Daily Kennebec journal., 1905-12-29
Naval Cadet Coffin Is Now
Under Court Martial
For Having Made a Freshman
Stand on His Head
l|r,iI Ne Became Unconscious --- hazed
Cadet illustrates Treatment.

Annapolis, Nd, Dec. 2S.-Court mar
tal proceedings against Midshlpman
TrenmOr Coffin, Jr., a member OF the
third class, on the charge OF haZing
1f;dsniprnan JerdOne Z. Kimbrough OF
th4 fourth class, began at the Naval
Academy today. The charge is support
al bv the specification that the accused
causad kimbrough to stand on his head
continuously for space OF 10 minutes
~. thereabouts and until he became
unconscious. This, it is specified, took
MACE on the evening of Dec. Il last, be-
tween and 80.
The court is composed of Capt. Ger
win p. Rees, president; Commander
Valentine S. Nelson, Prof. Philip +. AL
ecr Lieut.. Louis McC. Mutton and
Lieut.. John w. Timmons. Lieut.. Com
mandrr William X. Harrison is judge
adym.ate and L. s. Theal OF the Wash
iretnn bar is counsel for the accused.
The witnesses before the court today
were MidshipInan Kimbrough, who was
hazcd. Midshipman George w. Hewlett.
4 clagsmate Of the accused. and Lieut..
Commander Charles Il. McVey. Jr.. of
the department Of discipline at the
academy.
Iidshipmdn George W. Hewlett Of
third class was the first witness. Just
bcfora he was sworn, the counsel for
the accused asked the court to instruct
the witness as to his rights to with
hold testimony which would incrimi-
nate him, stress being laid on the pro-
vision Of the act Of Congress of 1874,
winch holds that anyone participating
in haZing or countcnancing haZing is
subject to dismissal.
III. witness testified that he had
looked in the door of room SO in Ban
croft hail. on the evening of Dec. II
and that lie had seen Kimbrough stand
in OH his head and Coffin and KIM
brough'S roommate in the room with
him. This information was elected af-
ter he had sought to cvade the queS-
ton on the grounds Of determination,
the witness stating that lie understood
that locking at haZinS vas an offence
under the law. The court, however.
compelled him to answer. The witness
continued ANA said that he left the vi
entity of room s.; and remained away
about five minutes. When he returned
Knnbr0ugh WAS still on his head and
Collin the only other person in the
I0oT.
The witness was asked to illustrate
what standing OF the head meant. lie
put his head on the floor md raised his
fcrt I reW inches from the ground in IL
srris ut jumps. The exercise appar-
entity put much strain on the legs
AMI 1rrls and was hard on the head.
knbrUugh also exhibited this per-
lorm@ucr to the court Il little later.
Midshirman kimbrough was the next
witness ana it dcveloDed that lie was
unable to identify Coffin as the man
who had hazcd him. The rule, it APP
rr,trs is that no lower classmah must
look ut an upper classman under such
circumstances and this was 50 rigid!y
"hS,rSCd in the present case that KIM
bruU@n could not say that Coffin had
haZcd him. He told. however. how he
had been haLcd by being compelled to
Stand ON his head. He lud been haZcd.
he said. until he gave out entirely.
Tncu the midShipman who was doing
The nuIing threw water over him and
compelled him to so on again. He
brought the relation up to the point
where lie lost consciousness. He had
rcSained consciousness, he said. in the
Naval Academy hospital. His arms,
legs and head We're very sore.
Lieut.. Commander Charles T.. McNey
Jr., WAS the last witness during the
morning session. He is attached to the
departmc of discipline at the acade-
my and is Il member of the board of
Investigation now going into the SUBJ
Jfct of hazing at the academy. Ihe
Witness said during his testimony that
Il" had learned great deal about haZ-
Ing during the last few weeks. He said
That he was Cn duty in Bancroft Hall
on the evening of Dec. II. He had
found kimbrough in bed, which was
contrary to the regulations at that
TINE. He had questioned him and found
tna, iie was apparently unconscious
and had summoned the academy sur
geon. by whom Kimbrough was re-
ln"vnh to the hospital.
The witness then investigated the
matter with the object of finding out
VINO mad haZed Kimbrough, the fact
mat he had been haZed having Decn
elected from his roommate. He dis
covered that Midshipman Hewlett had
looked into the room and seen the haZ-
ing. He then informed Hewlett that
unless he told the name of the MD
shlpran he would either be reported
Tor d'sobeying orders or called before
Continued on Page Two.)