The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1905-11-16
OUR WASHINGTON
NEWS AND NOTES
items OF INTEREST BRIEFLY
CHRONICLED.
navy WILL INVESTIGATE
Drastic Action Will Doubtless be TAX
en- in Furnishing Minor Meriwether,
Jr., for Killing Cadet Branch at An
napolis Military Academy.

napolis Military Academy.
Washington. The Navy Depart
ment received from Annapolis full re-
ports on the fight between Midship-
men Branch and Meriwether, which
resulted in the formers death. A
special board investigated the matter
before the death of Branch, and an
inquest was held according to regula-
tions, Commander Thomas B. Howard
being president. This board, it is un-
derstood, reported unqualifedly that
Branch S death was due to the injIl-
ries received in the fight with Meri-
wether These reports were transmit
ted together with exhaustive reports
of the medical officers. The matter
will now await the action Of the na-
val authorities. 1t is clear that bad
blood between Branch and Meriwether
did not originate from any form Of
hazing, but was from purely personal
reasons. The fight, it is shown, was
prearranged. The testimony of the
physicians is not definite as to whether
Branch, died as a result Of the blows
inflicted by Meriwether or whether
the fatal injuries came from his head
having struck a stone wall when he
fell. Mr.. Bonaparte holds that the
circumstances Of Branch IS death and
those of the death Of a sailor on the
Kearsarge recently from injuries re-
ceiyed in a. prize fight are entirely
different. In the case of the prize
fight the men in the bout were entire
ly friendly. Mr.. Bonaparte will prob
ably take drastic action in this case.
and put an end to such combats at
the Academy. President Roosevelt
has made no suggestion as to the in
vestigation of Branch s death, but it
is said he is following the matter with
Interest. Any comment he may have
to make will appear in his indorse
ment Of Mr.. Bonaparte's action. The
report is still held as confidential, and
Secretary Bonaparte is giving it very
serious thought. The president was
visited during the day by Colonel JAS.
r. Branch, of Richmond and New
York, and wife, parents of the deceas-
ed midshipman, who urged naval in
quiry, which may he granted. They
also conferred with Secretary Bona
parte and naval officials at that De-
partment, Col. Branch charging that
he fight was an escially brutal one,
that Meriwether took every opportu-
nifty to insult his son, and the latter
was obliged to send the challenge to
fight to preserve his honor.
Bishop Broderick of the Catholic
Church introduced to President Roose-
welt to-day Adolfo Rossi, special
representative of the Italian govern
,ment who is assisting in the distri-
button of Italian immigrants to this
country. Signor Rossi told the Pres
ldent that while the italian govern
ment was not encouraging the immi-
grafton to the United States of its
citizens, it was interested in securing
for those who came here desirable
locations in order that they might
become useful American citizens. Sig
nor Rossi deprecated the congestion
OF foreigners, particularly Italians
IN the large cities, and explained that
his efforts were being directed toward
distributing the Italian immigrants
among the agricultural communities
of the country. He said that several
italian colonies recently had been es-
tablished in the southern states and
he anticipated prosperity and content
ment for the members.
At the request of the Secretary of
War, Attorney General Moody has
rendered a decision upon the legisla-
ton of April %, 1904, relating 20
medals Of honor. This legislation
provided that 5000 medals be prepared
for the. purpose Of replacing medals
which have been heretofore issued. An
officer of the civil war who was grant
ed medal during that period desired
to secure one of them and also to re-
tain the old one, and made such an
application to the Secretary of War.
The Secretary General, and, in an
opinion which has been approved by
Acting Secretary Oliver, it is held that
if a new medal is issued, it must be
to replace one of the old medals which
has been lost or that the old medal
must be surrendered. The holder OF
an old medal is not compelled to sur
render it, but may retain it if he pre-
fers it to one of the new medals.