Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1915-06-29
NELSON WAS WILLING
HELPER TO OTHERS
Testimony for Accused Midshipman
Given Before Naval Court.
ORDERS PROBE OF HAzING.
Superintendent Fullam Details Board
to Investigate Recent RepOrts---
Ships NAV Sail Soon.

With the naval court of inquiry con-
4 tinuing its investigation of the crib
bing" and other irregularities in the
examinations OF the midshipmen, and
! hoard of investigation detailed to probe
reports of recent outbreak of hazing
official circles of the Naval Academy
are keenly alive today.
The board to investigate hazing was
| detailed by superintendent Fullam
this morning and il has been directed
to probe TO the very bottom reports
coming to their attention. The board
| is composed of Commander John +.
| Hines, senior member; and Comman.
ders James f. Raby and H. ID. Price,
with Lieut. A. NJ Cohen as recorder.
| Admiral Fullam has made it plain
that any midshipman found guilty of
such an offense will be promptly rec
| commended for dismissal from the serv-
ice Although the first intimation that
hazing has been i'll full blast was given
| in the testimony of Charles NJ. Reagle
before the court OF inquiry few days
ago, Superintendent Fullam states that
| the investigating board was not detail
4 Eu dS a ItHull VI TINS DuN SOlttN OH Ltit
/ reports OF a recent outbreak of the il
legal practices. alleged to have been
| perpetrated upon the midshipmen who
| have just been taken into the new
fourth class by midshipmen who have
| been ashore from the ships of the
practice squadron now at anchor out
in the bay
| 1t is reported that these upper class
men had high old time" with the
"plebes" Saturday and Sunday a week
| ago In one way such hazing is of an
even graver nature than the ordinary
| cffense, since the standing of the
| ''plebes" is supposed to be absolutely
| supreme during the summer months
| following the end of the regular aca-
| demic term.
This mornings session of the court
of inquiry was given over entirely to
the examination of witnesses in con
nection with the defense set up in be-
half of Midshipman Ralph Mex. Mel
son, the single member of the class re.
Gently graduated from the Academy.
| for his part in the cribbing and other
illegalities in the examinations.
Several midshipmen of the lower
| classes were heard by the court They
testified to numerous occasions upon
which they had been coached by Nell
| son Nelson was one of the star mem.
bers of his class, and the witnesses all
| told of his willingness TO help the
other boys out of the rut BY way of
intimation. the question was put by the
| governments side TO tho inquiry as TO
| whether the giver of such help might
in the ned, have had expected TO re-
ceive some award from those so aided.
but all the witnesses testified there
was nothing in the way of any agree
| ment along that line
Ensign II. V. Wiley, classmate of
| Nelson's, testified as to the latter's
general character being of the highest
| Wiley is only the second man of the
graduates TO appear as a witness be-
| fore the inquiry, and he was exam
ined at great length particularly by
the court, the purpose being to show
| the extent to which advance informa-
| tion was disseminated among his class
| He said that about 80 per cent. of his
classmates had a large amount of
dope" at least rs per cent of which
appeared on the examination He said
| he had no idea where the information
originally came from. but that all
hands had pretty much the same kind
of matter
Ensign Nelson asked the witness a
number of questions one OF which bore
upon the point that his classmates
would take stern steps tn prevent
"gouging' in any form. In this con-
nection he asked about an incident
that occurred during q recitation in
the middle of Maytwo weeks prior 10
the examinations. when Ensign Burhen
told him wiley of a suspicion that
Ensign J. L. McCrea was using un-
fair means, and that il would be well
to watch out for such things.
The incident referred to was that
Burhen saw McCrea look into a book
during an ordnance recitation. be-
fore he had actually completed his
class work. this being prohibitive. Wi
ley remembered this occasion although
nothing developed from it.
Ensign Wiley also testified that II
had Always been the general practice
OF Nelson TO help his classmates as well
"a midshipmen of the lower classes
He also testified TO the high honor and
integrity among the midshipmen gen
orally, and said that any suggestions
to the contrary were Islander againes,
the student body.
That the inquiry has reached the
point where the summer practice
squadron will be able to sail some time
this week, was indicated Just before
the court took recess for luncheon
President Russell referred 10 another
letter from the Secretary of the Navy
in which inquiry was made as TO how
much more time would be consumed
in the examination OF the witnesses
and it developed that there is but a
few from the ships now tn be called
and these have been summoned by the
Judge Advocate