Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-11-23
Meriwether Sought a Quarrel
With the Man That Died
From Blows.
LAWYERS ARE on BOTH SIDES
Evidence at the Opening of the Trial
Goes TO Show That the Fight Was
Forced Upon the Dead Man-lnsuI.
ing Language Used by Both of the
Midshipmen.
u.y Associn.cd prcss.l

tEy Associated PrcsS.)
ANNAPOLIS, ND, Nov. 22.-Thc
ccurtmartial assembled to try Mid
shipman Minor Mcriwcther on the
charges growing out of fist fight III
which he engaged with Midshipman
James X. Branch Ir., and in which
the latter received fatal injuries, be.
san al the naval academy today.
Al the beginning OF the trial OBJ
lection was made by counsel for the
defense to Commander Sidney \.
Stanton as IL member of the court on
the ground that he had expressed the
opinion that Mcriwcther should he
dismissed from the academy and the
sustaining OF the objection by the
court
Federal Attorney Employed.
y surprise developed in the fact
that United States District Attorney
John G. Rose. OF baltimore, would as
sist Captain Mark. Judge advocate, in
the prosecution. MIR. Rose was as
signed 10 the work OF The department
oi justice Il, the request of the navy
department and was present today.
The accused is defended by Licuten-
ant Commander James X Robson,
4. S. ~, and James NJ Munroe, OF the
Annapolis bar.
The first two witnesses called were
Midshipmen James p. Van Decarr and
Earl w. Prilchard, classmates II
Branch
Fight All Arranged.
Van Decarr said that Mcriwethcr
had told him that Branch had done
all he could 10 make his (Mcriweth-
er's) life miserable while he had been
al the academy, that he hated Branch
and was going to make him fight If
mere was any fight in him. The next
day, Van Decarr testified, Meriwcthcr
had said that it was all fixed that he
and Branch had arranged to fight.
Midshipman Pritchard was the room
mate Of Branch and is also from
Louisiana. Meriwether had, he HaiJ.
come 10 the room occupied by him.
sell and Branch. accompanied by Mid
shiEman Ycager, Mcriwether accused
Branch of acting unfairly towards him
by using his official position as mill
shlpman in charge OF the floor to re-
port him about the matter OF 4 dress
suit case containing civilian clothes
and charged Branch with having a
grmdge against him.
Branch is Called Coward.
The latter, Branch admitted. Neri.
wether then said that Branch was "A
damned low down sneaking coward"
Branch then told Meriwether that his
class could compel him 10 leave the
academy and to this Mcriwcther
answered that he did not care ii they
did; that he was not going TO he used
badly by any one.
The affair closed with Meriwethcr
calling Branch n sneaking coward
Il damn coward and mo gentleman"
After Mcriwether and Yeager had left
Branch asked the witness what he
should do and was told that n fight
was necessary.
Afterwards Branch had told him
that he had not reported Meriwether.
An upper class man. Noyes, had
spoken to him about it, and he had
come TO the conclusion that il would
he dirty trick to do so.
Petty Hazins Still the Rule.
Ralph Ycager, ciassmate of Meri-
wether, ana who went 10 the room
with him on the night OF the quarrel,
testified that Branch had called Meri.
weiher "a damn fool when he came
= to the room and said that he was
damn ratty." by the latter Yeager
explained that ii was meant that he
ala things that the code" did not
allow for members of his class.
1t was explained that n fourth class.
man, for instance. has 10 keep away
from certain walks of the academy,
turn squarely at corners, never look
at an upper classman, never talk to
girls. observe certain regulations when
eating and speak most respectfully