The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-06-09
NAVAL ACADEMY SCANDAL.
COURT OF INQUIRY FOR CHEAT
ING ON EXAMS.
Alleged That Midshipmen Have Sc
secured Advance Copies Of Questions
Seven Under Charges.

Washington. June 5.-After a con-
ference with President Wilson today,
Secretary Daniels appointed a court
OF inquiry to investigate specific
charges that seven midshipmen at the
naval academy had secured advance
information on examinations The
court will make a sweeping inquiry,
however, into reports that other mid
shipmen and possibly some instruct
ors We're involved in the irregularities.
No attempt was made at the navy
department tonight to minimize the
gravity of the situation Secretary
Daniels authorized the statement that
the court Of inquiry would make a
thorough investigation.
The annual practice cruise Of the
midshipmen. which was to have been
begun next week. had been indefinitely
postponed in order that students at
the academy may testify before the
court of inquiry which will be con-
vened at Annapolis next Monday.
During his conference with Secre-
tary Daniels, President Wilson ap-
proved recommendations that three
cadets at the academy charged with
irregularities in connection with re-
cent examinations be dismissed from
the service. The secretary refused to
make public the names Of the mid
shipmen, all of whom were lower
classmen. One Of them was charged
with having offered bribe to q ci-
william employe Of the academy for
advance information on an examina-
ton while 1t was alleged the other
two broke into a professors room to
ascertain the standing they had at
tanned In an examination.
The seven midshipmen whose cases
Will furnish the basis for the investi-
CATION have already been recommend
ed for dismissal to the academy board.
but Secretary Danils after a personal
at the academy decided
that 1t was best to go throughly into
all cases involving others. One mid
shipman recommended for dismissal Is
alleged to have had advance copies of
all examinations to be given in
French and Sapnish and it Is claimed
that the other six received the infor-
nation with the full knowledge that
1t comprised the examination in ques-
ton. 1t Is further claimed that frag-.
mentary information concerning the
examinations came into the possession
of many other midshipmen as dope"
After the discovery that the subject
matter Of the examination had leaked
out new examinations were prepared
and held.
The cadet who Is said to have re-
ceived the advance information and
passed 1t on to others is understood
to have claimed that it came to him
anonymously through the mail
The investigation brought to light,
however. report that it was sent
to him by an instructor and this is
one Of the phases OF the situation
arousing the greatest concern because
OF intimations that instructors have
previously given tips to cadets on
examinations.
The president and Secretary Daniels
are understood to be exercised over
the situation, because, after the cadets
received the information, they kept
the matter quiet. This fact Is under
stood to have led the secretary to
doubt the claim Of some Of the mid
shipmen that they did not know the
information they had received was
in fact the examinations they were
to take.
The seven midshipmen under spe-
cihc charges are: Ralph Nick. Nelson,
Jr., of New York, Chaplin Evans of
Virginia. Stuart Hamilton of Connecti-
cut, Leonard p. Vessels Of North
Carolina. Donald r. Duncan Of Michi.
gan, Thomas M. Harrison, Jr., Of Vir-
ginia. James l.. Moss Of Maryland.
Nelson Is the only first class man
among the seven directly involved
He stood third in his class and had
achieved reputation az u mathema-
tcian. His diploma was withheld at
the graduation exercises yesterday.
PINNED UNDER AUTO.