Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1905-11-22

said that Meriwether had replied
If you report me I'll make you
fight. = On cross examination BY
counsel fer the accused Pritchard said
that Branch had said before going on
duty that he was glad he had 60
serve on~that "deck" aud in reply 60
q question from PritChard had said
that his reason for this was that Neri-
wether lived on that floor. Pritohard,
when asked admitted that he under
stood that there was bad feeling be,
tween Branch aud Meriwether
Midshipman Ralph Jeager, who was
with Meriwether in the interview in
Branch's room, testified that when
Meriwether entered Branoh's room
he said Branch. / have come to see
you about something, You know what
/ mean, To this, according to the
testimony, Branch replied: lyon
are a damn fo1l 20 come here for any.
thing like that yon know my
class doesn' like you because you have
been too 'Tatev' ever since you were
a plebe. f" Jeager says that Meri-
wet her began TO lose his temper and
told Branch if nc would get up h.
would lick him, to which Branch re
piled: well. you have got nerve. -
Meriwether's reply was: "Well,
that's more than can be said about
You after this. You are a damn sneak.
ing coward. and I'll tell everyone
see. too. y Ia the conversation Jaeger
said Mcriwether had referred "a
Branch's S going to Meriwether's room
aud opening his clothes bag. and
Brauch's 5 reply was ''Wcu, what If
did look for something to put Won
on the pap (report) for ?" The wit.
ness further stated that Branch has
admitted TO Meriwether that he chad
hated him ever since he, Meriwsther,
was a plebe.
DR.. r. Il. Hoyt. ia charge of the
physical culture department at the
Academy, was next examined regard
ing the physical condition of the two
contestants in the fight, and his report
showed a slight advantage in general
physical development in favor of
Branch. The fifth witness was Com.
mauder George p. ColvCcoresses, com
maudant of midshipmen, who was
merely examined on the point of the
regulations preventing fighting in the
Academy. He testified on examina-
tion that the word fight was not men,
toned under these regulations aud
that the only case on record in q pre-
cedent" book, which he has, so far as
he knew of a midshipman being pun
ished for fistcutfs was one where he
accused midshipmau had been pun
ished by seven demerits. He said
that the case missed 10y the omission
of the word fight would be covered
by the head of aggravated disorder
The last witness to be summoned
was Midshipman Harold v. MoRit-
trick. one of Branch's seconds. His
testimony showed that at the end Of
the twentieth round Meriwether, who
had accidentally fouled, offered tC
forfeit the tight on this account, but
that Branch and his seconds would
not permit this. McKittrick de.
scribed the fight in detail, saying that
for the first dozen rounds Branch had
had the best of the argument, but that
later Meri wetber had forced the fight.
ingup to about the fourteenth round.
Branch then began to rally and to
evidently ssire to finish the fight
quickly. The fight had been arranged
in McKittrick's room aud it had been
agreed that it should go to a finish,
two-miuute rounds with one miBu te
intermissions for rest. When the
twentieth round was reached Meri-
wether, in a break away from a
cliuch, had fouled his opponent and
with his seconds then offered to for
felt the fight on this account. 1t was.
however, determined TO fight five
more rounds, after Branch and his sec
onds had refused to permit it to stop
on a forfeit This offer of Meri-
wether's to stop the encounter and the
desire of the other side TO keep it up.
made a visible impression on tile mem
bers of the court, and was taken as a
point strongly in favor of the accuse /
Inidshipman.
McKittrick's further Testimony
was TO the arrangements made By him.
self and the other participants for
their attendance at the fight and their
being reported as present by their re-
spectiYe petty officers at supper for.
nation, while, in reality they were
attending the fight He said that
after the fight, which was declared a
draw, had been ended by the reported
approach of the officer in charge of
the floor, that he and the other sec.
ond had taken Branch to his room and
that their principal had been in good
shape, although somewhat tired, but
was better after a shower bath.
The morning session was adjourned
in the middle of his testimony, aud
the court went for dinner, it being
agreed that they would meet again al