Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1915-07-02
INQUIRY TURNS TO
OTHER DEFENDANTS
Cases Of Original Seven in Scandal
Practically Closed.
YOUNG ENSIGNS TESTIFY.
Several Who Were Dragged in As Re-
suit Of Evidence Explain Their Con-
nection With Alleged 'Cribbing."

With the proceedings of the naval
! court of inquiry into the "cribbing'
scandal at the Naval Academy practi-
cally closed. at least so far as the ef-
forts of Judge Advocate Watts, the
government prosecutor 20 establish the
guilt of the original seven defendants
on the point that they made use of the
information that turned out 10 be the
actual examination papers, and for
which they we're recommended for dis
missal. is concerned, the investigation
proceeded along new line today
The examination OF MidshipmanNel-
son, that closed yesterday and with il
the defense in behalf of the original
seven was practically rested, so the
several ensigns and other midshipmen
who have been made interested parties
10 the inquiry by testimoy previously
given by other witnesses, began their
defense this morning. Ensigns Hough,
Burhen, Struble and Confer took the
witness chair at their own request and
explained their positions in the matter
all claiming that their status is one CT
complete innocence.
They stated that what dope" they
had on the examinations was entire
ly legitimate, had no connection with
the original papers. and as far as the
testimony that several instructors
picked up slips of papers bear
ing solutions of questions near the ex-
amination room, they stated these
scraps were discarded before entering
the room, which they had done fire.
quently on previous occasions, and in
no instance had they ever carried such
material in the examination room.
II is the custom for midshipmen to
make out such solutions on the night
preceding an examination and to com
nit the subject to memory from such
solutions
That Ensign John l.. McCrea was, to
his mind, guilty of offenese of "goug-
ing" was the statement made by En-
sign Burhen in reply to a question put
by counsel for the defense this morn
ing before the court of inquiry. Tn
sign Burhen was on the stand in his
own defense.
Ensign Burhen related the circum-
stances of an incident that occurred i'm
a recitation room during daily task
in ordnance some time prior to the
late examinations. Burhen stated
that McCrea consulted his pamphlet in
course of sketch of some work he had
done on the blackboard, an offense
that is contrary to the Academy regu-
lations. and which he deemed an act
of gouging. Burhen said he took the
mater up with several of his class
mates. including Ralph Nelson, one of
the defendants. with the view of de
termining what would be the proper
of the incident TO the authorities.
Ordinarily, he said, this is regarded
as class matter, or one for the pres
ident of the class to handle, but as he
knew that midshipman, now Ensign
Adams, was a close personal friend of
McCrea, together with the fact that the
membership of the class was so large
that he did not take it up through eth
er of these channels, nor did the com
mite of midshipmen who discussed it.
press it further.
Counsel for the defense also elected
from Burhen evidence of the high re-
gard held for Nelson by his classmates.
together with the statement that in
view of the fact that practically the en-
tire class had the advance informa-
on the examinations, and that all hands
could be held equally as guilty of
an offense, as in the case of the orig
inal seven defendants who saw and
used the actual examination sheets. Sc
cured in advance.