The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-11-28
BORN Of HATRED
Branch's Attitude Toward
Meriwether.
This is What CLASSMATES OF Meri-
wether Intimate. The Body
of Branch is To be Ex-
humed Today.
(By the Associated Press. }


Annapolis. Nov. 25.--Today's session
of the court martial which is trying
Midshipman Meriwether in connection
with the death. after fight, Of Mid
shipman James r. Branch, was large
ly occupied with testimony of class
mates of the accused and members of
the first class of the naval academy.
The evidence was intended by the de-
Tense to show that Branch harbored
animosity against Meriwether and
prosecuted him and also that the eX-
istence of the practice of fighting was
known to and in a manner connlVed
at by h gh officials of the naval acade-
my. Prominent officers of the navy
mentioned in this connection were
Admiral Willard Fl. Brownson, now
commanding the cruiser division of
the North Atlantic fleet and who was
the predecessor of Admiral James II.
Sands as superintendent of the Naval
Academy. Captain Chas. j. Badger,
who was succeeded as commandant
Of midshipman by the present COM
mandant, Captain G. p. ColvocOresses
and Commander G. Z. Colahan ode
ceased), who preceded Captain
Badger in the same office. 1t was
testified that Admiral Brownson,
w
had promised that. in consideration of
the abolition of hazing there would
be no investigation of fights sanction
ed by the first class.
One of the important developments
Of the day was the ordering by the
Secretary of the Navy of the disinter-
ment of Branch's body for the pur-
pose of holding an autopsy. The
body will be exhumed tomorrow
morning.
The '"dge advocate announced that
Surgeon Chas. H. Stokes had been de-
tailed by the Navy Department to
assist in the prosecution. This action
was on account of the Importance OF
the medical questions involved.
Midshipman E. G. Corstein of tho
first class for the defense testified that
at the end Of last term. while on duty,
he had reported Meriwether for a
breach of regulations. Branch had
manifested great interest in seeing
that the report was made.
Lieut. Commander H. j. Ziegemier
testified that as executive officer of
the Hartford he had received report
from Midshipman Branch against Mid
shipman Meriwether for general dis
order. INSTRUMENTATION. and not turn
ing in promptly on being ordered by
Branch while or duty
The witness found that the charge of
not turning in promptly was the only
one sustained. He considered that
there was personal feeling between the
two.
Midshipman VIM. 7. Page, a class
mate of Meriwether, testified in regard
to the report which Branch had made
against Meriwether on the Hartford.
He said Branch charged MeriWether
with having told him to "go TO hell.
Meriwether was the only one re-
ported by Branch.
Meriwether found a spirited cham
pion in the next witness, his classmate.
Midshipman VIM. II Pashley.
Pashley had personal knowledge of
both of the reports made against
Meriwether by Branch on shipboard
| the Hartford and later in Bancroft
! Hall Z He said that he himself would
have fought under the circumstances
and that MeriWether would have been
an 'foutcast in his ciass'' if he had
not fought, and worse than an out
! cast" if he had refused Branch's chal-
lenge Fight. he said have been go
l. ing on for a long time and he had
| never known any one to be reported
or punished for them. Mr.. MeriWether
| had az least one other fight during the
| last term
Midshipman H. l.. Chaplin. a first
| class man, teStlnSd Indl, having DeCl
! caught fighting, % dement's were
given him by the late Commander c.
f. Colahan then commandant of Mid
shipman. He had fought he said, be-
cause a lower class man had run in
| to him.
Midshipman II. H. Porter, of the
! frst-class, testified that while he was
accompanying to the hospital a mid
shipman who had been badly used
up in a fight he passed Commander
Chas. j. Badger. then commandant,
who noticed the condition of the mid
shipman and remarked upon it to an
/ other officer. There was no investiga-
| ton of the case, the witness said.
| L. M. Atkinson. anotehr first-class
man testified that Admiral BroWnson.
| while superintendent of the Naval
| Academy. had said in his presence and
that of the other members of his class
| that there would be no investigation
of any fight sanctioned by the first
class This promise was made the
witness said. to induce them to do
away with hazing.
/ hi Har af he