The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-07-12
MIDSHIPMEN IN DURANGO.
Liable to Four Years Confinement
on the Santee.

| Oh the Sdntec.
| Annapolis, Nd, July 12.-Thirty-seveI
naval cadets are prisoners on the United
| States ship Santee, and their term ol
sentence will not end until certain infor'
nation the superintendent desires to hav'
is forthcoming from the prisoners
| The cadets are all May cadets OF the
| fourth cass-that is, admitted To The acad-
envy last May-the rest being at sea or on
sleave. They had liberty on Monday AFTER
| noon in honor of the Fourth. An orde
had been issued restricting all explosion
| of firecrackers to a particular part OF th'
academy, but after supper the cadets Wert
| not allowed to leave the Santces wharf
| The cadets felt this order keenly, as they
| had not been guilty of anything, the.
| thought, to warrant It, and contrary u
| orders, two or three small torpedoes were
| fired off on the wharf.
The captain had his men spying out TO
| see who were the cuIprits, but nobody was
| detected. The cadets swung their ham,
| mocks at $50 o'clock, and all was quiet.
The bugle sounded the warning call, then
the call TO get into hammocks, and next
taps ray
When all on the ship had become silent
| a torpedo was exploded on the gun deck
The officer in charge ran out of his quar-
tiers and ordered everybody to turn out
and march up on the quarter deck. Lieut..
Heald came out of his apartments In
warm frame of mind and put the whole
class at attention"
The order was given for every one who
would pledge his honor that he had moth
ing whatever to do with firing the tor
/, ~eoo 20 e32 aside. Not man moved
The lieutenant kept silent few moments
and then ordered "ail who had nothing
TO do with the affair TO go below and
.um in.' Again not a man stirred from
the ranks.
The order then came to break ranks.
The cadets grouped in a squad and then
all were ordered below The cadets turn
ed in and the ship became quiet again.
There was the sound Of big explosion
aboard ship at 2 O'Clock in the morning
that aroused everybody on ship boa rd an
brought the neighbors out of ted. TWO
giant firecrackers had been fired off on
the berth deck.
The order was again given for everybody
to tern out and march to the qua rterdeck.
Lieut. Head asked that the man who
fired the crackers step forward and that
somebody point him out, but no enc Ie-
srondcd. He then gave the men who
would say that they had nothing 10 do
with the matter permission TO go below
and turn in. For the third time nobody
took advantage of the offer.
Lieut. Head was in earnest this time to
reach the culprt and indignant az the
stubbornness of tie cadets, and told them
they would have to stand at attention"
a most trying and tfresome attitude, until
somebody stepped forward and pointed
out tine man who did it, or the man him
self acknowledged the act.
Tie cadets remained at attention for
half an hour without sound, when, it is
said. a cadet fell from the ranks from en-
hausion and was carried below. IL is re-
ported that ten others fell from the ranks,
bur no Information about it can be obtained
The lieutenant relented and ordered the
cljss below at $40 O'Clock.
Several OF The cadets parents have been
refused admission TO the Santee to see their
toys. Supt Cooper has been calling on
members OF the class for statements, and
tn: authorities OF the academy are thor
Curhly aroused over the breach of 'lisc-
pine, and the determination of the cadets
mt 10 expos the culpnt IL they know him.
1t is asserted that the superintendent has
said he viii quarter this part Of the fourth
Class on the Santee for the full four yearsof
their acade mic course unless the name of he
Offender be furnished. That would cost
nearly every man his graduation. for the cut
of the academic curriculum is so cluSe a
man cannot waste the time going to and
from the Santee TO the section rooms
and keep up with his studies.
Supt. Cooper has posted this order:
Certain cadets have been guilty OF the
following narled offenscs during the even
ing and night of July 8, On board the United
states ship Santee tpractice ship used at
the Naval Academy:
First -Disobedience TO the superintend.
ent's order regarding the use OF explosives.
Second = DiSorderly conduct.
Third = Endangering Government prop
erty b. the reckless use of explosives on
board ship and On wharf.
Fourth Lack OF manliness in declining
to acknowledge their participation in these
events, thereby involving other cadets in
the necessary results.
at is hereby ordered that, until the
guilty cadets either knowledge them
selves or are pointed out by their class
mates, the entire class shall be restricted
on board the ship during all recreation
hours, and that q cadet shall be placed on
guard on the gun deck between taps and
rcveiie, to be held responsible for all
violations of discipline. The period of duty
will be two hours.
sit is not possible that the stigma now
resting on the class will be permitted TO
exist long. rs cadets well remember that
they are upon the threshold of a career
based upon honor and truth"
The cadets arc much exercised over the
situation. They cannot go ont to play,
and are marched In squads, under an
officer, whenever they leave the ship
They have held a class meeting to deter
mine what to do. Their conclusion has
not been made known, but the end will
doubtless be that the cadet who did the
act will own up rather than see the rest
Of his class suffer for his fun.
Cadets have shielded violators Of dis
cipline at great cost heretofore, but the
odds are against them, though Influence
may be brought in their favor Discipline
is the first order Of the Naval Academy.
and, hard as the luck is on the innocent,
the violator Of regulations must be run
down If possible at any cost.