Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-02
ADMIRAL ORDERS INQUEST
Two Members of Crew Meet in Ring
at Weekly Smoker.
ONE DIES OF HEMoRRHAGE
Ring Custom Prevails Among Naval
Seamen, But Rarely With
Fatal Ending.

telegram was received at the Navy
Department today from Rear Admiral
Shredder. commanding the Atlantic fleet
at Provincetown, Mass. saying that Har-
rison ii. Foster, a mess attendant on the
L. 8. S. Vermont. died yesterday after
noon. and that he had ordered a board Of
inquest on the case. The cause OF death.
the admiral stated, was professionally
diagnosed as cerebral hemorrhase.'
Although not mentioned in the official
report ii appears from press dispatches
that Fosters death was the result of a
prearranged boxing match with another
member of the crew named Williams.
According to one story there had been
bad blood between the men. and follow
ing the invariable practice in such caeJ-e
it was arranged that they should have
it out" with boxing gloves at the weekly
smoker on the Vermont Saturday night.
with referee. seconds and friends In at
tendance to see fair play.
1t proved to be a gruelling bout and
fairly even up to the end of the fourth
round. Both men had been severely
pummeled. AT the end OF the fourth
round. however. Foster showed signs OF
weakness. but gamely insisted on keep
ing up his end of the bout. He managed
for two additional rounds to keep off
for the seventh. but those In charge
decided that he had had enough. He
went to his hammock, and thenext
morning complained of pains. He was
all day till late in the afternoon, when
he died.
Williams Under Surveillance.
Fosters antagonist. Williams. was
placed under surveillance pending the re-
suit Of the official inquiry. Sparing bouts
under proper conditions are allowed on
warships as part of the general athletic
training and are invariably adopted 10
settle personal disputes among the mem.
bers Of the crew. These contests are OF
frequent occurrence and are rarely at
tended with fatal or serious results
The case of Foster is the first fatality
from that cause this year. A seaman
named Hartnet was killed in a boxing
match on the U.S.S. Cumberland at New
York i'm June, 1908. and marine named
Hazen died as a result OF boxing bout
on the U.S.S Mississippi In the following
July.
Officials of the Navy Department will
suspend judgment on the case of Foster
until after the receipt Of the official re-
port.
Foster was resident Of Charlotte.
n. c., and enlisted In the navy in JAM
uary 1907 He was a son of William
Foster OF Charlotte, who has been MOTIF
fled of his death.
Admiral Schroeder's Statement.
A press dispatch this afternoon. dated
at Provincetown. Mass. gives an inter-
view with Admiral Schroeder. which
places another construction upon the
causes which led up to the boxing
match.
1T was not a prize fight or a boxing
bout, but an exhibition for a moving
picture machine said Admiral Seaton
Schroeder, in reference to the death Of
the negro mesSmate.
Those who witnessed the exhibition
say that the men went six rounds. and
then, as prearranged Foster took the
count. That was Friday evening. The
next morning the negro messman COM
planned Of pains in his head, and was
taken to the sick ward.
The autopsy revealed the fact that
Foster died of cerebral henorrhages
caused by a blow a fall. The body
was taken ashore and was buried there