Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-11-11
Wants it on Certain Features OF
The Branch Merriwether Fight
AT Naval Academy
MIOSHIPMEN'S VERSION or IT.
They Dlsllked Each 0ther--Dld Not
Result from Reporting Tor Viola.
ton OF Regulations

Washington. Nov. l0,--The president
has called upon socy. Bonaparte for
report on certain features OF the case
Of Midshipman Branch, who died al
the naval academy at Annapolis after
glove fight with another mldshlpman
Secy. Bonaparte today made a re-
quest Of the superintendent, Admiral
Sands, for the specific information de-
sired.
Al the conclusion Of D. long confer
cnce with the admiral, It was stated
that no action had been determined
upon, although It was indicated that
there might be a statement from an Of
fclal quarter tomorrow.
Il was stated that according to In
formation before the department, the
indications were that the death OK
Mldshlpman Branch was caused by re-
peated blows on the head, and that In
the opinion OF medical men II could
not have been caused by a single blow.
Secy. Bonaparte said today that the
practise of hghtlng at the academy
was very Objectionable, and would be
discouraged.
MIDsHIPMEN's VERSION.
Annapolis, Nov. i0.-A statement COM
ing from within the naval academy ana
believed to represent the midshlpmen's
version Of the fight between Midship-
men Merriwether and Branch and the
death Of the latter Is as follows;
The fight between Midshlpmen
Branch and Merrlwether was because
Of personal dislike and trouble between
the two midshlpmen, which culminat-
ed In the latter personally insulting
the former, Midshipman Branch did
not report Mldshipman Merriwether
for any violation Of regulations and he
did not incur this fight because Of dis
charging his duty, Mldshlpman Branch
challenged Merriwether as the result OF
insulting remarks addressed TO him by
the latter, and 1t was decided that their
differences be decided In the usual
manly American fashion. In weight
there was not a difference Of over tive
pounds between the two both midship-
men were good physical specimens of
manhood, Branch having at one time
held the academy lightweight wrestling
championship. Merriwether was not
considered to be exceptionally well de-
yeloped physically as has been erron-
eously stated, This way of settling
their personal differences may have
been a mistaken one, but as far as can
be said about an affair OF this descrip-
ton, It was free from brutality and any
unfalrness, and the tragic ending Is
a most lamentabe accident
AT the conclusion Of the hight Branch
was able TO walk 70 hts room and there
conversed with his seconds for a time,
afterward taking a shower bath and
retiring. No fear Of the result being
tragic was felt until the next morning,
when he was found to be unconscious.
1.-THE code at the naval academy abb
solutely prohibits fighting over a report
Mldshlpmen on duty frequently have TO
exercise this duty for the maintenance
of discipline, and II would be Just as
serious an offense against their code
for the midshipmen so reported TO chal-
lense the one who made the report as
IL would for a university OF virginia
student to offend against their code OF
honor by cheating at an examination"