Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1915-06-09
SWEEPING PROBE OF METHODS
In PREPARING EXAMS. ORDERED
COnvenng Authority Modes Precept Court Of InquyGougng
Scandal Spreads, Two More Mdshipmen Drawn in and
Others AretO FOlow-AdmiraI FuIIam to Furnish Names
by Direction of Court
rO GIVE LIST OF ALL WHO HAD ANY INFORMATION WHAT
CON- Taut Head Of Modern Languages Department Under Geng
Cross Examination TodayA Witnesses Admitted knowledge
of Advance Information, But First Board Recommended
Punishment Of Only Seven

The inquiry of the Naval Academy
&ouging scandal, by which large
number of Midshipmen were enabled
| TO perpetrate a systematic cheating in
the late annual examinations. began to
assume an even more serions phase
today.
When the proceedings for the morn
ing were opened President Russell
| announced a decision of the court by
which two moreMidshipmen are drawn
in as parties defendant, because of their
familiarity with, and access TO the ex-
animation questions. and another inn
portant development was the receipt
from Secretary of the Navy Daniels
of letter directing a modification of
the precept convening the court, by
which thorough inquiry is TO be made
of the methods employed in the prepa-
ration of questions for examinations,
from the time they are propounded,
until they are laid before the students
i'm the class rooms.
The order directs an investigation of
the merits and demerits employed, of
the systems employed in the several
departments. and to submit any rec
concentrations or criticisms of the same
that, in the judgment of the court, are
necessary. The two additional Mid
shipmen who now become interested
PARTIES to the inquiry are w. j. Confer
and A. c. Rogers.
Confer is now an Ensign having been
Il ~, Il Ine
recalled. Rogers, who is a second
classman. came into court this morning
and the lawyers defending the other
seven Midshipmen under sentence of
dismissal, consented to act as coun-
sci for him.
Rogers was aboard one of the ships
of the practice cruise squadron now in
the bay. and it was easy TO reach him.
Confer, as well as the several other
first classmen, previously summoned as
witnesses are expected in Annapolis in
a few days. Secretary Daniels order
modifying the precept. gives the inqui-
ry an even wider range than was ex-
pected. The Department authorities,
undoubtedly, are aroused along this
line. because of the nature of the tes-
timony given at the inquiry yesterday,
which showed apparent lax methods
in the preparation of questions, some
having been made out as early as a
month in advance and then distributed
among the assistant instructors with
directions TO instruct the Midshipmen
along such line of work. The turn
that the investigation will thus take.
following the main inquiry. is compile
ted. bears out the almost general belief
that the system" is responsible for
all the gouging trouble.
After some delay. due to the yerif-
cation of testimony by witnesses of
yesterday. todays session got under
way with continuation of the exam
ination of Commander f.. A. Traut.
head of the modern language depart
ment. That even more Midshipmen
may be hailed before the court as de-
Rogers. the two already tripped be-
cause of their familiarity. Commander
Traut admitted that the scraps of pa
per found about his department and
which bore solutions of different ques-
tions. and were in the handwriting of
the following Midshipmen: A.E. Stru-
BILE, r. Burhen. w j. Nunnelly. +. b.
Hough, ]. F. Davis, first class
Davis was recently dismissed for
drunkenness. Commander Traut then
admitted that instructors in his depart
ment are authorized TO give out infor-
nation or dope" to the students Ex-
planning this. he said. il is their duty
to caution the pupils about their work
from time to time. but that this is very
different to giving out surreptitiously
unauthorized information. He said,
further. that with this dope" a Mid
shipman could collect a large guam
tity of material, some of which. un-
doubtedly, comprise part of their ex-
animation.
AS TO how the papersgot away from
his department. Commander Traut said
he felt certain that they were stolen,
as they could not have gotten into the
hands the Midshipmen in any other
way. In reply to a question. he said
Midshipman might have stolen them.
that professor did not. and very like
iy an employee. On cross-examination
Commander Traut recounted the cir
cumstances of the preparation of pa
pers. and their disposition pending ex-
animation, as given in his testimony
of yesterday, some of which he said
were prepared by himself and others
by the assistants in his department.
This question, along with others, on
direct examination. brought out much
bearing upon the sweeping investiga-
tion ordered By Secretary Daniels
Indicative of the thoroughness of the
/ boards inquiry, the examination of
. Commander Traut was suspended. Ad-