Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1915-06-16
AdmIraI FuIlam Testifies AGAIN.


''As commanding officer of the Naval
Academy. l regarded ii as a matter of
duty to the midshipmen, their parents,
as well as TO myself to advise them in
such a matter"
I'm these words, Rear-Admiral VIM.
f. Fullam, superintendent of the Ma
val Academy, appeared yesterday for
! the third time as a witness gefore the
naval court of inquiry He took the
\ stand on his own initiative. TO defend
what he termed alleged misstatements,
/ insinuations and reflections that had
| been made against him in open court
by counsel for the midshipmen who
are defendants to the inquiry and also
in the various newspapers.
In the course of the morning session
of the inquiry, the court received
| letter from Admiral Fullam, which was
in the nature of a reply to the call
down" of Monday by Captain Robert
| L. Russell president of the court, after
| counsel for the defendants had entered
an objection to the repeated action OF
the Superintendent in calling before
him midshipmen who had been sum-
moned as witnesses before the inqui-
ry, prior to their appearance before
the court This letter, in substance,
stated the desire of the Superintend
ent 10 avoid his appearance at the ses
sions of the court as far as possible.
but expressed the wish in this instance
to appear and defend himself, if the
court saw fit to call him as witness,
and that he stood ready to defend him
self to the insinuations and the mis-
statements alleged to have been made.
The letter of theSuperintendent was
read in open court, after the court
chamber had been cleared for a few
minutes, during which the investigat-
ing body considered the contents ofthe
epistle. After resuming its opening
| session, President Russell announced
that the Superintendent would be per-
mitted to appear as a witness at the
afternoon session Admiral Fullam
was thereupon notified. Admiral Full
lam occupied the witness chair for eX-
actly one hour and three-quarters,
during which he was subjected to
continuous fire of questions by the
counsel for the defense, Congressman
Carlin conducting the greater portion
of the examination.
The opening question of the exami-
nation of the superintendent was put
by President Russell. 1t was, in effect,
| for the witness 10 tell the court what
communication had passed between
himself and aide. 1t. NJ. Z. Manley, or
any other persons under him, or act
| ing under his directions, and the mid
shipmen who have appeared before
the inquiry as witnesses. Admiral
Fullam began by giving in detail mat
! ters that had been brought to his at
| tention, and the weight of his remarks
descended upon the cases of Midship-
man A. c. Rogers, second class, who
was made one of the several interest
1 ed parties TO the proceedings in addi-
tion to the seven original defendants.
Rogers was the first witness with
whom the Superintendent conferred,
! but it followed that a number of 9th
ers who were called as witnesses, were
in conference with the Superintendent
before they went before the court, as
1 they so testified.
After reciting the fact that he con-
sidered it a matter of duty on his part
as the commanding officer of the sta
ton, Admiral Fullam then went on TO
say that the midshipmen would pre-
iudice their own interests if they elect
ed to have the same counsel defend
ing the ogirinal defendants, represent
them at the inquiry, as Rogers did at
the outset. and he advised them TO Sc
cure other counsel. He also gave 9TH
| er details on this point.