New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-08-03
Fate of Lieut.. B. ]. Ellert
Rests With Navy Heads;
Case May BE Resumed
in Brooklyn Tomorrow
Future Action Uncertain
Confession Gives C urt
Free Hand to Proceed
in Other Cases Here

The inquiry conducted by a naval
court martial at the Brooklyn navy
yard into charges of graft and other
Irregularities in connection with the
sale and purchase of easy berths in
the navy during the war came to q
temporary halt yesterday, following a
plea CT guilty by Lieutenant Benoit J..
Ellert to six of the fifty-one charges
against him. The inquiry was ad-
iourned until Monday morning, when
instructions are expected from Wash
ing TSa .,o,,n+. 49, .,, ,;.,...
hllert pleaded guilty constitute q sum-
mary of all charges. His confession
gives the court a free hand to pro-
coed with the other cases. Lieutenant
Ellert's fate now rests, primarily, on
instructions from Washington.
Al stenographic report of Fridays
proceedings was read at the opening of
the hearing yesterday. Lieutenant
Ebert, apparently unconcerned, listened
lntently 70 the reading and nodded
afIIrmatively at several points.
The reading consumed nearly an
hour. On conclusion Lieutenant Ellert
was called to answer the charges one
by one. He answered "Not guilty"
until the twentieth count was reached,
when he pleaded guilty The other
charges to which he pleaded guilty.
were Nos. DC, 48, so and 81.
Charge Against Officer
The twentieth count--the first on
which he pleaded guilty-was similar
TO score of others. 1t was as follows:
I'm that Benoit J. Ellert, now lieu
tenant, Junior grade, U. S. Naval Re-
serve Force, while serving as chief pay
clerk, L. S. n. R., and as assistant to
the personnel officer, detail officer,
headquarters, Sd Naval District, New
York, \. Y, did on or about December
%, 1917, at New York, n. Y, the United
knowingly, unlawfully, feloniously and
corruptly take, accept and receive, and
cause to be taken, accepted and re-
ceived, for him, the said Ellert, from
Henry Erlanger, chief yeoman, U. S.
Naval Reserve Force, a sum of money,
to wit $500. as compensation, payment
and reward for his, the said Ellert's,
favorable recommendation and assist
ance in obtaining and procuring the
promotion of said Erlanger to the rank
of ensign, U. S. Naval Reserve"
Adjournment Asked
Following the reading of the charges
ana Lieutenant EllertS replies thereto,
Il. B. Frackman. Of counsel for the
accused man. requested that sentence
be postponed and adjournment taken
until next week to enable the counsel
to keep an out-of-town engagement
over the week end.
The names of many wealthy young
men, some members of prominent
families in The wholesale clothing bust
ness in New York, are involved in the
charges against Lieutenant Ellert. They
are accused of having paid sums rang
ing from $3.50 to $1,000 for appoint
ments to safe navy berths on shore
The investigation brought out that
Lieutenant Ellert WAS a hard worker
and had gained the confidence of his
superiors as assistant of the personnel
officer of this district, circumstance
which enabled him to get all his recon-
mendations for appointments approved.
According to the charges the share
Ellert received amounted to $4,000