National Republican., 1883-02-08
Tho Cadets Say They We're Imprisoned Simply
For the Customary Cheering,
The Curious Offense OF the Cadet who
Began All the Trouble.
The Seven Principal Offenders to be Released from
Their Solitary Confinement
A Probability that the Apologies Made
WIN Have TO be Remodcled.
UNSATISFACTORY APOLOGIES.
SDecidl Dispatch.


emy since last Wednesday were released this
afternoon from their solitary imprisonment
The other cadets charged with insubordina-
tion, it is understood, have each prepared an
apology, and will present IL to Superintendent
Ramsay 1t is believed that the document
said to have been presented to the superin-
tendent on Friday, and signed by majority
of the mutinous cadets was not satisfactory to
the superintendent, and hence tho cadets have
been called upon to forward separate apolo-
gies for their conduct in the late troubles.
BY Associated Prtss.
ANSAPoLIs, MD, Feb. THE seven naval
cadets who were placed in solitary coniine-
lnent on the ship Santee for week for
writing an insubordinate letter to the super
intendent of the naval academy We're released
this afternoon at o'clock, the sentence hay
ing expired.
Capt Ramsay states that the recent trouble
at the academy with the cadets has not in the
least interfeTed with the daily routine of
study and has not even caused the omission
of o single recitation. He denies the pub
lished statement that he had been harsh or
uncivil to newspaper mon who had called at
the academy for information in regard to the
situation. He says he allowed the corre-
spondents every facility in their business,
own views on the subject, on the ground that
it was his duty to report first TO his superior
officer, the secretary of the navy, he gave the
correspondents permission to get whatever
information or views the other officers OF the
academy, or even the cadets, chose to give
them. He had not as yet made an official
report of the trouble but expects to do so in a
short time. His visit to the secretary of the
navy yesterday was principally for the pur-
pose of submitting report of the recent semi
annual examination of the cadets
THE CADETS SIDE OF THE STORY.
SDecidl Letter.
ANNAPOLIS, Feb. 6.-There have been no
new orders at the academy to-day in refer
ence to the academy troubles, and there arc
not likely to be any new developments until
the matter has been reported officially to the
department.. The cadets have furnished for
publication an authentic statement of the
troubles, the correctness of which is certified
to by the presidents of the classes and a large
majority of the cadets. 1t is as follows:
From tho numerous contradictory, and
hence necessarily erroneous, reports circulated
by the press of the count try respecting the
difficulty existing at the naval academy, the
public must have undoubtedly derived opin-
ions derogatory, to say the least, to the cadets
and not very fattering to the superintendent
article to explain the present situation, and
also to inform the public of the real
causes which led to the present al
legged mutinous conduct of the cadets.
This alleged mutinous conduct, in the
first place. as the authorities have implied,
is but mole hill magnited into the proper
tions of a mountain; and what it consists of
and its immediate causes are simply rs fol-
lows: During the late semi-annual eNamina-
ton in naval architecture Cadet Woodruff, of
the first class, left the examination room, and,
while absent posted in place visited by
cadets solutions of four of tho problems ON
the examinations that they might fall into
the hands of q fellow student, who, it is stated,
though not an idler, was fearful of the result
of the examination. This attempt to give as
sistance failed, however, as the paper posted
almost immediately fell into the hands of an
officer, and Mr.. Woodruff states that he was
aware that his attempt had failed before re-
turning to the examination room, and ii
would not be out of place here to say that the
gentleman has five witnesses to uphold him
in this statement.
The instructors in charge of the examina-
tion We're Immediately Informed of the dis
COvery of these papers, and as they had every
reason to believe Mr. Woodruff had posted
them, il would seem, and the circumstances
surrounding their actions fully justified such
a view, they deliberately formed plan not
only to force Cadet Woodruff to convict him
self, but also to tempt him, and even drive
him, if possible, into q falsehood; for they
drew up a statement to the effect that they
had received or given no assistance during
the examination, and presented it TO Mr..
Woodruff with the Injunction, Read and sign
this" Cadet Woodruff signed the paper, of
course, though he states he regretted
aiterward that he had ever given the ap-
pearance of certifying to falsehood But
from these facts il is evident that Mr.. Wood
ruif was not guilty, either morally or techni-
cally, of ialSehOOd, since, when he signed the
statement he was fully aware that the eXam-
Piles which he had posted had not and could
not fall into the hands of a cadet. Mr. Wood
ruff was, as u matter of course, reported for
attempting to give assistance at an eXamina-
ton, and also for dishonorable conduct in
subscribing, upon his honor to ialsehood;
and although he made a statement of the cir
cuustlnCes surrounding the case he was en-
tcred upon the record of the academy for dis
honorable conduct, Notwithstanding his pre-
vlOus pnyiable reputation for honesty and up
r%htpess, aud also given twenty-five delnerits,
besides being deprived of his cadet rank.
ANY one Of these punishments is evidently
severe the Rrst especially 50, for to be given
n Standing record of falsehood, even in civil
life would be most significant, to say the
lpast hut in Mr. Woodruf's position such a
record has double Significance which can
only he realized by one thoroughly acquainted
with the etlquet of naval life
IL justice il is due to Mr.. Woodruff to add
her@ that every cadet ut the naval academy
helitves to amap that he is not guilty of false
hood, either in fact or in intention, and they
sincerely wish that the country at large should
knoY this, that IL may have its weight in
righ ling in the public mind the great wrong
thai they honestly believe has been done their
comrpde, though unintontionally, by the
press. On the publication of Cadet WoodruFs
puniihmeuts there was no disorder exhibited
by the battalion, and the cadets say that there
was nothing further from their thoughts.
They further state that although they SYM
pathiIe with that gentleman in his unjust
disgmpe, il was not because he had endeay-
ored 10 give assistance ut an examination and
thus violated the regulations Of the academy,
but BECAUSE Mr., Woodruff, standing as he does
at the bead of his class, had generously risked
everything, with nothing to gain, in order to
help qlassmate in need, and further, because,
as il has been before stated, they believed tho
charge df falsehoOd to be without foundation
but they say that, however strong the sym
pathy fhis fellow cadets might have been, it
may be anthoritatively stated that he would
not have been oheered, even though his pun
4 irhment had been double what il was, had it
not been an old and nover-helure-
questioned custom TO cheer cadet
officer when deprived of his cadet
rank. The cheering of Cadet Woodruff,
which the cadets say was the primary, imme-
diate cause he all tho trouble, took place right
after daHoF on the day on which his punish
ment was published, and was participated i'm
by tYo-thirdF of the members OF the academy.
The cheering consisted merely of three hearty
cheprg aud then the uarfi ,,,.,,t