Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1905-11-28
DIR. GATENOOD IESTIFIES.
MAKES FAVORABLE DISCOVER
les FOR ACCUSED.
Proceedings At Close of Hearings
VIII Be Very Similar To
Those In Civil
Cases.

Those In Civil
Cases.
The first introduction Of the expert
medical testimony by the defense was
the feature of this mornings session
of tic court-mhrtial before which
Midshipman Minor Meriwether is be-
ing tried on charges of causing the
death Of the late Midsb ipman James
Branch. Jr., as result of the fist
fight between the two some weeks ago.
Thesprincipal witness was DR. j. G.
Gatewood, U. S. N, who represented
the defense as witness of the au-
topsy on the body Of Branch Sunday
morning. His testimony was alto
getl er favorable to Meriwether and
seemed to indicate that there had been
a hemoIrhage in the brain of the de-
ceased, caused by a ruptured blood
vessel obtained in one of the falls dur
ing the fight. He said further that
had the operation the night after the
fight been performed ON the left in
stead of the right side of the head,
this would have been found to be so
at the time. The witness. in reply to
cross examination by Captain Mark,
said that he did not think that his
know ledge of the case would have
been increased had he, the witness.
been present at the operation as we'll
as the autopsy.
While these points. which are of
paramount Importance, were brought
out, the testimony of DR.. Gatewood
was full of technicalities, which prac-
tically prevented the prosecution from
in any way tripping him or ,upsetting
the main disclosures. The examina-
tion was made by the medical experts
on both sides, DR.. l.. w. Glazebrook,
of Washington, taking mp the conduct
Of the case fer the defense, Surgeon
Stokes, II. S. N. prosecuting the case
for Captain Mark and the govern
ment. There were continuous clashes
Dr. Stokes endeavored to pin down
the witness, as did the others en-
gagged, but the witness was too slip
perry. 1t was one of the most clever
examples of expert testimony and the
ability of the expert to take care Of
himself seen in long while.
The chief feature was the declara-
tion that had the examination of
Bran 3h s brain been made on the left
side by DIR. Finney and tile Others en-
gagged in the operation, the hemorr-
hage and elot which, in the opinion
of DR.. Gatewood, caused the death,
would have been fonnd This is the
direct conflict and was so important
that Mr.. Rose, for the prosecution,
objected to the introduction of any
reference to what might have been. )"
The defense proved that this was
brought out by questions from the
court and not by their side. 1t was a
point we'll taken and most effective.
DIR. Mccormack was re-introduced
and cross questioned by the defense as
to the condition of midshipmen who
had come to the hospital for treat
ment when he was on duty at the local
station. While it was not brought
out that these men cited had been par
ticipants in fights. that was the idea
presented. The Doctor said that ne
had attended TO many midshipmen
while lie was at the Academy who
had reported at the sick bay for treat
ment for badly battered faces. So
far as the external injuries and abra-
sions went, many of these had pre-
sented a much worse condition than
had teen noticeable on the outside of
Branch's head.
Tie star witness Of the day, DR..
Gatewood, was then placed on the
stand, where he still was at the time
of adjournment shortly before
O'Clock. Although he was subjected
to cross. examination which had some
thing of the Sweating" process in
it, he came off unruffied and with de-
cidedly the bes of the argument.
The defense will this afternoon
place on the stand Medical Inspector
Howard i. Ames, whose testimony,
while not 50 full, will be along the
same lines as that of Dr.. Gatewood.
It is expected that even better de-
velopments in favor Of Meriwether
will be brought out by him.
The usual routine of the hearing
was carried out today, those wit
nesses who had already testified being
presented corrections in their testi-
mony.
The case seems to be growing in in
teress as tue days go by and each ses.
sion sees an increase in the5number OF
the gallery During DR.. Gate
wood IS testimony this morning Lieut..
Commander II. Mel. p. Huse, U. S.
n, entered the room accompanied by
"A party of Annapolis Academy society
members who were given chairs at
vantage points on the floor. In the
party were Mrs. Huse. Mrs. ID. r.
Randall, Miss Jean HuEe and Miss
Rosalie Porter. The Rev. w. L.
Twamley was also an interested spec
tator.
Fer the first time in the course of
the trial the accused midshipman
showed nervousness. He was known
to have desired that it would not be
necessary to exhume the body of
Branch, and the rather gruesome ad-
missions by the expert witnesses this
morning visibly affected him.
Interest in the final days of the
trial iis manifested. Although "the
end is not yet in sight the procedure
is settled Following the submission
Of the final testimony offered by the
prosecution in rebnttal there will be
arguments by counsel for both the
prosecution aud the defense. The
court room will then be cleared for
the last time and the officers compos-
ing the body proceed to the finding
of their recommendations and the
making up of their report to the
higher authorities of the navy. The
findings and recommendations of the
court will then be sent to Washington
and passed upon by Secretary of the
Navy Bonaparte and the Judge Advo-
cate General as to the form and legal
points and report will then be made
to President Roosevelt, in whose hands
lie the final power of sentence,
whether to accept the recommenda-
tions or modify them