Omaha daily bee., 1906-01-07
FAC SYSTEM At ANNAPOLIS
fourth lass Men Forced to Act as Ser
wants Tor First lass Men.
DECATUR AGAIN PLACID UNDER ARREST
Grandson of Famous Commodore
Acquitted of One Charge of
Hazing. but Must Answer
Another.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. Jan. 6The develop
ments today at the naval academy were
important Stephen Decatur, jr., the first
of the members of the first class to be put
trial, was declared to be acquitted and
was restored to duty, but was rearrested
shortly afterward and will be tried under.
other charges of haZing under the act or
1874 and for encoura ging and countenancing
hazlng under the act of 1903. 1t is under
stood he will fight these charges. The
announcement was made unofficially that
Cadet 1renmor Coffin, jr., from Carson
City. Nevada, has been convicted of hazing
and dismissed.
During the trial of Midshipman Marzonl
it developed that tagging system exists
at the academy, under classmen being eN-
pected to bring food from the breakfast
table TO upper classmen when they miss
the formation.
1t was also made clear that since the
hazing Investigations began upper classmen
have been subjccting each other to the
practices generally visited upon fourth
classmen. so as to be able to testify that
certain things were not done to under
classmen only and consequently do not
constitute hazing. An intimation of this
had been gained by previous testimony
but IL remained for Midshipman Robert w
Cabaniss, a first classman from Birming-
: ham, Ala. to finally let the cat out of the
bag when he stated that since the sessions
of the court of inquiry began the first
class midshipmen and others at his table
had been ordered TO report dessert. This
was only required Of fourth classmen up
TO a few weeks ago.
Marzoni Pleads Not Guilty.
! the court-martal assembled at the naval
| academy was resumed today, He pleaded
not guilty to the charge and all of the
| specifications which support II. OF these
the first. alleges the hazing Of Midshipman
| Chester S. Roberts OF Joliet, H.,
and the second and third the hazing of
Benjamin J. Tye OF Atlanta, Ga.
The men are OF the fourth class and the
hazing alleged is that Marzoni compelled
them to carry his meals to his room and
! to perform various forms of physical exer-
| cises
| The prosecutions first witness was
Chester S, Roberts, upon whose alleged haz
| ing the first specification is based He said
! AZ supper formation about a month OF
! two ago someone came up behind me Il be-
lieve il was Mr.. Decatur and told me L.
! go to Marzonis room l did not know
MarZoni, but went TO the room and some
body told me to go TO the closet | went
TO the closet and did the sixteenth for a
few minutes. I did not see the person who
told me TO go in the closet or who told me
TO do the sixteenth. l did see Mr.. Marzonl
when he told me TO come out, The room
was number IS in Bancroft hall"
Roberts said that he did not see Marzoni
in the room when he went in but did
| when he went out Benson, a fourth class
man. was in the closet with the witness, he
J said.
Midshipmsn Howard II. ]. Benson, .
fourth class man. was the next witness He
corrobOrated Roberts.
Authority of Cadets.
Lieutenant Commander r. c. DECKER, U
s. N, of the department Of discipline al