ex-
tracted. according to common report
in naval circles. in the Third Naval dis
trict by officers and petty officers here
from youngsters OF draft age or their
parents since America entered the war
In an effort to make the payments
seem less like direct money bride some
of the naval Orators had a plan OF
suggesting to a prospective "client' thai
he should give dinner or an automo-
bile outing in honor Of the grating Of
fcer. Then the youth or his parents
would turn over to the officer sum
of Expense money" TO pay the dinner
or automobile touring bills which no.
only paid expenses but left sums rang
ing from $500 to $500 in the CRATER =
possession.
Enrolled. but Not Called.