Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-12-31
SERIOUS QUESTION Of
vERAC|!Y HAS ARISEN
Hazed NidsbIpNlsh Positively
Swear That Decatur Made
Them Do Stunts.
CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY
That VIII Pc Tins Of Defense OF
famous kannlraro arandson--Wi.l
Swear RE Did Not Haze Mccrary
Or chtToh-Then There Will Be a
neriurer in Navy.
tey Aesoc.ated pro7s.3

AlSNAroLIs. MD, Dec. so.-M!d
shipman Stephen DeoasAr. Jr., OF
Portsmouth. n. j., charged with haz
ing AIidshipnan Isaac MrCrary. OF
Calvert, Texas, and Gaylord Church
Of Meadville. Pa, was arraigned be.
fore the naval court martial this
afternoon and pleaded not guilty on
all specifications.
McCrary aud Church, testified pos.
itively this afternoon that Decatur
had hazed them On different occa,
sions.
Decatur will, according to his coun.
sci, go on the stand OF Tuesday
when the court will again meet, and
deny under oath the statement
which the two under clnssmen made
discriminating him.
4 FeFjurer In ths Navy.
AS the evidence Of each OF the
prosecution witnesses wes as to sep
arate incidents and was entirely un
corroborated, there is O. possibility
that the evidence viii be considered
insufficient to convict Decatur, bui
the apparent fact will remain should
the latter make the denial promised,
that q perjurer is wearing the uni.
form of a. midshipman Of the United
States navy.
Midsbipman McCrary testified thai
Decatur had sent for him to come &c
Decatur's room. There he had order
ed him to stand On mis- head in the
closet and he had done so until he
was exhausted. about $50 times.
Made Him Do mo. 1872
Decatur then compelled him to dc
"No. Is" and then he was ordered
by some one, possibly not Decatur,
ne said, to perform the leaning
7est," Ali of these were continued
until the witness could do them no
more.
The witness showed the manner
Of performing the two exercises. II
mo. is" the hands we're placed on
the hips and the body Lowered and
raised by bending the legs outward
aud Strengthening them again. IN the
leaning rest" the hands and feet were
placed on the floor with the body
rigid and the body raised and low.
cred by bending and Strengthening
the arms.
McCrsry was rigidly ross-examine ed
but his story was not shaken. Final.
ly he said in answer to e question
that he would not believe Decatur
II he swore that ne had not told
him TO stand on his head and per
form "No. &c."
Church Not So Positive.
Midshipman Church testified that
Decatur had ordered him to stand on
his head. but he was not so positive
as McCrary and admitted that he
might be mistaken. These were the
only witnesses for the prosecution.
The remainder Of the session was
taken up by witnesses who testified
10 the good reputation for truthful
ness enjoyed by Decatur. Those who
gave this testimony were Commander
w. Fullam, Commander Edward e.
Caphart, Prof. Harry P. Huse, and
Riidshipmen Lawrence S. Stewart and
Charles u. Hoovey.
Mr.. Theall, Decatur's counsel.
stated that the accused midshipman
will 60 on the stand on Tuesday and
deny specifically every statement to
tho effect that he had hazed either
McCrary or Church and that there
would be also evidence offered tend
ing to establish an abili.
Case OF Mistaken Identity.
He would prove, Mr.. Theall said,
that the case was one of mistaken
identity.
Trenmor Coffin, Jr.. whose trial
for the alleged hazing of Midshipman
Kimbrough was concluded yesterday,
was before the court for Z. brief Pc
~