Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1906-01-02
The Court Martial at Annapolis.

Auudpoh01 w., Ja1. e. w lluOul
further testimony as to his reputation
for truthfulness, Stephen Decatur's
counsel at the resumption of his trial on
charges OF having hazed Midshipmen
McCrary and Church, fourth class, this
morning made long strides toward dis
proving the emphatic statement made
BY McCrary at Saturdays session. Nc
Crary was positive that Decatur had
stood hin on his head $50 times beside
putting him through the sixteenth exer-
else.
Midshipman Charles S. Kaller, sec
ond class, testified that on The evening
the cadet petty officers had group pho
tograph taken for the "lucky bag" the
first class annual. He was in room SO,
which was occupied by Decatur, aud his
room mate, Graves. IL vas that even
ing, and in that room, McCrary said, he
was hazed. al left the mess hall, my
squad being the first out and went direct
to room 9S, said Keller. "Mr. Deca-
tur got to his room after | arrived. Sew
eral other8 we're present, among them
Midshipmen Graves aud Lowe"
"Were there any fourth class men
present, while you were in the roomY"
asked counsel.
"No, sir" answered Keller. "Only
upper class men were present in room
SO, from supper to the time the bugle
sounded for study"
"Did Mr.. Decatur leave the room be-
fore you did?,
"He left 10 have his picture taken
with the other officers. While / was
there Mr.. Decatur smoked cigarette put
on his dress clothes, and left"
Under cross examination, Keller said
plebe might have been "doing stunts
in the closet without his having seen
him, bat he was sure a plebe could not
have been standing on his head without
being overheard.
1.-The noise of his feet striking the floor
would have been audible clear through
the suite" said Keller.
Witnesses knew of the petty officers
having been photographed before, but
always in the day time and he said he
was accurate as to the evening in ques-
ton. He could not state positively that
he reached room SO before Decatur, but
to the best Of his belief he had been
there when Keller got in.
Beside Keller, the defense today had
twelve midshipmen witnesses in attend
ance. Decatur's father sat with the ac-
cused midshipman and his counsel, E.
5. Theall, of Washington, and David G.
Randall, of Annapolis.
During the morning session Admiral
Sands forwarded to the court request
received from the father of Midshipman
Worth w. Foster, asking that the lat
ter's trial be postponed until Thursday
of this week, in order that arrangements
may be made for the defense. Foster
has received the specifications on which
he will be tried.
On November l he is accused of hav-
ing suspended fourth classman Charles
s. Roberts, of Joliet, ILL.,, upon bis
locker and of standing him on his head
about 80 times Other specifications
charge that Foster made Roberts, ON two
occasion, eat under the table.
Midshipman j. f. Cox, second class,
followed Keller on the stand. He also
was in room 90 after dinner, the even
ing the photograph was taken, there be-
ing some disagreement between the first
and second class officers about the pic
ture. Cox said there were several up
per classmen in room SO, but no plebes
and he had seen no haziEg. He cor
roborated what Keller had previously
testified.
The members of the court took, APP
parently, the iveiest interest they have
yet evnced in this line of testimony.
First classman R. V. Lowe took a
look into the closet when he entered
room IS. He testified to this effect after
Cox had beer excused, and farther stated
that he had seen no plebes being hazed
10 the closet or any portion of the apart
ment. Lowe said he had gone directly
from the mess hall to the room aud had
found the others there including Decatur.
Further corrOborate testimony as to
what occurred in room SO, between sup
per and study call, that evening, was
given by Midshipman Percival f. d.
Nogel, second class, who happened to
be present there. He was followed by
Midshipman Carroll S. Graves, De-
catur's roommate, who recalled the
evening perfectly because he and Lowe
refused to go with Decatur TO be in the
picture, second class men having been
included in the arrangements. Decatur,
he said, had finally decided to go,
shifted" his uniform, smoked a cigar
cite, and departed without having hazed |
a plebe or plebe having been present.
Midshipman g. K. Davis, first class,
testified about the time at which Decatur
arrived on the steps of Bancroft Hall for
the picture to be taken. His classmate,
Harold Jones, also testified that Decatur
was there because he got to skylarking |
and passed Midshipman Officer Fitch's |
sword around so that Fitch did not know
who it was. Similar testimony was
given by Midshipman Claude B. Mayo, |
who also testified that the cadet officers |
we're gathered on the steps several
minutes before study bugle call.