The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1905-11-14
DIES AFTER FIST FIGHT
Midshipman Branch, Of the u. S.
Naval Academy, Killed,
BONAPARTE TO HOLD INQUIRY

Branch, rs Ofoer of the Day, Had
Caused Cadet Meriwether to BE Re-
duccd IN Rank and Was Called Cow
ard and snoak--This Was sunicient
to Bring on Fight,
Washington, D. CA prompt and
rigid investigation of the death at An
napolis Of MiGshipman james Il
Branch. Of New York City, will be
made, according to an announcement
by Secretary Bonaparte. TWO of the
Iriddies who participated ia the fight
between Branch and Midshipman Mi
nor MeriWether, Jr. the other night
have been reduced in rank from the
grade Of lieutenants in the cadet corps
to priv@tes These officers are Afidship-
men Leigh Noyes. Of Vermont, and
Aubrey w. Fitch, of Michigan. Fitch
was the referee and N0yes the time
keeper The punishment of the two
officers by the academic board at An
napolis was reported to the Navy De-
partment by RearAdmiral Sands, SUI
perintendent of the Academy
A court of inquiry will be ordered
promptly to Investigate the death Of
Midshipman Branch. The regulations
provide for an investigation of the
death of an officer when inquiry APP
pears in any way to be necessary, and
there will be no delay in furnishing
whoever is found culpable There is
some question as to whether the civil
authorities can take a hand in the
matter
The Navy Department has received
no detailed report of .the4 unfortunate
affair and probably will noteUntil fhe
findings OF the court of inquiry are
submitted. From information which
has come to the Department in an I'M
official way, however. it appears that
there were several cadet officers in
voived in the affair who may suffer
severely. Among these are the cadet
commanders Of the companies Of
Branch and Meriwether The two
men slipped away from supper for
nation, and the company commanders
could hardly have failed to notice
them go. 1t is likely that both men
We're simply allowed to leave their
companies for the purpose of particf-
pating in the fight
The long standing feeling of enmity
between the two young officers was
well known in the academy, as well
as the fact that arrangements had
been made for a fight Last week
Branch, as cadet officer of the day,
made an inspection Of Meriwether's
room. He found a suit of civilians
clothes in the linen bag, and at once
reported Aieriwether The keeping OF
civilian clothing is strictly prohibited
and Merlwether was charged with fifty
dement's. Meriwether thought Branch
went outside of his line of duty and
he told Branch that he was coward
and sneak.
Either of the names would have been
sufficient to bring on a fight, according
to the code of the middies. A referee,
Fitch, timekeeper, Noyes, and two
seconds were chosen. They cleared
a living room in the cadet quarters and
started the fight. 1t lasted for two
rounds It was said here that the end
of the fight came, not because Branch
became exhausted, but because Of a
report that one of the academy officers
was coming to the ROOM The bout
was Immediately stopped and each
MILDLY went to his own room Branchs
roommate gave him a rub down and
helped him to bed. He went to sleep
quickly and was still asleep when his
roommate arose the next morning. It
was not until the roommate tried to
awaken him that it was discovered that
Branch was seriously injured. He was
sent to the hospital where he died
after an operation had been performed
for the removal Of bloodclot on his
brain
Resort to the gloves is frequent at
both the Annapolis and West Point
academies, that being regarded as the
only way to settle differences between
two young officers. There is a regu-
larly established code, years old, that
governs all such contests.
80 IL