The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-01-24
nIDDIES INSIST
ON BEING RATED
Lower Glass Determined to
Take Medicine.

ANNAPOLIS, Nd. Jan. 24-The inter
ference with the orderly routine OF work
at the Naval Academy by the present
series of trials by COUrt-martial Is a
very serious matter.
While the number Of midshipmen that
are called away from their classes or
practical work each day is large. reach
ing as high as forty day in some in
stances. By far the most serious phase
of the matter is the constant apprehen-
sion in which the midshipmen, and par
ticuIarly the members Of the first class.
ind themselves.
only the very few midshipmen who are
of their entire abstinence from
the practice-and they can be counted
on the fingers of both hands in any
class-can rest securely. 1t is not as II
the authorities. with full knowledge Of
everything that had transpired, We're
visiting punishment on the most guilty,
for that is not at all the case. The ten
cases which have been on trial have in
most instances developed only nazing OF
a light nature. and il is a matter OF gen
eral knowledge that the really mean
hazers have in most instances escaped.
As 1t is now. they are no more likely
to be caught than the most guilty, IN
fact, fate seems to be protecting the
latter kind, il is said.
Each midshipman truly knows not
what the day may bring forth IN the
way OF charges Of hazing. and the fact
cannot help but keep the midshlpmen In
Il state OF excitement when their minds
should be concentrated on the approach
ing examinations
Upper Glass Men Apprehensive.
\ curious fact, perfectly we'll known
here. is that, Notwithstanding all coer-
Give force has been removed. the fourth
class men are still observing those little
customs, governed by what is called
rate" at the Academy and formerly
by the fear of hazinG OF
night In fact. The upper class men have
10 caution the ''plebes" TO act
naturally in their presence. because their
actions would give every appearance
that they were being hazed.
Recently flrst class man was sitting
by a fourth class man at the table anu
noticed that ne was sitting on the front
edge Of his chair He asked INN WY
he did 1t, and received the Tepiy: ~
a poor lEan who wont keep his rate,
sir The fourth class man had TO oroer
him to sit on his chair properly as II
the officer in charge had come that way
be would have felt sure that the lower
class man was being hazed
This is also true in regard TO the other
rates The fourth class men are still
cutting corners, walking along certain
parts of corridors, keeping OUT OF Low
ars' Lane and eSCheWing the society
Of young women, their reason being ex-
pressed BY the fourth class man who
said. It's poor man who won hvvp
his rate"
The fact is that the fourth class men
do not want the upper class men 10
think that they are kicking in the least.
Tho fact is that they are perfectly will
ing TO take their medicine for the rest
Of this year provided they can admin
ster the dose next, but they VIII feel
eternally disgTaced If they cannot in
1ict at least as much on the newcomers
as they themselves received
Plea for Mayo.
At $50 o'clock this morning r. S.
TheaH, counsel for the accused, Claude
b. Mayo. first class. began his argument
for the defense. He asked for the usual
presumption OF innocence 10 the ac-
cused. and said that the proof must be
explicit and direct, as IT seems to be
matter of conscience, and he did not
see how any member of the court could
ind Mayo worthy of dismissal
Mr. Theall asked for as favorable a
view of the actions of the accused as
was given to Lieutenant Snyder yester-
day, when he said that all the questions
asked by the court were given in
which plainly minated that
The presumption Of proper motives was
given him. He laid great stress on
The fact that almost all of the midship-
men testified that Mayo had no reputa-
lion as a hazer. and that he regarded
his position in the y. M Z A as IN
sornnatibla with q laZer.
He emphasized the testimony of mid
shipmen who were at a meeting OF the
committee of the Y. NJ
= A when Mayo told them they should
help along under class men and not
nolest them in any way. Mayo had
expressed himself as absolutely opposed
10 haZing as being morally wrong. Mr.
Theail also laid stress on the good
character of the accused as brought
,ut by the testimony OF Chaplain Clark
Commander Dewey, and
others
Midshipman Garselon's testimony cor
roborated this, while Lieutenant Sny-
ier's testimony was not substantiated by
4 single witness, and was extremely I'M
certain. All the midshipmen who had
heard the conversation thought when
Lieutenant Snyder replied II guess
that's So that he referred TO hazing,
and that it made a great impression on
them because IL was the first time they
had ever heard an officer intimate plain