Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1912-10-21
HAzING BREAKS OUT
AFRESH AT ACADEMY
Officials Admit Against MILDLY
Tigan Warranted Court.
FINDINGS TO WASHINGTON
Investigating Body Finished This Morn
ing and Will Send Sealed Verdict
to Department.

Inc naval court martial that was
convened at the Naval Academy on
Saturday for the trial of Midship-
man Walter j. Tigan, of Illinois,
member of the third class, completed
its Investigations this morning, but
just what its findings are will not be
made public until the Navy Depart
ment passes upon the conclusions and
report. A sealed verdict will be
forwarded to the Department this
afternoon.
While admitting that th4 alleged
offense was of sufficient severity TO
warrant the Navy Department to or
der court-martial, authorities of
the Academy declined to discuss the
details of the case at all, holding
that the accused midshipman in
such proceedings, is entitled to all
protection possible, until the charge
against him is substantiated. That
is why the officials declined to give
out the name of the allee ed offender,
brit since the information leaked out
through other channels, il was admit
ted this morning that Midshipman
llkdn WoS TIC idu OEOuknI W tEldl
before the court-martial
1t has also been rumored that ore
or more other midshipmen have been
nipped in the bud for hazing offenses.
Asked about this the authorities to-
day stated that they know of no other
cases just now. The court, however.
has not been dissolved.
Ev0v, o,,foida oo,,raas fhat 49, kbo-
oughly reliable, it was CLEANED that
Tigan was charged with having COM
PEELED Midshipman r. S. Berkey, a
fourth class man to stand on his
head a lumber of times. This
offense is of sufficient gravity to war
rant the expulsion of a midshipman
from the service, as the Superinten-
dent of the Academy is vested with
authority to punish all cases of mild
er nature, without the necessity of
convening a court-martial.
The authorities of the Academy, as
we'll a. the midshipmen, are very
secretive about the details Of the in
cident out Of which the charges crew,
and the public is not admitted to the
sessions of the court today. How
ever, it is reported on reliable author
ity that the name of the fourt1 class
man who was alleged to have been
hazed was r. S. Kerkey. who is from
indiana.
1t is understood that the hazing
consisted of compelling the under
elassman to stand on his head a num-
ber Of times, and that an officer of the
discipline department walked into the
room while the affair was going on,
finding Tigan and one of his class
mates there, besides the fourth class
man.
That the affair is regarded as a
serious one is made positive by the
fact that Superintendent Gibbons
applied to the Navy Department
for the detail of court-martial.
Cases which are not regarded as
grave may be settled by the Super
intendent without recourse to the
department, and it is only in cases
where dismissal is regarded as the
proper course that it is necessary to
resort to court-martial.
Guy H. Burhage, senior officer, and
Commanders A. B. Hoff and Howard
H. Christie, with Lieut.. Commander
Carries P. Snyder as judge advocate.
1t is understood that Midshipman
Berkey, the alleged victim, did not
prove very satisfactory witness, and
practically declined to give definite
testimony against the midshipman
who was under charges. This, how
ever, is not likely to avail much, as
the law is clear as to the offense of
hazing if committed by any upper
class man present at the interference
with or molestation of an under class
man, whether there is active par
ticipation or not. Word has beer
passed among the midshipmen to dc
no talking about the case.