Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1905-12-30
LULL IN THE COURT MARTIAL.
PROCEEDINGS IN DECATUR'S
CASE CONTINUED.
Other Midshipmen Under Charges
And Others To Follow
The Interest Is
increasing.

There was q halt in the nc tiyity Of
the hazing court this morning at the
Naval Academy, as the counsel for
Stephen Decatur, Jr., now on trial,
had been given until , O'Clock this at
ternoon to interview witnesses and
prepare the case in other ways
The developments of each day con-
| nected with hazing at the Naval Acsd-
envy increase the number of midship-
men who are found to have been en-
gagged in the practice and the conse-
quent seriousness of the situation
with which the authorities are com
PEELED to deal. Three midshipmen of
the first class are now under arrest
on separate charges of hazing and it
is reliably stated that about 20 more
members of the same class have had
cases made out against them by the
evidence produced before the Board of
Inquiry, which has been in session at
the Naval Academy for three weeks.
Over One Hundred Involved.
The number of midshipmen in the
second and third classes who are
thought to be involved is about one
hundred and twenty, but il is thought
that possibly the court martial may
end after the disposal of the cases of
=
official has been said on this point, il
| is surm ised that it is not likely that
this large number of midshipmen wilt
| be brought to trial for hazing, the
only penalty for which under the law
is dismissal
II over twenty Of the midshipmen-
first classmen who would Other W ise
have graduated within n month or so
are brought to trial for haziDg and are
convicted and dismissed. and the
| other mi ishipmen are made TO under
stand that the slightest outbreak of
the practice will start the crusade
anew, there is little donbt that the
end of the practice will lie reached
and the trial of the under classmen
may not be regarded as necessary.
The upper classmen at any rate would
be regarded rs most culpable, heing
in positions of greater trust and hav-
ing had greater opportunities of know
ing their duty.
Midshipman Decatur On Trial.
The trial of Midshipman Stephen
Decatur, Jr., charged with the hazing
of Midshipmen Isaac n. McCrary, of
Texas, aud Gaylord Church. of Penn
sylvania, both members of the fourth
class, was practically begun at 2
O'Clock this afternoon, the session of
yesterday having closed Immediately
after the swearing of the court. Great
interest is taken in Decatur and Wig
orous fight is being made to save him.
His father, who is a resident of Ports
mouth, n. H, is here, as is Lieuteu
ant Commander Edward E. Oapebart,
u. 8. N, who is taking great interest
in young Decatur's case Messrs. E.
S. Theall. of Washington, and Daniel
r. Randall of this city, are his coun-
sell Decatur's scholastic standing in
the class, which viii graduate on Feb
ruary 12, is six, and he is great
grandson of the naval hero of the
same name.
The other first classmen who are
known to have had official action
taken in their cases are Worth Wright
Foster, of New Albany, Ind, who
has had charges filed against him, and
Carroll G. Graves, of Spokane, Wash.
who is under arrest, but has not re-
ceived his charges. Most of the re-
manning members of the class are
waiting in trepidation and freely
state that it is only matter of who
is found out, as nearly every member
of the class has had something to do
with hazing. In fact. a short time
ago they were talking about admitting
| this in a body TO the authorities. but
reconsidered their intention.