Evening star., 1915-06-08
DEGREES PULL FOR
M|DD|ES IN TROUBLE
Admiral FuIIam Indicates
Plainly His DisapprovaI
at Annapolis Hearing.
SAYS PRACTICE IMPERILS
STANDARD OF ACADEMY
Testimony Before Naval Court of In
quiry in "Gouging" Charges Is
Marked by Several ''Tiffs."
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
ANNAPOLIS, Md. June S. - In the
course of his testimony this morning
before the naval court of inquiry de-
tailed to investigate the scandal re-
garding examination papers. Admiral
Fullam. superintendent of the Naval
Academy. quite pointedly indicated that
he does not approve of political in
nuence being used by friends of the
midshipmen to get the boys out of
trouble from time to time
Referring to the hearing held before
the Secretary of the Navy here last
week, Admiral Fullam stated ths: in
this hearing Midshipman J. d. Moss.
who seems to have distributed the ad-
vance test papers. which. he says, came
to him through the mails, was support
ed by two United States senator's. a
representative in Congress and two
lawyers. He then remarked "if such
influences are to be allowed to save
midshlpmen from just punishment, it
will not be possible to keep up the
standard at this institution"
Counsel Hays Statement.
There were several little "tiffs" between
Mr.. Hay and Admiral Fullam. and dur
ing one of these Mr.. Hay said: Il want
1t understood that l want to see the stand
ard at the academy upheld. l am inter-
ested in the institution, as every member
OF Congress should be, but 1 would also
like to see justice done these seven Young
mloshipmen who are here as defendants"
The fact that dope" was generally
spread prior to the recent Spanish eX-
aminations and that it was pretty
generally used. and the additional fact
that some of this so-called dope" was
round by midshipmen of the two upper
classes to have been clearly advance
copies of the examination papers when
they came to use in the examination
room, was further established at this
mornings session.
First Glass Man Criticised.
Admiral Fullam. under cross-exam-
ination by Mr. Hay, in reply to repeat
ed questioning on this point, said that
he felt the first class man who gath
cred what he considered innocent
dope" and later found 1t to be real
advance information should have re-
ported the affair to the authorities and
should not have taken advantage of
1t. However, he did not consider the
youth who had this advantage and OBJ
tained 1t in an innocent way was as
guilty as the boy who knew the dope"
ton papers
1t was clearly established that there
were hundreds OF the members of the
two upper classes who did. after they
got into the examination room, have
every reason to believe the dope" they
had received was in fact closely allied
to the actual examination papers.
Resolution in Evidence.
The copy Of the resolution of the
first class mentioned in dispatches yes
terday and in which the class went on
record as feeling that all its members
were equally guilty with Midshipman
Nelson was introduced in evidence this
Admiral Fullam said he had not seen
and had never any knowledge of such
resolution being adopted.
He decried the fact that in their state
ments the seven midshipmen, now ac-
cused, had tried to clear themselves
through endeavoring to involve others in
the illegal use of the. advance questions.
at is plain," he said. that the guilt is
the actual papers which were had by Mid
shipman Moss than in the cases of those
who saw only fragments or whole copies
made from these originals"
Dope" System Defended.
Admiral Fullam defended the So
called dope" system. He said he con-
sidered it the duty of instructors to
aid the midshipmen from time to time
Pressed for an explanation, he said
that the instructor in classroom would
direct the midshipmen's attention espe-
cially to the greater Importance of
certain parts of their work.
The admiral also said that slips or
sheets were issued to the midshipmen
showing the most important part of the
work, and copies of former eXamina-
tions often were issued.
He was asked II 1T would be possible
for any one to obtain copies of the
examination papers and to send them
the mails. as indicated in Mid
shipman Moss explanation of how he
came into possession of the papers.
The admiral thought that it might be
possible through burglary for a person
to get access to the questions on prac-
tically all of the subjects.
Four Attempts Charged.
That there was reason to believe that
attempts had been made to enter the
desks of the heads Of at least four
Naval Academy departments and Sc
cure the examinations in advance was
the. testimony given late yesterday
afternoon by Rear Admiral Fullam.
Of the academy. 1t is
the belief of the authorities. however.
that only one attempt had been actual
ly successful. This was in the case OF
the department of modern languages.
The reading of the record of testi-
mony taken before the board of in
which was appointed by
Rear Admiral Fullam. superintendent
of the academy, occupied the court
from 10 o'clock yesterday morning un-
til after O'Clock in the afternoon.
with only a short intermssion for |
luncheon. Then Admiral Fullam was |
on the witness stand until a few min
utes before s O'Clock.
Good Dope Handed Out, Claim.
The testimony read from the record |
showed that the examination papers
'or the first, second, third and fourth
classes in Spanish, to all appearances.
we're stolen. and that following this
here was general dissemination
rom the hands of the friends of Mid
,hipman James Moss of the third class
If good dopew for all of these classes.
A custom mas grown up at the
academy of receiving from professors
ldvice regarding the most important
part of the terms work. This is called
dope" Many of the midshipmen testi-
led that they thought the information
which was so generally disseminated
vas only this so-called dope" How
.ver. others admitted that when they
rot into the examination rooms they
elt sure they had advance copies of
he examination. Each seems not to
,aye reported it because he thought
ome one of the upper classes should
ook to that.
Mentions Professors Name.
Probably the most startling evidence