Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-01-25
CLERGYMEN HEARD
IN NAVAL INQUIRY
Further Testimony Is Given
at Newport on Alleged
Vicious Methods.

NEWPORT, r. l., January "a (by the
Associated Press).-The Rev. J.
Howard Deming, rector of st. Georges
Episcopal Church here, testifying be-
fore a naval board of inquiry today,
said he was convinced of the practice
of certain deleterious and vicious
methods" by the Navy in the attempts
to uncover conditions of vice in this
city.
He said he did not "at first believe
the Navy Department would sanction
such methods" but that he did be
lieve it now"
When asked by the judge advocate
of the court, Ensign Henry I. Hyn-
man, on what do you base your
statements?" the witness replied:
"A letter from Secretary Daniels ad-
dressed to Bishop Perry Grew. James
de Wolf Perry. Episcopal Bishop of
Rhode Island.)"
Mr.. Deming said this letter was
sent last September. as nearly as he
could recall.
No General Investigation.
The witness said the subcommittee
of the ministers union which draft ed
the letter to President Wilson, in
which complaint was made of the al
legged practices, had made no general
vestigated, he said, but he added later
that he, had no personal knowledge of
conditions outside of the court rec
ords in the case of Rev. Samuel n.
Kent.
Il saw the operators and that was
all 1 cared to have do with Them" he
said.
MIR. Deming was still on the wit
ness stand when adjournment was
taken until Monday.
The Rev. c. P. Christopher of the
Second Baptist Church. Newport, had
Previously testified that he also had
no personal knowledge of the alleged
the subject by the Newport Ministers
Union.
Asked by the judge advocate to
give the names of any persons he
knew, who, in conversation with any
one in the naval service, had heard
statements regarding vice, the wit
ness said he had been told that Lieut..
E. NJ. Hudson and Irving Arnold had
told citizen that they detect de-
generacy in a man talking on the
street" Questioned further to iden-
tify the Citizen" referred to. Mr..
! me that that citizen was Bishop Perry
of Rhode Island"
Report to Navy Department.
The Rev. Stanley Hughes and Ham
ilton Fish Webster. both of this city.
were named by Mr.. Christopher as
| men who had information which they
had taken to Washington to place be-
! fore the Navy Department. E. o. An
drews, general secretary of the Army
and Navy Y. NJ. c. A. at Newport, was
mentioned by the witness as a man
! possibly familiar with reports of con-
ditions, although, he said, he gave his
! name with hesitation. because Mr..
| Andrews was a witness in the Kent
case"
| PROVIDENCE. r. l.. January 24.-
| The letter from Secretary of the Navy
Daniels to Bishop Perry of Rhode Is
! land referred to in the testimony be
! fore naval board of inquiry at New
! port today was dated September 81
! 1919. Bishop Perry made a personal
call upon Secretary Daniels Septem-
Der % to lay before him a statement
of the conditions existing, and asked
! that steps be taken to correct them.
Secretary Daniels letter in reply
said:
I'm reply to the request which you
| made to me in person during your re-
cent visit to Washington, have to
reply that I have gone carefully over
| the evidence in the case and find my
| self unable to comply with your re-
quest, as the matter Of further action
| by the Navy Department is still pend
ing"