Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-09
GUILTY NOT FOUND
PERSONS WHO SOLD MARINE
CORPS QUESTIONS.

Gen. Elliott, commandant of the Marine
Corps, has issued statement in regard to
certain alleged Irregularities in the recent
examination at the Washington navy yard
of civilian candidates for appointment as
second lieutenants in the Marine Corps. 1t
had been charged that the examination
papers had been offered for sale for $780,
The examination was conducted by
board of which Maj. Ell K Cole was presi-
dent and Lieut.. d. c. McDougall the re-
corder. The candidates who presented
themselves for examination were:
Albert L. Boyle. Egbert j. Buckbee, Will
lam M Buckley, Louis F. Chamberlain.
Jesse S. Condee, Randolph Coyle, Horatio
N. w. Dunseith, Benjamin B. Gossett. Sid
ney Griggs, Haroll NJ. Howe Norman c.
Jones, William H. King, jr. Corp William
H. Lester, U. S. NJ. c.; Thomas j. Madigan,
Jr, Daniel S. Miller, Corp. Gilbert II. Miller,
Y. S. M. G.; Henry c. Newberry, Joseph B.
Pate, John w. Philip, Harold d. Pratt,
Bennett Puryear, j., Ralph n. Robson, Os-
H Schlesinger, Sergt. Thomas w.
Scott, U. S. NJ. c.; James A. Shaw, jr..
William B. Smith, Philip H. Torrey and
William c. Wise, jr.
In his statement Gen. Elliott said that
when the examination was nearly com
peted the president of the board received
an anonymous communication. inclosing
list of questions on the subject of geogra-
ply upon which the candidates were to
have been examined the day following.
THAT paper said Gen. Elliott. was not
a verbatim copy of the geography exami-
nation, but it covered all the points which
the candidates were questioned concerning
it. The anonymous communication also
stated that certain of the candidates had
been supplied with copies of the questions
on grammar, arithmetic and geometry, in
which they had previously been examined,
and in which they made exceptionally high
marks. But on other subjects their marks
were below the necessary 90 per cent re-
quired for qualification. They would not,
therefore, have qualified for their commits
sions even with the aid of the purchased
questions.
THE members of the board, upon receipt
Of the geography examination paper, pre-
pared a new set of questions, which were
submitted to the candidates the following
day. Orders were then given for re-eXaml-
nation of all the candidates. Three of the
candidates by this time were suspected of
having had the questions before the exami-
nation. In the second examination they
fell low upon the very subjects which their
advance information had enabled them to
pass high on in the first test. They failed
to qualify for commissions.
Began Investigation.
1.-The members of the examining board
thereupon began rigid investigation to
ascertain the leak They have yet found
no clew. They suspect certain candidate
WHO ildU Idlleu 10 pass the pllSSicdl eHdIlI-
nation, which precedes the mental examina
ton, of having purchased the papers. When
this candidate found himself physically dis
qualified he abandoned his idea of taking
the mental examination, and is believed to
have sold the questions or to have given
them to other candidates about to write the
mental examination. OF this, however, Gen.
Elliott nor the members of the board have
no certain knowledge.
Among officers of the Marine Corps there
is gossip that the unsuccessful candidate
referred to declared that he had paid S1C0
for the examination papers, and that he
offered them tor sale, with the statement
that it was necessary to get back what they
cost"
The offense charged in this case is punish
able by law, but SO far no one has been
implicated. AS result of the investigation,
however, it has been determined that eX-
animation papers hereafter shall be pre-
pared by the board in writing, and will
not be put in printed form.