Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-22
A COLORED MILDLY.
Ii Is Expected That Representative
Cheatham VIII Appoint One.

THE SECOND CASE OF THE KrSp-THE FIRST COL
oRED NAVAL CADET AND HIS EXPERIENCES
MIS- CLASSMATES WOULD NOT FENCE WITH HIM
HOW THE PRESENT SITUATION OCCURRED
Appointments Of naval cadets are beginning
to flow into the Navy Department to fill the
vacancies that will be caused by the gradua-
ton OF the class in June; hut there is one
vacancy already existing that is not
yet filed and that attracts some
attention among officers. This vacancy is to
the credit of Representative Cheatham of the
second district of North Carolina, the only
colored man in Congress- and it therefore be-
comes direct probability that the new cadet
will be of the dark race.
THE SECOND OF THE KIND.
This will be the second instance of the kind
and the outcome will be noted with intense
interest by every man in the service. But Mr..
Cheatham is holding off without giving any in
dication of what he intends TO do. and prob
ably will not announce his appointment until
late in the season.
THE FIRST coLoEED CADET.
The other time that colored cadet went TO
the academy there was quite a good deal OF
trouble as a result He was stunned by all his
NidoStudSe anu OtutT TGluStu
oppose him in their fencing lessons.
After a while it was noted by the
cadet engineers that they were being assigned
10 cross swords with the colored boy regularly
instead of the cadet midshipmen. so they put
their heads together and the next time one of
on principle. He was court-martialed
and dismissed, but the affair reached the news
papers and raised row that led to an investi-
cation. The colorcd cadet was afterward
"bilged" for non-efficiency.
How THE PRESENT VACANCY ocCrRs.
The present situation arises from peculiar
state OF affairs. One cadet reported another
for trivial offense and the latter thinking
that it was meant as a personal affront. chal-
lenged the other to fist fight. The chal.
lenge was accepted and the fight
took place one night, seconds attending each
combatant Jenkins, the challenger. knocked
out his antagonist so completely that he had
TO be taken TO the hospital. this leading TO a
discovery of the affair. Jenkins was court
martialed and sentenced to be dsm;sse and
the case held in the Office \ OF the
Secretary for some days awaiting his decision.
1t was, of course, clearly seen that his dis
inissal meant the chance of a colored cadet at
the academy, and this fact had some bearing
on the delay. for Cadet jenkins appointed
from the second North Carolina district.
JENKINS MAY GET BACK.
Since his dismissal, which was finally ap-
proved by the Secretary, jenkins has been stir
ring around with great energy 10 get into the
service in some way. but without success. He
first made an effort to obtain an appointment
to West Point. but this was not rewarded
and now he seeks to he made cadet in the
revenue marine service. lnasmuch this or
ganization is likely to be transferred 10 the
navy, and as jenkins is very apt TO gain his
point, for he has brought some very strong in
fiuence TO the front, it looks as though he
might yet get back into the navy after all He
appealed to Secretary Tracy TO approve iis ap-
plication. but that official dissented on the
ground that he would thereby be going back
on his former decision.