Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-12-15
HAz|NG At THE
NAVAL ACADEMY.
II viii be Stamped Out no Mat
ter How Many DismissaIs
II Takes.
AUTHORITIES SET ON THIS.
Congres sional Investigation Also Pro-
poscd--Iatc Instances Have Been
Exceedingly Brutal.

| Washington, Dec. 14,-Hazing OF
] every kind, 1t was announced today,
/ would be stamped out OF the naval
| academy, regardless OF the number of
| dsmissals from the brigade OF mid
| shipmen necessary to bring about THIS
result. Two midshipmen viii be dis
missed from the academy within few
days by the secretary OF the navy. one
for hazing and the other for counten-
anclng 1t by failure while on duty to re-
port It's occurrence.
Other dismissals will follow as often
as midshlpmen are found guilty OF haz-
ing or countenancing il, Aroused by
the condition of affairs which reports
show to exist at the academy so far
as the treatment OF fourth class men
Is concerned Secy. Bonaparte late this
afternoon telephoned 10 Rear-Admiral
James II. Sands, superintendent of the
academy, a request to come to Wash
ington as soon as possible for a confer
ence.
This conference Will be held tomor-
row morning, Admiral Sands arriving
here on an early train from Annapolis.
| Ii will be the initial step In new and
| vigorous campaign to he waged at An
napolis against hazing. Admiral Sands
| will have the unqualified support Of the
| navy department IN his efforts to
| abolish the evil, and Secy. Bonaparte
| today announced that the admiral pos
| sessed the full confidence OF the officials
| here in his ability to handle the situa-
| ton to the entire satisfaction Of the de-
| partment.
congressional Investigation Of the
| condition at the academy has already
| been proposed In a resolution intro
| duced in the house today by Represent
| ative Loud Of Michigan.
Briefly, these are today's develop
| ments in the movement against hazing
| at the naval academy:
When Secy. Bonaparte reached the
navy department today he received an
| official report from Admiral Sands an
nouncng the suspension OF Midship-
man Trenmore Coffin, Jr,, third class
| man, for hazing Midshipman Jerdone
| Pettus Kimbrough, fourth class man,
| by forcing him to stand on his head
| until he became unconscious, and OF
| Midshlpman Warren Able Nandervere,
| second class man, because while on du-
| ty he observed the occurrence and
| failed to report 1t.
The superintendent called attention
| to the fact that Midshipmen Cottin and
| Vandervere were guilty OF violating a
| we'll known regulation OF the academy,
| and recommended their summary dis
| mIssal In accordance with an act of
| Congress approved March 3, 1903.
| Secy Bonaparte this morning had a
| conference with Rear Admiral Con-
| verse, chief OF the bureau OF naviga-
| ton. and plan OF campaign was map
| ped out. II was first decided that, the
| law was mandatory, and that the re-
| commentator of the superintendent
| would soon be approved and the two
| cadets summary expelled. Meantime,
| however. the secretary wishes to OBJ
| tain from the encouragement an opin-
| ion regarding certain phases OF the case
| which, while exceedingly important,
| will not affect. 1t is understood. his final
| action approving the recommendation
| for summary expulsion.
No secret was made at the navy de-
| partment Of the determination of the
| officials to make short shrift of hazlng,
| running" and all such practlses at the
| academy. IL necessary, 1t Is under
stood, the president will be appealed
| to to veto any bill that may be passed
by Congress providing FOR the rein
| statement OF n midshipman expelled
| for hazing or countenanclng II.
THE ANNAPOLIS VIEW
Annapolis, Md. Dec, IA search
| Ing investigation into the hazng of
| Midshipman Kimbrough Of the third
| class, until he tainted from exhaustion.
il being made by the naval academy
| authorities.
| 1t Is the declared purpose of the
| members to get at the root of the haz-
ing evil. and to extegminate the practise
| in manner never before attempted.
| II was learned from official sources
| today that the ha2ing OF Kimbrough
| was even more brutal than was first
| supposed. more dangerous in its re-
suits, and more blamew orthy In its
origin. He was undoubtedly hazed be-
| cause he testified under compulslon, be-
| fore the investigating board and impli-
| Gated some upper class men. For this
| he was threatened by upper class men,
| who said that they would kill him,
| and he II still under that threat, II Is
| said repeated since the occurrence,
| Mldshipman KimDrough was tonight
| reported as rapidly gaining strength,
and Is in no danger, The condition of
Midshipman Henry G., Cooper Jr.. is
also improving
| Admiral Sands will go to Washington
tomorrow to support his recommended
ton Of dismissal In the cases OF Mid
shipman Trenmore Coffin, Jr., and Mid
shIpman Warren A. Vandervere.
| DIR. George w. Nandervere OF Mount
| Holly n. j., father Of Midshipman
Vandervere. does not regard the dis
missal Of hs son as Just, and will fight
1t before the secretary of the navy,
| and, IN case OF failure there, probably
before Congress.
The naval academy authorities state
that there WAS no doubt OF Vanderveres
failure to do his duty, and that IL Kim
brough had not received proper atten
ton he would probably have died.
| The investigating board Will con-
tlnue its work, It's powers enlarged.