The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-12-30
CLOSE OF HAzING TRIAL.
COURT-MARTIAL OF MTDSHIP-
 MAN COFFIN.

E.
 ner or a Number of similar Cases
 Decatur Case Next.
 Annapolis, Md, Dec. 2s.-The second day's session of the coiirt:martial of Midshipman Trenmor1 Coffin, Jr., for the alleged hazing aofsMidshipInan Jer- done P. Kiinbrough, began this morn- ing. There'is greatainterest iD the case, as 1t is generally regarded as the fore runner of a series of eases, the facts in which have been 4.discoyered by the board of investigation, now in session at the Academy Theglittie courtroom In the temporary building at the Acad- emy was full of spectators. An hour was. consumed at ttie opening of the session in reviewing the testimony giv- en yesterday. <. &w8a5 2" D..
 The first witness to-day was Mid shipman overdown, Whitmeyer, the roofn-nlate of Kimbrough He was in- troduced by the proseeution to rebut the. testimony reneoting on Kim brongh'sy character, for truthfulness. Hessaid that he had, never heard Kim brough's reputation for yeracity ques- toned, and that In his personal rela- tions he had always found Kimbrough truthful. s%+ #Ha 4 SrTgt+-'1,'E 2
 Frank A. Braisted,s a clsss-mate, gave uiT E,Ss. tion the witness said that some mem bers of the class thought that Kim brough had not told tho a'truth in regard to the matter before the court, but that the ideas on the subject were very mixed. 5% .g ., aa. <.
 There were no further witnesses and arguments of counsel fbegan. E. s. Theall opened the argument. He call- ed attention to tie4sprHsnmptton that thesaccused was innocent, and also that no presumption of guilt arose from Coffin not taking the stand. He then addressed the court on the matter of the testimony of Midshipman Hewlett. The court, he said, had ruled that Hew- lett. who saw Coffin in the room when Kimbrough was standing on his head. did not incriminate himself in. telling the fact. The evidence, he claimed, did not show that Coffin had done anything more than Hewlett so that the court stood committed to the contention that nothing justifying the charge of hazing had been found. .,.* :: :.s 4,s
 r- FLieutenant- Commander Mcvey's tes-t timony as to the confession,", he said, was not to be considered, because 1t had been plainly shown that the alleg- ed confession was not voluntary, but thatit had been brought out by induce- ments offered by that officer"
 Commander Harrison, the judge-advocate, quoted from Winthrop on military form in regard to the rules governing the introduction of evidence as to 8 confession. He made no further. remarks and the case was given to the court.
 The record in the Coffin case will go at once to Admiral Sands for his action; though Mir Theall, counsel for Coffin, has filed a request that it be forwarded to the secretary of the navy for review in the same communication he. urges that 8 verdict of guilty, if rendered, bel set aside, that the navy regulations were violated by allowing Kimbroughs to testify when he could not identify. the accused, and also, because he was not allowed to pursue a line of !ques- tioring to impeach Kimbrougl1's testi. mony by showing, that his reputation. for yeracity was not good.
 After the disposalaof the Coffin case the court will take up that of Midship-,. man Stephen Decatur, jr., a member of the first class, the charge of hazings against whom rests on four specifica- tions. Three of these refer to the haz- ing of Isaac N. McCrary of Calvert, Tex, and the other to the hazing of Gaylord Church of Meadville, Penn. Both of these are members of the fourth class It is alleged that Decatur hazed the former by compelling him to stand on his head, and also by con1- polling him to continue two different physical exercises until he reached the point of exhaustion. Tn connection with Church, similar specification is made.
 Decatur stands No.s6 in class of 11s members, which will graduate early next year. He will make a bitter fight against conviction, and 1t is under stood that he deniesthe charges abso- Iutely. It is likely that he Will only; be arraigned this afternoon, and that the trial will proceed tomorrow morn- ing. .,!t
 Midshipman Warren A. Danderveer of Mount Holly. N. J., who Is under charge of neglect of duty in failing to report Kimbrough's condition, though 1t had been made known to him by an inspection, will have to be tried by court assembled in a" different man. ner than the others. as the law under which the present eoNEtawasFo sFoenstitutss| .aed apRAss Onlx to oaaeA of tazlaGs !