Norwich bulletin., 1915-06-16
Explanation by
Admiral FuIIam
BEFORE COURT OF INQUIRY ON
"cRIBBING" SCANDAL
DID NOT USE INFLUENCE
To Tamper With Evidence of Midship-
men-Statement Made to Vindicate
Press.

Annapolis, Md, June 13.-Rear Ad-
miral William F. Fullam, superintend-
ent of the naval academy, was given
an opportunity late today to explain
before the court of inquiry invesS1gat-
ing the "cribbing' scandal, the advice
which he had given prospective mid
shipmen witnesses. Earlier in the day
a letter was received from him ac-
knoWledgfng receipt of the courts re-
quest that the practice against which
Congressman Hay entered a protest
yesterday be discontinued. The admiral
wrote that he would comply with the
courts suggestion and that he was
ready to appear before the court to
make an explanation.
While he was in the witness chair
today. Admiral Fullam said:
Considered Himself Defendant.
81 consider myself in some sense a
defendant in view of what the press Of
the country has had to say in criticism
of the system at the academy
When Midshipman A. c. Rogers
Joined the seven original defendants,
after testimony had been given that
paper in his handwriting had been
found on which answers appeared to
questions in the last Spanish examina-
ton, and which had been circulated as
dope" prior to the examination, he
accepted the counsel of the other de-
,ndants. Admiral Fullam said he
cause he felt he needed advice con-
corning that proceeding; that he was
wronging himself and jeopardizing his
interests by placing himself in the
same category with the seven mid
shipmen who had been recommended
for dismissal His impression was
that three or four other midshipmen
in his office may have heard what he
said and possibly he had advised
others.
Did Not Influence Testimony.
I'm no case did I try to influence
their testimony or their actions in this
court" said the superintendent.
After others had been drawn into
the proceedings, the superintendent
said, counsel came to him and asked
that the seven under arrest be freed,
that all the defendants should be given
the same status. He told counsel he
considered the status of the seven very
different and he could not release them
from confinement aboard the prison
ship.
Referring again to Rogers, Admiral
Fullam said that when he considered
that the young mans interests had
been jeopardized he wanted to know as
his commanding officer If he was satis-
fed. 1t was his duty, he said, before
putting him on the prison ship, to ask
him if he wanted to go into that cate
CORY.
Asked by Congressman Carlin about
his interview with Secretary of the
Navy Daniels in Washington last Sat
urday, he said that he reviewed the
whole matter with the secretary, who
expressed a desire for "a full and free
investigation of the whole thing by
court in order that there should be no
complaint that there had not been q
thorough inquiry"
Believes Midshipmen Guilty.
Admiral Fullam said he considered It
for the best interests of the academy
and of the navy that he should reiter-
ate to the secretary his previous views
as to the guilt of the seven midship-
men.
"Unless the court discovers evidence
of which l cannot conceive and which
I never heard" the admiral said, 'T
think it hardly possible to establish the
innocence of these men,
In reply to another question by
Congressman Carlin, the admiral said:
81 would feel very badly if my judg-
ment were impugned and they were
not found guilty"
Admiral, is it your purpose to re-
sign and go to sea in a collier?" asked
Congressman Carlin.
Not at all,' was the reply. my
reason for mentioning that subject at
all was simply this: that after all 1
had said to the midshipmen of my
views on 'gouging,' 1 had apparently
not succeeded in pounding into them
the seriousness of it. l told the four
class presidents that I considered it
such a reflection on the school that if
it continued to exist here 1 would find
it no honor or satisfaction to remain
here as superintendent"