The Washington times., 1906-01-14
.LIMELIGHT TURNS
UPON MERINETHER
Must Face Court Martial on
the Charge of Hazing.
MAY BE CLEAR CASE
Claim Offenses Occurred Before His
Trial for Manslaughter-MilleT
Case Goes Over.

ANNAPOLIS. Nd Jan. 13-The sem
satiOn OF the present series OF trials OF
alleged hazers appeared this morning
when it became known that the next
case to be brought before the court
would be that of Midshipman Minor
Meriwether, Jr., of Lafayette, La. the
midshipman OF the third class whose
court martial on charges connected with
a fist hght. in which he engaged with
Aidshipman James r. Branch. after
which the latter died. attracted wide
spread ettention.
Merlwether is now serving the sent
enee Of one years confinement in the
Naval Academy. to which lie was sen
tenced, in addition to a reprimand, by
the court-martial which tried him
0ffenses Last Fall.
Ali the oftenses charged against him
are alleged TO have occurred during
September last At this time the fourth
class Just entered and most of the mem
bers of The three upper classes were
on leave. Meriwether was among the
number who were compelled TO remain
at Annapolis because OF deficiency II
his studies. 1t is during this period that
the hazing was alleged to have taken
place
No offense of any kind has been
charged against Meriwether since the
sad affair with Young Branch. In fact.
there is no question but what he has
tried IN every way TO observe every
regulation of the Academy.
Claim Clear Case.
It is very evident that the authorities
believe that they have a perfectly clear
case against Meriwether. The charge
against him is hazing under the act Of
1874. and there is no other charge of
encouraging or cOuntenancing haZing'
under the act OF 1893, as would probably
be the case il it was thought that the
proof would be at all doubtful.
Under this charge, however, there are
six Specifications which run the whole
gamut of the hazing practices in vogue
at the Academy. and each specification
alleges the haZing of a different mid
shipman of the fourth class. 1t is speci-
fed that they were hazed by being COM
PEELED TO stand on their heads. perform
No 16." and do the leaning rest
The trial of Midshipman Meriwether
Will Immediately follow that of the case
now on trial Midshipman John p. Mill
err 1t is very likely that the author
tiles will return TO the first class after
the disposal of Meriwethers case. The
testimony in one or two Of the previous
cases makes it unlikely that certain
members of the first class VIII escape d
trial.
Ludicrous Practices.
1t is understood that the court of in
dulry has brought to light two new
hazing practices OF a most Iudicrous
nature. One is described as follows:
The under class man is required to form
a ring with the thumb and index finger
of his left hand and insert the index
finger of his right hand through it. At
intervals he suddenly withdraws his
right finger and endeavors to accom-
plish the hopeless task of catching with
the same hand from the upper side of
the ring The other stunt" is to hold
the finger about a foot in front of the
mouth and without allowing the finger
to get nearer 10 the face. try TO catch IL
between the teeth. The fourth class
men are sent chasing their own finger
all around the quarters.
Miller Case Goes Over.
The trial OF Midshipman John Paul
Miller. OF Lancaster, KY, first class, on
the charge of 'hazing" and also ''coun-
tenancing and encouraging hazing,"
which began before the eourt-martial
at the Naval Academy this morning.
was continued until Monday. At the
close of today's session of the court,
counsel for the defense announced that
they had two more witnesses. and asked
that the trial go over The request was
granted.
The prosecution has made out a strong
Continued on Second Page.)