Omaha daily bee., 1905-12-01
NERIWETHER CASE IN COURT
Day Spent in Hearing Arguments from
Both Sides.
SECRETARY OF NAVY TO GIVE OUT VERDICT
Attorney says that if client IL Con-
victed IL VIII He AZ Vicarious
sacrifice for Sins of
others.

ANNAPOLIS, Md, Nov. SO.-Except for
the announcement of the verdict after Il
shall have been passed upon by the secre-
tary Of the navy. the Meriwether court
martial insofar as the public is concerned,
is at an end
Today was almost wholly given over TO
arguments of counsel before the court
which is trying Midshipman Meriwether on
charges, the most serious of which is man
slaughter. in connection with the death OF
NTidshipman James r. Branch. jr. after a
fist fight I'm which he and Meriwether en-
gagged. James NJ. Munroe and Lieutenant
Commander John X. Robson (the latter
being handicapped by an attack of tonsili-
tis) spoke in defence of the accused and
Judge Advocate Mark and United States
District Attorney John c. Rose for the
prosecution. At the conclusion of the ad-
dress of Mr.. Rose the court was cleared
and consideration OF the verdict begun.
At the beginning Of the morning session
counsel for the defence suggested that the
case be submitted without argument, but to
this the Judge advocate objected. James III.
Munroe, counsel for the accused, then asked
for an adjournment of the court until 2
o'clock tomorrow afternoon, as the de-
fence wished to prepare the case for argu-
ment and also because his associate, Lieu
| tenant Commander John X. Robson,
though present, had a severe attack Of
tonsolitis. The court aoquiesced in this,
but counsel for the defence finally decided
that they would go on with the case.
Judge Advocate Mark agreed to proceed,
| though his associate, United States District
Attorney John c. Rose, was absent. Dur
ing the morning, however Mr.. Rose tele-
graphed that he wished to be present, and
the court after hearing the other counsel,
took a recess until 2:30 D. m. When Mr..
Rose appeared at the opening of the after
noon session, counsel for the defence made
strenuous effort to prevent his being
heard by the court Lieutenant Commander
Robson stated that there had been an un-
derstanding with the judge advocate that
| Mr.. Rose did not intend to speak. This was
| repudiated by Judge Advocate Mark. Lieu
| tenant Commander Robson then moved
| that the court refuse to hear Mr.. Rose,
claiming he had not been properly detailed
by the Navy department. The court de-
cided against this claim.
Judge MunrOe Opens.
Judge Monroe then opened the case for
! the defense. His first line of argument
| addressed itself to the medical testimony
| produced by the defense. This he said
was inconclusive except as to the fact that
none of them had ever seen injuries such
as were received in this case from fist
blows, but all had seen injuries from i'm
pacts against hard substances as was tes-
| titled to, such as the deceased received in
the falls. He said that the court should
hold that the accused had no criminal
connection with the death of Branch
80 far as the charge of manslaughter
| is concerned" Mr. Munroe said, I'VE will
| rest the case there"
| Mr. Monroe said further:
| IF Meriwether is convicted of anything
! further than disorder. he will be made a
vicarious sacrifice for = system and for
the sins of generations, II they be sins.
| A condition has been Hhown In this case