The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1915-06-08
TO INVESTIGATE
NAVAL SCANDAL
Court of Inquiry for Annapolis
Case.
CHEATING ON THE EXAMS,
Alleged That Midshipmen Have Sc
cured Advance Copies of Ques-
tiOns-Seven Under Charges.

Washington, June 5.-After a con-
ference with President Wilson today
Secretary Daniels appointed a court
of inquiry to investigate specific
charges that seven midshipmen OF
the Naval Academy had secured ad-
vance information on examinations.
The court will make a sweeping in
quiry, however, into reports that
others midshipment and possibly
some instructors were involved in the
irregularities.
No attempt was made at the navy
department tonight to minimize the
gravity of the situation. Secretary
Daniels authorized the statement
that the court of inquiry would make
thorough investigation.
The annual practice cruise of the
midshipment, which was to have
been begun next week, has been in
definitely postponed in order that
students at the academy may testify
before the court OF inquiry when
will be, convened at Annapolis next
Monday.
During his conference with Secre-
tary Daniels, President Wilson ap-
proved recommendation that three
cadets at the acadamey charged with
irregularities in connection with re-
! cent examinations be dismissed from
the service. The secretary refused to
make public the names of the mid
shipment, all of whom were lower
classmen. One of them was charged
with having offered bribe to a civil
lian employe of the academy for ed
vance information on IN examina-
| ton while 1t was alleged the other
two broke into professors room to
ascertain the standing they had at
tanned in an examination.
The seven midshipmen whose
cases will furnish. the basis for the
investigation have already been
recommended for dismissal to the
academy board, but Secretary Daniels
after personal investigation at the
academy decided that it was best to
go thoroughly into all cases involv-
ing others. One midshipman recon-
mended for dismissal is alleged to
have had advance copies of all
examinations to be given in French
and Spanish and it is claimed that
the other six received the informa-
ton with the full knowledge that it
comprised the examination in ques-
tion. 1t is further claimed that frag-
mentary information concerning the
examinations came into the posses
sion of many other midshipmen as
dope" After the discovery that the
subject matter of the examination
had leaked out new examinations
were prepared and held.
The cadet who is said to have re-
ceived the advance information and
passed it on TO others is understood
to have claimed that it came to him
anonymously through the mail.
The investigation brought to light
however, a report that it was sent
to him by an instructor and this is
one of the phases of the situation
arousing the. greateat concern be-
cause of intiinations that instructors
have previously given tips" to
cadets on examinations.
| The President and Secretary Dan.
iels are understood to be exercised
over the situation, because, after the
cadets received the information, they
kept the matter quiet. This fact is
understood to have led the secretary
to doubt the claim of some of the
midshipmen that they did not know
the information they had received
wes in fact the examinations they
were to take.
The seven midshipmen under spe.
cific charges are: Ralph Nick. Mel.
son, Jr,, OF New York; Chaplin
Evans of Virginia, Stuart Hamilton
OF Connecticut, Leonard p. Vessels
of North Carolina, Donald e. Dun
can of Michigan, Thomas w. Harri-
son, Jr., of Virginia. James e. Moss
of Maryland.
Nelson is the only first class man
among the seven directly involved
He stood third in his class and had
achieved reputation as a mathema-
| tician His (iiploma was withheld at