The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-12-15
Secretary of Navy BonapaTtt : Aroused Over Conditions Ex-
 isting at Annapolis
REAR ADMIRAL SANDS
 CALLED ID CONFERENCE
MIdshipman vandiver Writes Letter to Parents Denying Knowledge of Hazng-M idshlpman Kim
 brough Recovering.

Washington, December 14.-Hazing of avery kind 1t was announced today. would be stamped out of the naval academy. regardless of the number of dismissals from the brigade of midshipmen to bring about this result. Two midshipmen will be dismissed from the academy within a few days by the Secretary of the Navy. the one for hazing. and the other for countenancing it by failure while on duty to report It's occurrence. Other dis missals will follow as often as midship- men are found guilty of hazing, or coun- tenancing it.
 Aroused by the condition of affairs which reports show to exist at the acad- emy so far as the treatment of fourth class men are concerned, Secretary Bona parte late this evening telephoned to Rear Admiral James H. Sands, superin- tendent of the academy. a request to come to Washington as soon as possible eor a conference. This conference will be held tomorrow morning. It will be the initial step In new and vigorous cam paign to be waged at Annapolis against hazing.
 Congressional investigation of the con ditions at the academy has already been proposed in resolution introduced in the House this afternoon by Representa- tive Loud of Michigan.
 Developments In Brief.
 Briefly, these. are todays developments b the movement against hazing at the na- wal academy:
 When Secretary, Bonaparte reached the navy department today, he received an official report from Admiral Sands an nouncing the suspension of Midshipman Trenmore Coffin, Jr., third classman. for hazing Midshipman J. E. Kimbrough, fourth classman. by forcing him to stand on his head until he became unconscious. and of Midshipman Warren A. vandever, second classman, because while duty he observed the occurrence and failed to report 1t.
 the fact that Midshipmen Coffin and Van lever were guilty of violating well known rule of the academy and recom- mended their summary dismissal in &C., cordance with an act of Congress ap- proved March B. 1903.
 Secretary Bonaparte this morning had conference with Rear Admiral Con
 
 and plan of campaign was mapped out. It was first decided that the law was mandatory and that the recommendation of the superintendent would soon be ap- proved. and the two cadets summarily ex- pelled.
 Meantime, however, the Secretary wishes to obtain from the attorney gen eral an opinion regarding certain phases of the case. which. while exceedingly important, will not affect. it is understood, his final action in approving the recon. mendation for summary expulsion.
 No secret was made at the navy de- partment of the determination of the off cials to make short shrft of hazing. run ming and all such practices at the acad- emy.
 It is declared to be the purpose of the members of the Investigating committee to get at the root of the hazing evil and to extirpate the practice in manner never before attempted. It was learned from official sources today that the hazing of Kimbrough was even more brutal than was first supposed. more dangerous in its natural results, and more blame worthy in it's origin. He was undoubt- edly hazed because he, under compulson before the Investigating board. implicated some upper classmen For this he was threatened by upper classmen that they would kill him. and he Is still under that threat, 1t is said, repeated since the oc- currence.
 If necessary the President will be ap- pealed to to veto any bill that may be passed by congress providing the re- instatement of midshipman expelled for hazing or countenancing it.
 Investigation Ordered.
 Annapolis. Md, December 4.-A search ing investigation into the hazing of Mid- shipman Kimbrough by Midshipman Golf fin of the third class until Kimbrough tainted from exhaustion is being made by the Naval academy authorities. Com