The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-08
THEFT OF PAPERS AT
ANNAPOLIS CHARGED
Professors Desks Rifled, Ad-
miral Fullam Tells Court
Of Inquiry.
"CRIBBING" OLD PRACTICE
Ensign Says "Leaks" Were
Frequent for Years-Many
Middies Benefited.

ANNAPOLIS, Md, June THAT efforts
Of mdshipmen to obtain advance infor-
nation as to the questions to be asked
on their examinations were systematic
and continuous, that n large proportion
OF the class benefited by them at the
last examination and that theft was
resorted to for the purpose OF securing
brought out at the first session OF the
court OF inquiry appointed by Secretary
Daniels TO investigate the use OF unfair
means IN recitations and examinations
at the Naval Academy.
The matter was brought to the atten-
tion OF the Department by ten recent
cases where midshipmen have been
recommended for dismissal. Three OF
these have been dismissed and have
left the institution. and the recommenda-
tion OF supt Fullam in the cases OF
seven more are in the hands of the Sec
retary OF the Navy. Action Is not likely
to be taken, however, until the present
court completes its work.
The court is composed OF Capt. Robert
W. Russell. president; Capt. Andrew T.
Long and Commander Louis 7. De
Stieguer. additional members and Lieu
tenant Comma nder +. T. Watts, Judge
advocate. One OF the first acts of the
court was to direct that all of its pro-
ceedings should be open to the public.
Had Access to QurstiOns.
II appeared from the testimony given
before the board OF investigation, and
made public for the first time to-day.
that members OF all classes OF midship-
men admitted that the majority OF them
had access before the examination to
the questions which were actually asked.
Particularly was this so in the two
upper classes, and IL was freely admitted
by the officials and leading members OF
the first class. whose members are now
Ensigns. that nearly every member
pron,ed by the leak.
Much feeling was evidenced between
Supt. .Fuliam and the counsel and paf-
ents OF the seven midshipmen now unjo(k
arrest and whose dismissal had been
recommended by him. During his tes-
tmony he was interrupted and con-
,radictcd 10y Robert Moss. of counsel for
the accused youths and the father OF
one OF them. Mr.. Moss being cautioned
10y Capt Russell. the presiding officer
OF the court.
It was brought out in the testimony
that the board OF investigation and
Supt Ful;am had reached the con-
clusion that all mdshipmen who had
seen the questions written on the white
paper usually used in examinations at
the academy should have known that
these were improperly obtained and
were culpable for using them. This
principle was not extended to those
used only copies.
Extent of the system.
The testimony OF Enslcn II. r.. over
esch. a member of the class which has
just graduated, was OF special interest
as indicating the extent of the system
Of securing advance knowledge OF the
examination questions and the attitude
OF the midshipmen toward II. He ad-
mitted that he had made use of certain
Information which he had thought to he
lesitimate, hut found when the official
examination questions were given him
that they were Identical.
Asked II he did not think he should
have reported the fact at once, he said
that II he had he would have done diff
ferently from the members of the last
three classes that had been graduated.
and that he had been informed by offi-
GERS that the leak OF examination ques-
81 t..V,a 4
been infrequent. lie said further that
practically every member of his class
had the use OF the questions. so that
none had an advantage.
II became known to-day that men,
bers Of the f1rst class had taken action
in which they declared themselves all
as guilty as Ralph Mex. Nelson. the one
member OF the class recommended for
dismissal and that they had made an
effort to place il In the hands of Sec
retary Daniels. To forward such
paper otherwise than through the hands
OF Supt Fulam would be seri-
Gus breach of discipline IL is not
known whether the Secretary received
which all the midshipmen desired has
been granted.
Toward the close OF the session Rear
W. +. Fullam, superintendent
Of the academy, mad" the startling as
sertion that II had been reported to
him that an attemp, had been made TO
enter the desks of professors in at least
four OF the departments thc matics
modern languages. English and electric
ty--ind tina. he believed the effort to
p!lfer papers containing the examine
lion of all classes In Spanish had been
successful, II was the theory OF the
board of officers and of Rear Admiral
'1lam that these papers We're the ones
which Were sent 20 Mldshipmin James
T.. Moss % the third class. and dis
'aminatcd by him and other mldshp-
men among ,hc others.
Midshipman Moss admits that he re-
'"lvrd papers containing questions winch
,fterward proved 20 be idcntica! with
hose asked on examine t!on, but de- .
lies that he knew or thought at the
me that they were these He testified .
ha; he received them by mail and did
lot know the sender
According TO the testimony, they were
AIKEN by him to Mdshipman R. i.
Ntsse' of the second class, and "A COPY
,ivcn by VESSEL TO Homer H. Harrison,
Who has just grl duated Evidently the
idered tha; culpability could not be
ixed after the papers reached Midshlp-
nan VESSEL.
The position taken by the officers and
'ead Of the academy was that the pa
IS received by Midshlpman Moss CON
aimed clear indications that they were
Ictually copies of examinations 20 be
'iven. and that every midshipman who
IL