The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-11-23
C0URTMARTIAL
OF MERIWETHER
Causes Which Led Up to the Fight
With Branch.
UNWRITTEN NAVAL CODE
GREAT INTEREST TAKEN IN THE
TRIAL.
UNWRITTEN NAVAL CODE

ANaNaAA DAaAtlf etA1as -NUA II ~ tAAAA T.
man Minor Meriwether. Jr.. Of La
fayette, La, a member of the third
class Of the naval academy, was put on
trial here today before a naval court
martial on charges that include that Of
manslaughter. in having caused the
death Of Alidshipman James r. Branch,
1r., of New York, a member of the class
above him, as a result of a prearranged
fist fight which took place on the even
ing of Sunday Nov. ., last.
Three Charges.
The first and gl'avest charge is man
slaughter i'm having caused the death
OF Midshipman Branch, but there are
two other charges, the second supported
by two specifications, and the thlrd by
one. The second charge is of violation
of the third clause of the eighth article
of the rules for the government of the
navy. The first specification Is that
MeriWether applied 10 Branch the
names OF sneak and coward, and the
second that ne assaulted him. The
third charge, OF conduct 10 the preJu-
dice Of good order and discipline, spccl-
flies that MeriWether engaged i'm fight
with Branch.
The Unwritten Code"
The sad accident of the death of
young Branch under such circun-
stances has been widely noticed and
has called attention to the existence at
the naval academy Of an unWrltten
code governing the student body but
quite outside the authoritative regula-
lions ana generally i'm violation of
them Under the code" every detail
of these fights is fixed, the midship-
men on duty abStainmg from reporting
them and CXcusing from formation
those connected with them. These
facts were very clearly brought out by
the judge advocate, and in the cross
examination by Lieutenant Commando
Robson for the defense.
Testimony Of Cadets.
The witnesses today included
Branch's roommate, the referee aud the
timekeeper Of the contest, and all tOul
seconds were examined i'm a more on
less degree about all the circumstances
of the tight. the connection OF the
code and their ideas of their duty
under the regulations, although this
subject was not pressed To such "a de-
gree that the midshipman Was put on
his defense as TO the binding force OF
his oath upon entering the institution
10 obey all its regulations. The code
system was, therefore, not directly put
on trial. although il was very thor
oughly ventilated along some lines. I'm
fairness to the midshipmen It should
be said that every one of them gave
indication of endeavoring to be perfect
ly frank and of either believing that
there was nothing about the system
that they need conceal, or III there were
that they would tell il all nOtWith.
standing
Fights Are Frequent.
Mtdshipmau a. W. Fitch. who ref
creed the fight which was followed by
Brauch's death, stated that he had Of
ficiated in nineteen such contests, and
Midshipmau McHittrick testified that
he had taken part in nine. Detailed
accounts were given of the arrange
ments by which midshipmen or duty
aCquieSCcd in absences without leave
and other dereliCtiouS ina order that the
fight might 50 on, and the testimony
also showed that although frequently
severe injuries resulted from these
fights, and recipients often had TO be
taken 20 the hospital, nothing further
was ever heard of them. This the de.
Tense brought out on crOss-eXamina-
1iOn, it being evidently intended Il
show that the authorities also winked
ut the code and the prearanged fight,
under il.
Meriwether Wouldn't Obey.
Interesting sidelights TO hazing OF
running" as it is called at the acad
y envy. developed from the testimony Ol
! one of the midshipmen- AIeriWethel
I las been generally dishked, ne said, be-
cause mt was too "ratty," that is. il
was explained, that he did not abide by
The rules laid down for the government
of the lower class men. Some of these
We're that he should never enter ''LOV
er's Lane" an academy walk that n,
should turn all corners at right angles
should not look at an upper clasSman
and should answer most respectfully
when addressed by one of them. tina
he must never touch the table nor asl
for anything during a meal. ana under
no circumstances fuss that is, be ii
the society Of young women. These
rules and many other are contained In
that part Of the "coGe" relating Ca tho
government of under-Classmeu. BUanCf
had been one of the midshipmeu who
according To the testimony. determined
TO make life mot worth living" fui
McriWethcU because ne would not abid,
TN these rules. and from that the en-
nifty arose.