The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-09-20
Letters to the
Editor
v1cKxBURG COMMANDER
/. AESNelS STUDENTS CuAktfs

ANSWERS STUDENTS CHARGES
u 3. 8. vicksnurx tschoolship,'
s~atye. wash. Sept IT. is.o.
Editor Seattle Star: There has
anprarrd IN The Seattle Star. under
Hnss OF September 9th. is.v. an
sretcls with reference to the WASH
snwton state Nautical Sehooiship'
yiclxsburg. and maysef rs command
snw officer which I feel II impe'a.
dive to reply to. 20 prevent the 5000
eafixenx OF Seattle from getuns
enl.e impre~sson OF what has taken
on.rc ON board. II Il therefore re-
euested that you publish this letter
q the columns OF your valuable
amer in some place where II VIII
b. conspicuous.
Cadet Birnie F'uiiington was order
"A TO take the wheel on the NioAs-
hurx on July I'd as the ship was
entering the harbor OF Hila HAWAII
Pullinxton had been In the y. o
navy A an enlisted man Tor nj
HAST two years Just before enrolling
- cadet In this school He was
thsr<f fore somewhat better versed In
a. duties OF heimsman than many
a. the other cadets Al the time
~ Wa ordered TO take the wheel
10 was on duty on the bridge OF
The vicksburg a. hclmsman from
= N. to IL noon. II " customary
for the hetmsman and the lookou,
when this ship u At So TO divide
the four hours watch into two.
the helnsman doing two hour duty
It the wheel and two hours duty
II lookout, and the lookout doing
two hours duty as lookout and then
two hours duty at the wheel On
entering port or In dangerous pilot
waters Il is customary for the com
manding officer. for the safety OF
the ship and the lives Of the crew.
20 order a good helmsman 10 take
the wheel II was the custom on
the vicksburg for the cadet assist
ant to the navigator TO take the
wheel at such times. This cadet
vns not on the bridge ut the time,
% FuIlington (who had been ap-
pointed and had held that position
previously for several months UP 20
about June 3oth). who was on the
bridge at the time on duty was
ordered to take the wheel. which he
positively refused to do. For re-
fuslng he was ordered to be con.
fined IN the brig Of the ship. a
compartment next to the living
space OF the cadets. with plenty Of
air and light. a compartment al
Iotted by the navy department for
that purpose. He was not thrown
In. as the article In The Star states
but went there with the cadet
naxter-at arms without anyone lay
Ing hands on him. 80 far as
know. II might be well to state
here that the ships carpenter lived
in this brig for several months just
previous to the time that Pulling
ton was placed in II. and had to be
ordered out with his belongings tc
make room for F'ullington. The
carpenter had previously requested
to occupy this room to sleep In
which request was granted by me
This would Indicate that the brig
was not an unlivable place, but a
place much desired to live in.
Less tnan one hour after Pulling
ton had been confined he either re
leased himself or was released By
his classmates q could not find out
which) and was found by the ex
ecutive officer on the forecastle oil
the ship sitting on a chest While
being re-confined he stated TO tbs
executive officer that he would not
remain In the brig. Since previous
to this occurrence numerous locks
had been picked and broken and
ships provisions stolen. ! felt II
was impossible. after these occur
Z rences, TO carry out Fullington's sen
tence on board. I therefore sent this
executive officer ashore TO consult
with the u. s. attorney at Hilo u
zee II I could have Fullington taker
care OF on shore In the local Jail foi
: the time being, with the result thai
FulIington was sent ashore for IN,
time being and confined. With refer
enee to the statement that "ther,
4, had not been a white man in tina
Jail for five years" the police OF
: ncer at Hilo stated to me thai
I men from ships In port that could
/. not be taken care Of on board wer,
always confined ashore at the re
quest of the commanding office
> OF the ship. The reason that ther'
are so few white persons confined
F, In the Hilo Jail is self-evident-th'
population OF Hilo being about 30.
: 900, and OF these there are onl,
I, about 900 white and those are most
Iy women and children.
/. After Fullington had been con
fined ] sent the ships doctor ashore
T. 70 examine the place OF confine
ment to see that II was a health,
and livable place, and he reported
that II was. He further stated Il
me. upon inquiry later, that Pulling
ton was living In the hospital ward
had a clean bed with clean linen
with a window at the head of hi
bed, looking out upon court witt