Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1905-12-14
TO TAKE DRASTIC MEASURES
TO PUT DOWN HAZING AT THE
NAVAL BCADEMY.
Bows Parents Claim The Institu-
tion Is Run By ''Hoodlums
And Rufians. -

i
serious outbl eal IN the last few DAYS,
is tully evidence by the statement
/ made by one of the officials today, in
which it was intimated that the most
| drastic measures would be taken in
the cases Of those mi6shipmen who
| are found 60 have had any connection
with the unpleasantness practioed en-
| the fourth clasSnen by the members
Of the higher classes.
| There is reason to believe that
| nothing short of dismissal will follow
when guilt is fastened upon any of
| the midshipmen as the result of the
| investigating board which will hold
| daily sessions with the view of prob
| ing 10 the root of the affair The in.
| ference is plain, therefore. that Rear
| Admiral James X. Sands, superinteu-
| dent of the institution has recommend
| ed to the Navy Department that Mid
shipman Trenmore Coffin. Jr, Of
| Carson City, Nevada. be dismissed
from the service for the torture 60
| which he subjected Jerdone =. Kim
| brough. Of Germantown, Tenn, on
the night of Tuesday last in the prac.
| tiCe of hazing
Later developments in tho case are
/ TO the effect that young Kimbrough
was so physically exhausted as tile
| result of the exhaustive exercise
| which he was made Il do aud from
/ standing on his head that it was
/ stated by authority this morning that
| he was near the point of death Had
| he not been carried 20 the hospital
immediately after being discovered
unconscious in his room, it is believed
/ that he would have been beyond the
aid of the surgeons. However, the
! discovery was made in the nick Of
| time. aud the surgeons after working
| on the patient for some minutes, sue.
| ceeded in reviving him.
| Inquiry at the Academy sick quar-
| tiers this morning developed the fact
| that Kimbrough is in an improved
condition today, as is also Midship-
man Henry G. Cooper, Jr., of Oxford,
N G who suffered "a stroke of paraly-
| sis while in a class room Yesterday.
| Although the officials are inclined ca
accept the statement OF Cooper that
| he had not been hazed for thres
months, there is considerable specula
tion as to what induced the hemCr
rhage of the brain which occurred
after being carried to the hospital.
Cooper vocal organs were also partly
| affected by the stroke. and hemor
rhage of the brain, in the opinion OF
medical men, are not liable TO oocui
except from some external injury oi
physical strain, therefore the eXaci
| origin of the paralysis to a youth OF
II years of age, is a matter OF peou
liar circumstance.
When the case of hazing was first
| brought 20 the attention Of the board
| of Investigation, the officers immo
diately began inquiry, and as sus.
| picion rested upon Coffin, he was sam
| moned before the board and confessed
his guilt at once. 1t is believed that
| others participated in the torture %
| Ikimbrough, but as yet non9 have heeu
| discovered by the officers. Midship
man Warren A. Vanderyeer, who Is
also under suspension, is thought tC
be connected with the matter for not
| reporting the offense, which is ia the
line of duty Of q midshipman il
charge of a floor. Warren was OF
| duty on the floor where the haziug OF
| Kimrough Was In progress. Both
| Coffin and Vanderveer are now con
fined aboard the old frigate Hartford
| the receiving ship of the Academy
| awaiting the outcome Of the action O.
| the Department.
While the existence Of hazing ha,
| been known fer the slast severa
months, naval circles and the publi'
in general has been greatly stirrec
| over the present instance withsits bTu
tai circumstances 1t is common
knowledge that every member Of th'
present fourth class has had more on
less of the hazing or running evel
since their entrance into the Acad
emy last summer It has interferet
with the studies of the youths to {
large extent, and many failures in th'
class are expected when the semi-an
nual examinations are held in FebTu
airy next.
SIR. John @. Pittus, Kimbrough
grandfather, of Memphis, Tenn, wh'
is here, had telegram this morDini
from the midshipman S father inquiT
ing as to his sons condition. Nj
Pittus is highly indignant over th
hazing OF his grandson. lie said TO
reporter of the Capital this morning
''If the United States eau pnt dow
war between nations and bring abOa
peace conferences between nations
| why can it not control its own mill
tary institution. He SAYS sit is
lasting disgrace upon the nation t
have its institution controlled by q So
of ruffiaus aod hoodiUms He say
his boy was left unconscious on Il
floor of his room doussd with wate
and was picked up and put in to hi
bed in that condition when found.