The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-06-19
FULLAM EXPLAINS ACTION ,
NO ATTEMPT TO INFLUENCE
TESTIMONY, lie SAYS.
Academy Head Convinced of Need of
Warming Them of Possibility Of Ar.
rest for Their Own Good.

Annapolis Md, June 15.-Rear Ad-
miral William F. Fullam, superintend-
ent of the naval academy. today ex-
| plianed before the court Of inquiry in
lvestigation tf2 examinations scandal
the advice which he had given pros
pective midshipmen witnesses. While
he was in the witness chair Admiral
Fulam said: II 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,
said Admiral Fullam, after testimony
had been given that a paper in Rog-
ers' handwriting had been found on
which answers appeared to questions
in tho last Spanish examination, he
accepted the counsel of the other de-
fcndants. Admiral Fullam said he
sent for Rogers because he felt that
he was wronging himself and jeop-
ardizing his interests by placing him
self in the same category with the
seven midshipmen recommended for
dismissal.
I'm no case did try to influence
the midshipmens testimony or their
actions in this court" said the su-
perintendent. After others had been
drawn into the proceedings, the su-
perintendent said, counsel came to
arrest be freed, that all the defend
ants should be given the same status.
He told counsel he considered the
status Of the seven different and he
could not release them from confine-
ment aboard the prison ship.
Referring again to Rogers, Admiral
F'ullam said that when he consider
ed that the young mans interests had
been jeopardized he wanted to know
as his commanding officer, IL he was
satisfied. 1t was his duty, he said
before putting him on the prison ship
to ask him If he wanted to go into
that category.
! Asked by Congressman Carlin, Of
counsel for the midshipmen, about his
interview with Secretary Daniels in
Washington last Saturday, the ad-
miral said that he reviewed the whole
matter with the secretary. who ex-
pressed a desire for "a full and free
Investigation of the whole thing by
a court in order that there should
be no complaint that there had not
been a thorough inquiry"
Admiral Fullam said he considered
it for the best interests Of the acad-
emy and Of the navy that ne should
reiterate to the secretary his previous
views as to the guilt Of the seven mid
shipmen.
Unless the court discovers evil
dence Of which I can not conceive
and which never heard" the ad-
miral said. II think it hardly possi-
BILE to establish the innocence Of these
men,"
Admiral, is it your purpose to
resign and go to sea in a collier 2"
asked Congressman Carlin.
mot at ALL" was the reply. my
reason for mentioning that subject
at all was simply this: That after all
l had said to the midshipmen of my
views on 'gouging' I had apparently
not succeeded in pounding into them
the seriousness Of it. I told the four
class presidents that I considered it
such reflection on this school that
If 1t continued to exist here 1 would
find 1t no honor or satisfaction to
remain as superintendent"
Evidence was given at the morning
session tending to show that there
was material difference in the value
of information given to midshipmen
in class rooms by instructors in vari-
ious sections pursuing the same course
of study in the modern language de-
partrent.
| Winfhrnn Col In