Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-01-01
COFFIN GUILTY
Of Hazing Fellow Midship-
man at Annapolis.
VIII Be Dismissed from Acad-
e:w---InVestigation Continues.
+ early $50 Men Have Been Connected
with Some hazing Incident.

AnnapuliS, Md. Dec. 2l.-Two mid
shipmt:l of tn- f,,urin class. Isaac n.
Mct'rary Of calvert, Texas. ana Gay
lord Church Of Meadvillc. Pa, testified
positively Saturday that Midshipman
stephen Decatur, Jr.. of Portsmouth.
~ H., a member of the first class. had
hazcd them on different occasions.
Decatur viii, according to his counsel.
go on the stand Tuesday when the
court will again meet. and deny under
oath every statement which the two
under class men made discriminating
him.
Young Decatur was arraigned at go
Saturday afternoon and pleaded not
guilty to every charge and specification.
Midshipnlan McCrary was then called
and testified clearly and positively that
he had been hazed by Decatur who. he
said had sent for him to come to Dec
atur's room. There he had ordered him
to stand ON his mead in the closet and
he had done so until he was exhausted
about $50 times. Decatur compelled him
to do Number l6'' and then he was or
dered by someone. possibly not Deca-
tur, he said, to perform the leaning
rest"
All of these were continued until the
witness could do them no more. The
witness snow ed the court tn" manner
Of performing the two exercises IN
NO. 16'' the hands We're placed on the
hips end the body lowered and raised
l:y bending the legs outward and
Strengthening them again. In the
leaning rest" the hands and feet We're
placed on the floor witt! the body rigid
and the body raised and lowered by
bending and Strengthening the arms.
McCrary vas riSidly cross examined
but his story was not shaken. Finally
he sail in answer to a question that lie
would not believe Decatur if ne swOre
hat be had not told him 10 stand on
mis- head and perform mo. 49,
Midshipnan Church testified that De-
Catur had ordered him to stand on his
head but he was not 81 positive as
McCrary and admitted that he might
be mistaken. These were the only wit
neSsrS for the prosecution.
The remainder of the session was
taken up by witnesses y no testified to
the good reputation for lrlIthfulneSS en-
ioyed by Decatur. Those who gave this
Fulla.n. Lieut. Commander Edward p.
carthart. Professor Harry p. Huse and
Mid.hipman Lawrence s. Stewart and
Charles T.. Hovey.
Mr.. Thvail, Decatur's counsel, stated
that the accused nidshiDman will go
on The stand Tuesday and d"ny speci-
fCally every statement made that he
had hazed either MrCrar1 or Church
offered tending to establish an alibi He
would prove. Mr.. Theall said. that the
case. was one of mistaken identify.
Trenmnr Coffin, .!r., whose trial.for
the alleged haGinE Of Midshipmah Jer-
done p. Eimtrough was concluded
Friday. WAS before the coISt fer
brief ne"iol and heard they record or
FriOay read and approved. 1t Is prar-
tical!y conceded that Coffin had been
convicted and will be dismissed. though
of course nothing is known officially.
Charges have been filed against Mid
shipman Worth Wright Foster of New
Albany, Ind. 1t is specified in his ease
that he haZed Milshipman Chester s.
Roberts of Joliet. Ills. by compelling
HIN to get under the table while eat
ing his supper.
Tile developments of the last % hours.
connecting so many members Of the
graduating class with hazing as we'll
as the persistent cumorS of the whole
sale implication of other midshipmen
by the facts adduced by the beard of
inquiry. which has been in session for
the last three weeks here have raised
the whole body of midshipmen to a
Ditch OF great excitement There seems
to be good foundation for the report
that ut least 20 members of the first
class have been connected with some
incident of hazing by the testimony
brought out by the court of inquiry ana
the number of members of the second
and third classes is put at 125.