The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1906-08-03

81 Meriwether, Jr, of the Naval
- academy at Annapolis has
raised the query whether q
false sense of honor prevails to a large
extent among the young men in at
tendance at this institution. The Unit.
ed States Military academy, like other
academies where instruction for naval
or military service is impaired has
many time honored traditions. and the
conduct of students is often governed
more by them than by the regularly
adopted and published rules of the
school. Midshipman Meriwether had
a disagreement with Il fellow student
named James II. Branch. Jr. Meri.
wcther is alleged to have inSulted
Branch. applying to him the epithets
'sneak" and coward" According to
the code of honor said to prevail
among many students ut Annapolis,
this neceSsitated a challenge from the
person inSulted. In former times the
difference would have been settled by
pistols or swords. but as dueling is
not allowed in these days the fist fight,
with referee, timekeeper and seconds,
has been substituted. Meriwether be-
longs to the third class at the academy,
and Branch belonged to the second.
Meriwether thought he was being i'll
treated by Branch, his superior officer
III the cadet organization. and took the
matter up with his class.
1t is said that the class to which
Branch belonged directed him to chal-
lenge and that Meriwether's class di-
rected him 10 accept the invitation tc
combat. AT any rate, the contest was
held in strict accordance with the I'M
written rules of the code of honor
which, it is reported, is not only accept
ed by the students of the academy but
Endorsed by the officers of the navy.
These provide that the contestants
shall fight stripped to the waist for
twenty-eight rounds if able to stand up
that long. When it is considered that
matches between pugilists are usually
limited to a less number OF rounds
than this and that even then the men
are trained for weeks beforehand fol
the contest, the severity of struggle
In which two youths of less than TWEEN
t. and without any training fight for
such a length of time is apparent
Branch received injuries from which
he died two days afterward. and steps
were at once taken by the head of the
navy department, Secretary Bonaparte,
for a full investigation of the whole
subject. The case brings up not only
the question of abolishing fights of this
character, but the propriety of many
other customs or ideas which prevail
at Annapolis. At the bottom of the
traditional code of honor is said to be
a perverted idea of what constitutes a
gentleman.
The United States Naval academy.
the university of the seas" is a great
institution and one of which every
American may be proud. and it is held
by its friends that investigation of the
Meriwetner- Branch case may result in
abolition of abuses just as in the past
the investigation of fragrant cases OF
han G resulted in diminishing such
practices. Hazing of ''plebes'-that IS.
men in their first year-contnues. but
has been robbed of some OF its rougher
features. Many of the traditional prac-
tees of this nature are considered
harmless and necessary to prevent the
''plebe' from assuming that as soon as
he has entered the academy he is quail
fed to be a rear admiral. Taking a few
reefs in his pride inspires him with re-
spect for superior officers and eventual
ly has more influence than all his
studies in making a good sea fighter of
him When the candidate for admis-
sion to the academy takes his eXamina-
tions he observes a curious custom,
which is called saluting the god of
25" To do this he walks up to an old
fgurehead of the Delaware in front Of
the chapel, representing the Indian
chief Tecumseh, stands erect and SOL
EMMY touches his hat to it. This cere-
mony is supposed to help him not to
fall below % in his marks. The ''plebe"
is subjected to great many tests Of
patience and good nature called run
ming" He cannot dance at balls, walk
in Lovers lane" or speak to an upper
classman without saying "sir." He is
asked
swell, who are you"
Smith. sir"
"Oh. no, you are not! You are the
wild man from Borneo. Do you savvyf
Now tell me who you are??"
"The wild man from ROrneo, sir"