Naval Court Of Enquiry.
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may be tried.


Naval Court of Enquiry.


NAVY DEPARTMENT,


WAsHINGToN October g. lS45.


The Court met pursuant to adjournment Present all
the members, the Judge Advocate, and Lieutenant Nc
LaughD


w H. WALL was called and sworn.


By the JUpGE 4pyocArE-I am a merchant, and reside
at Key West, Florida; am at present member of the
Senate OF Florida
not coucilae with for the purpose OF charging extra
VACANT prices. offered TO purchase the houses on In
dian Key second time, but did not offer an advance
upon my first offer do not consider the houses them.
selves worth the amount offered for them and the and
my offer to purchase two Of the buildings including
lands in fee simple for the of s. ooo the two build
ings should suppose would cost about 600 to erect
them. A table was then shown the witness, of the
prices paid for lumber by Lieut. Mclaughlin and upon
being asked concerning the rates charged for that article
consider the lumber low at the price named
in the table, deal great deal in lumber, and could not
afford to deliver them at that price As general rule,
the wages paid for house.carpenters So day The
prices named in the table lower than they be OBJ
to cut alcLaughifn did not think exceed 50 oo6 my
bills however, file, and will show the precise
amount; cannot say positively to the amount;
my general sales for the year amounted to about
$50 o0o the prices charged TO Lieut.. Mclaughlin were
the same charged to other persons have had dealings
with other departments OF the government, and refer
YOU for Comparison TO those on file in the Treasury De-
parment. The goods bought of me- and sold to the diff
ferent vessels furnished upon requison signed
by commander OF vessel and receiped for by the Of





Laughln upon his receipt; very small portion of the
goods were sold to Commander Mclaughlin, who in
command OF the schooner Firt and most of them
sold TO the other vessels Lieut. Mel very rigid
in the settlement OF his accounts than any other
person with whom had had dealings. If 1t. McLaugh-
Inns dealings with to be regarded index
his dealings with Others should say, most postiv ely,
that there collusion whatever between him and
any other person The value OF Spanish doubloon
the coast of Florida was Sl7.


By the CouRr.-Upon New York prices, the profit
would be- goods purchased there from IS to 100 per
cent This large profit occasoned by the expense Of
living and the risk Of life and the natural deterioration
OF goods, caused by the climate; did not examine all
the buildings erected by Lieutenant Mclaughlin In
dian Keys did not examine the two buildings offered
70 buy; was in of them; did not examine the
buildings, unable TO state what ought be their
costs previous to making offer to purchase the two
buildings, hada description Of them from Lieutenant
Mclaughlin at the time spoke to him about purchas
ing them, he described hem did not notice any waste
were attentive to their duty, and very vigant;
noticed no waste OF the government property


By the JupcE ADrocArE.-As near as can recollect
building, story high, with loft; the size of the
building about 40 so feet wde by 20 so feet in
length the other building about % feet square,
with portco all round about wide and finished
insde that building was finished building with panel
think was white washed; | expected to get about an
Of land with the two buildings | ofered to pur-
chase; intended to the building pied for hos
pal a stores the other building be used oc.
cuped as dwelling by the person who kept the store:
parposss rather than not get them at that time the IT,
tie could have been perfected, would have given per-
hnps $4,000 for them.


A. o. DAYTON, fourth auditor, recalled-rseveral
questions in writing having been submitted him get
the required information in his ofice The first is not
susceptible of There separate appropr-
alton for year ending the June ls42 the APP
preparations made fer the fiscal year. and the fiscal
year at that time terminated on the 3Ist December
ls4a the appropriation ending the slst December
1912 for medicines and surgical instruments, hospital
diton to the expended balance if any of former appro.
priaops, was $4,000; as have already stated that
there no separate appropriation for the ending
md nj tad IN such
posed appropriation it is not susceptible of an


By the CoURT-Two bills were handed the 4th Audi
tor and he asked to say which the paid to
Mr.. Carter. He replied think the word potatoes
used after the barrels" think the question be
answered with certainty by Mr.. Etherdge my i'm.
preston upon the subject is, that derived my niorna
ton from him; cannot say with certainty that did;
ton was asked enc was duplicate Of the other and he
answered that he thought he In of them
there appeared to be omission the word
oarels think in that it is probable that it is clerical



BY Lieut.. McL.ueHLrs.-I think Mr.. winder first
called my attention to those bills and believe it was az
ter the account was settled.


Passed Mdshipman A. MURRAY recalled--I was paid
in doublooHs at SIT each was in Havana in July last
and passed them at S6 Spanish ounces passed at S7
each; passed them on the Key at that.


By the CoURT-I made no objection to receiving those
doubloons at that rate.


By Lieut. McLAuGHLS. Il do not remember ever ha
wing received fr ON Lieut. Mclaughlin in pay Spanish
doubloon. am positive they were all Patriot Mcx
can doubloons do not remember having received, at
any time Spanish ounces do not remember particularly





was paid by others, but by whom do not remember.
was paid between December, lsll, and June 1912.
think passed the doubloons, with two excep.
tons, at S7 eacn. At New Orleans passed ounces at
SIC or less, not exceeding that sum


LiEurHNAST MEAD, U 5 Navy sworn-I had at a Ger.
tain time, on board Of his vessel a conversation with
Lieu ensnt Mclaughlin To the best of my recollection
it about the 9th OF November 1899 was attached
to the brig Washington of the Coast of Survey return.
ing from our summers labors for season. The
ner Wave was at anchor with sails rnast.headed and
ready 10 30 out il necessary. Lieutenant McLaurhin
came alongside after we were anchored, and earnestly
requested TO 60 board OF his vessel and return with
the pilot, which declined doing but consented as he
had beating wind down to the battery, if he intended
landing there. He replied, that he had 10 land MI
shocco Jones' of Shocco NJ c. who was on board of his
vessel at that time He told that time that ho had
something very vitality important to communicate
mud asked me to go on board and went alongside o.
my going board, he got the vessel under way II,
then seated himself with along the trunse OF hi
vessel whore he disclosed to the following facts Ill
said ne regretted very deeply his Of the year pre-
vious, which had severed friendships he felt III
there would be byesde, which was prompted by tn,
pest feelings. He parted with me. Lowell Pu rdy, with
wnon ne was living for four five months at N. York
said that he considered him scoupdre and that he hae
treated him badly He tir. McL) stated to me that hs
naa recovered the estate Of the late Luke
Iiernan Esq o Baltimore the most of which he was
about to settle upon his sister He added thai he could
now Dc aole 70 relieve me In my pecuniary difficulties
which he snqured into He stated that ho had ttIe ~
money OF his own with him and that he had m
list to Mr.. Shocco Jones' to be deposited in one ~ ,h
banks to the credit OF his sister He al ths san " % se
told that he had some Government MONEY NJ rhich ~
offered to me, and went below and brought Il mn
! refused to receive it, in stho kindest manner mr.
gng him TO use money which did not belono "
him. and referred to the Of the late Lieut. Rober,
Randolph He stated at the same time that he could re
fund the money TO the government upon his arrival al
Mobile or Pensacola refused to receive IL requesting
him to settle two of my debts viz in Pensacola which
he promised to do he also volunteered to all m,
liabilities, which he never did.


Mr. WirpRR recalled-When the vouchers of Lien,
Mclaughlin was placed in his hands among them wa
one !No 100 which contained among other items