Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-11-23
The Meriweather oourtmartial.

4
Minor Meriweather, jr., accused of kill
ing Mieshipman James r. Branch, ir.,
in fight, began at the Naval Academy
yesterday.
A protest against Commander Sidney
A. Staunton az a member OF the court
was made by ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Robinson, counsel for Meriweather, and
Commander Stanton withdrew.
District Attorney John G. Rose, OF
Baltimore, is assisting the judge-advocate,
indicating theimportance attaching to the
case.
A dramatic story of the tight was
given by Midshipman McKittrich. one
Of Branch's seconds, and his last hours
were told of by midshipman Pritchard,
the other. The progress OF the Ill feel
ing between the men was told of by other
witnesses.
The Games of the men who assisted in
arranging the fight we're disclosed for the
first time. Ralph Yeager and f. b.
Magruder were Meriweather's seconds
Harold V. McKittrich and Churchill
Humphreys were in the corner for
Branch, and Leigh Noyes were referee.
Meriweather pleaded not guilty to
the counts ranging from manslaught'
er to The violation of the rule against dis
order.
The first witness called was Midship-
man Vaudecarr, who sat next to Mid
shipmsn Meriwether at the mess table.
He stated that Meriwether had told him
personally that he hated Branch; there
we're few people that be did hate, but
Branch had displayed bitter enmity to
him ever since he had been in the
academy, and be intended to "soak
him" the first time he got chance. The
following day, or few days after,
Meriwether announced to Vandecarr
that at was all fixed up, and now l will
have chance to get even"
He said: my chance has come now.
Branch has challenged me. and the fight
is going to be soon." Witness then de-
tailed Branch's inspection of Meriweth-
er's quartero. 1t seemed that in Meri-
wethers absence Branch had examined
a dress suit case, in which he found a
suit of citizens clothes. For this he
reported Meriwether, who called Branch
a "sneak and a coward.
The next witness was Mid-hipman
Pritchard, who was a roommate OF
Branch, and who was present when the
insult was passed prior to the fight.
Pritchard said that Branch had turned
in on the night in question when Meri-
wether had sought him IN his room.
Meriwether accused Branch of having
gone through bis room in his absence,
and then called him a ''sneak and a
coward" with some prOfane trimmings,
adding that if Branch wanted to take
that sort of language it was all right, he
left the room. Branch asked his chum
what he thought Of the occurrence, and
Pritchard replied that there was only
one thing to do, and that was to send
seconds to Meriwether with chal-
lenge. He made this statement as a
matter of course, as though sending a
challenge was a regular established
custom.
Midshipman J. A. Eyer, who was
with Meriwether when he called at
Branchs room, was then called. He
recalled the circumstances of the visit
about as Branch's roommate had de-
scribed them, and said that Meriwether
had told Branch that he "knew why he
had come to call upon him." Branch
replied "You are d-n fool to take
this thing up. You know every one has
been on the lookout to report you"
THAT il not true" replied Meri-
wether. lyon are the only man in the
academy who has ever reported me-"
There was considerable discussion
over the testimony of this witness, the
salient point brought out being that
Branch had called Meriwether "a damn
fool for coming to see him." and that
Meriwether had told Branch that if he
would get up out of bed he would knock
him down there. These were the i'm
mediate exchanges of words that pre-
coded the challenge.
Midshipman Vincent, who was the
second of Branch in the fight, was then
called, and admitted carrying the chal'
lenge. There was a meeting of Hum
phrey, Vincent and Jaegar in Vincenrs
room, where the details were arranged,
and two first classmen we're chosen as
referees and timekeepers.
Midshipman Vincent then descrb-
ed the fight in detail. 1t was about
even up to the fifteenth round and
in the twentieth Meriwether COM
mitted an unintentional foul. Meri-
wether called attention to 1t and offered
to forfeit the fight, but it had been ar
ranged that the fight should 60 to flu
ish, so the contest went on.
As to Branch's condition after the
fight witness said it seemed to be rer-
fectly satisfactory, bar two black eyes.
He helped Branch to take the hot show
er after the fight and then left him in
Pritchsrd's charge, thinking no more of
the matter.
All of the evidence tended to show
that the fight between the two boys was
fair one, and that it was carried out
strictly to the "honor CODE" which
seems to have existed for years at the
academy 1t was also shown tina. there
was a good deal of i'll will between the
two young men, occasioned by the fact
that Meriwether did not submit to many
of the little practices and rules to which
an under classman is subjected by the