New-York tribune., 1910-07-25
M|DSH|PMAN VICTIM OF
GREAT WHITE WAY
Bacon Dismissed After Court
Martial for Lying and
Drunkenness.
REPORTED BY CLASSMATES
They Had Repeatedly Stood
Watch for Him, but Finally
Lost Patience When He
Broke His Word.

Passed Midshipnan Allen Bacon, T.
g. N, of Boston, who captained the Navy
baseball team in 1908 and for three
consecutive years played second base on
the nine. has been court nartialled ana
dismissed from the naval service. he
was convicted on the charges OF orulih-
enness and lying. and. what makes HIS
case still more unusual. two OF MS own
classmates who were on duty on Ihe
same ship with him, the New Hahlp-
shire. were the men who reported .hltn'
The latter were Midshipman Douglas
president of the class OF l|oS ana olie
OF the best football players the Naval
Academy has ever turned out II not Ine
best. and Jabez Lowell.
The story OF Bacon's downfall is still
q subject for general discussion IN the
Junior officers nlesses Of those patIle-
sr7ins Of the North Atlantic feet which,
until q day or two ago, were at the
BROOKLYN Navy Yard undergoing repairs
Little sympathy is expressed Tor the
dismissed rnidshipn1an, because ne was
guilty OF a sin which the navy consloets
Observation-Disclosures Yet MS former
classmates feel that the case IS IN many
resnects- pathetic as well as tragic, LOT
il is the story of a young midshlpnlan
of great promise ending his career less
than two wears after his graduation, IN
disgrace
..Rrainv" was the nickname he went
bv at Annapolis, where he was conslo-
cred one of the ''savviest' men IN MS
class-to employ the slang Of the MD
dies. At the end OF his plebe year, oy
averaging over 35 out Of possible
on every subject, he won the rlght 10
wear the star on his collar. an honor
which all covet but few aidshipmen OBJ
tain.
During that year he was CONSIDERED d
model rnidshipran. He worked haro'
and seldom faltered from the straight
and narrow path which the blue book
r,rescribes. but which most nlidshiprnen
won't or can't tread.
Croppinq His Studies.
BEGINNING his 'eyoungster'' year, his
classmates noticed q change. He did
not study as hard, and got more de-
merits One night he and a classnlate
were reported for drinking, and, more
over. had 10 stand at attention While
the officer in charge ennptied their TWO
quarts Of champagne into slop Jar
Still, such things happen at Annapolis
and nothing much was thought OF IL
Then Bacon developed into a star base
ball player. He played fast game al
second base and made the Navy nine
With ease. His ability to get on bases
plIt him al the head Of the batting or
der
But the second year at the Academy
marked the turning point Of his career
in the service During his third year ne
was IN poor physical condition most o.
the time, and fell of 50 badly in hi!
academic work that at times there wa!
talk OF his 'sbiIging,' which is a WORD
the nidshipmen use when one Of theil
rUuaber Is dismissed from the Academy
for being unsatisfactory in his studies
But Bacon, with his natural ability
hraced I'D. worked hard before exam
fnations. passed and went on his frs
class cruise.
II was on this cruise, his classnate!
say, that the young man showed sign:
Of real dissipation. Had he been les
fortunate, they say. he would never have
rulled through that cruise without get
ting q court martial. His friends urged
him TO brace up. and warned him tha
unless he did, sooner or later, disnlssa
from the service awaited him Upor
his return from leave Bacon found tht
first class year far from easy, but h
finally was graduated, although his clas!
standing was far from that Of an honor
man.
After graduation he was assigned t
the New Hampshire Unfortunately fol
him. his ship was in port a cOnsiOera biz
Part of the time, either here or at BOs-
ton or Portsmouth. His tendency L
destination increased ana It was not Ions
before the siren song Of the "Grea-
White Way began to draw him with
irresistible force The young officer be
gan to drink heavily. He became init
mate with some Of the habitues Of th'
lobster palaces That kind Of life go
? stronger and stronger hold on him
AT first his friends and classmates be
1ieved that il was merely a question o
-ir7e before the midshipnan would set
lie down and find himself. They though
The best thing was 10 let him go ahea'