Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-26

fort would be made to keep the fight a
secret after It had occurred.
NO said the witness, 1.-The matter, as a
rule, is simply dropped.
Admiral Mccormick asked whether when
fight was interrupted by the officers 1t
would be resumed at some future time.
Witness answered that the matter depend
ed entirely upon the participants.
Broke Cadets Jaw.
Midshipman Harvey Delano, In reply to
questions as to the extent of injuries In
fiicted In the fights, said that he knew of
one case, a fight between third and fourth
classman IN which the fourth classman's
jaw was broken, and he resigned from the
academy as soon as he got out of the hos
pital. In this case the fourth classman
was Cadet Pierson and his opponent Third
Classman Blazden of New York.
Although not introduced in the evidence,
1t may be recalled that'sthis case was the
Department a the time. Pferson knew
nothing about boxing, and the third class
assigned Blazdell, who was an expert
fighter, to meet him. The fight lasted bare
ly five minutes. Pierson was in the hos
pital for month after and was under
treatment for a long time after he had re-
signed from the academy. NO olnclai ac-
ton followed In this case.
1t was at this point. after Midshipman
Delano had recounted some things that had
been told him about the Person BiaZdeii
ed to cumulative and hearsay evidence.
Counsel Robinson for the defense arose
and stated that he was prepared TO prove
more cases of serious injury resulting from
fights and cases in which explicit reports
had been made to the authorities without
any official action having been taken
The court was cleared while Commander
Wainwright's objection was considered. 1t
was announced after the reoceninS that
the defense would be allowed to introduce
cumulative evidence, but that hearsay evil
dence was hereafter to be excluded.
Midshipman Churchill Humphrey of the
second class recounted an occasion during
the cruise of the Atlanta last year wnen
he had officiated as referee at hght on
shipboard- In this case the hght had osen
between cadets who were classmates. he
was called uD by the commandant, VINO
said it was great pity fights should occur
between classmates when there were SO
many occasions when a man had TO nght:
He wished hereafter that Humphrey would
see to il that fights were settled ashore, as
fight in the presence of the enlisted men.
fight in the presence or IN enilSteo men.
Asked whether gloves were usually USED
in fights Humphrey replied that fights or
dinarily were with bare fists, but gloves
were sometimes used to protect the hands.
Terms of the Code.
He was also questioned to the treat
ment of a man who refused to accept
challenge He replied that this very sell
dom happened. but in one case last Septem-
ber as president of the class. he had been
compelled to threaten man with coventry
if he did not agree to fight.
''What was the resui.?' was asked.
"He accepted said Humphrey, but the
fight did not come off after all.
Midshipman Humphrey went into the
subject of the code extensively and ex-
planned when an affront was considered
personal affair and when class affair. II
a class decided that man need not accept
a challenge he was not obliged to fight On
the other hand if a quarrel was taken up
as a class affair by the second-year men a
first-year man would be called out in sue
ceSSion by every man of the sccond-year
class until he was finally whipped.
AS to the result of personal encounters,
Humphrey said that they usually left the
fighters much more eharitahly disposed to-
ward each other than before~th meeting.
Te had fight with Meriwether some time
ago. and whipped him, but he'was now on
terms OF the warmest friendship with him.
Officers Knew What Was Going On.
In reply to Lieut. Constien, Humphrey
said that the fights usually came directly
under the notice of the hospital authorities
and Indirectly before the executive officers