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Show MERIWETHER WILL GO OH WITNESS STAND Midshipman Aernsed of Manslaughter Man-slaughter to Testify in His 0n Behalf. ANNAPOLIS. Nov 27 No great progress prog-ress was made today in the trial by court-martial of Midshipman Minor Meriwether Meri-wether on charges that embrace one of manslaughter In connection with the death of Midshipman James R. Branch. Jr . after a light between him and Midshipman Mid-shipman Meriwether. Perhaps the most important developments of the day were th.- decision of counsel to put Midshipman Midship-man Meriwether on the stand In his own defense and th,- appearance of Dr. L W. Glasebrook ot Washington, who was present at tho autopsy held on the body of Branch yesterday. In the role of ad-vi-., r to Meriwether's imunsH Most of the testimony offered today was by midshipmen mid-shipmen and men and related to details of the light and events that led thereto Wanted to Report Him. Counsel for ihe defense offered Midshipman Midship-man w w. Bradley, r the second dasa to b itif: Bra. n. said thai h. had b n detailed for duly with Brunch shortly before tin- light Bran, h had told him that they must try to get a report against "thai man Meriwether." When on duty Branch had tried to induce in-duce the witness to make a-report against Meriwether, which he (Bradley) did not think was Justified and which li- refused to make. Fell in Clinches. Midshipman LHgh Noyes, who was the timekeeper In the fight, testified that Branch and Meriwether hud fallen together to-gether In clinches three times. Branch had fallen In three other Instances and i.. of tin- f uis had been hard. He had always risen promptly and did not ap- peai to be) stunned. Midshipman A w Fit. b, who refereed the light, wc. recalled ami lestlt'ied as to the falls during its course. He said Branch had not received much punishment punish-ment up to tho seventeenth round, when Meriwether offered to Mop Thought Branch Hit Head. Hurlng the afternoon session Midshipmen Midship-men w Fitch and L. R. Noyes. respectively re-spectively i cf.Ti-e ami time keeper of thc llght. wci.- recalled and again wont over tnell testimony as to certain inc idents of the light. They said thai twice It was thought Branch hud hit his head against the Hour Lieut. -Commander Decker testified that the floors In Bancroft hall, where the light was held, have a concrete base, then a layer of rough boards and then the smooth surface boards. Sprained His Ankle. Midshipman Ralph Ycager who was Meriwether's second, said the latter had slipped In the lifteenth round, spraining la ankle and that he was almost disabled dis-abled 1 herein- but tald he could continue the fight, though he could do little to d-.V d-.V ml himself Tip- def. ii-. will close tomorrow unless the medical testimony relating to the autopsy c onsumes more time than Is now xpei ted The court will meet on Thursday (Thanksgiving day), unless nn order to the contrary is received from the Secretary Secre-tary of the Navy, and the probability Is that the court Will finish its work by Friday Fri-day The court adjourned shortly before 3 p. m until tomorrow morning. |
