The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-08-29
THE COLORED CADET ON ms
MUSCLE.

Dirty Work-Breaks Dipprr over
Comrades Hcad-Cutsa en- sh over "a Conn
rade's Eye-Gcn. Upton Interviewed on
the Subicct-Presidcnt Grant on Hand
The Coiored Cadet to be Looked Amer.
William Smith, the negro cadet at West Point,
lie getting into hot water. lie is naturally sensitive,
jealous, and resentfu, and his environnen In the
Military Academy Is such as to kill every thing in
him that would tend heavenward. and to foster all
those elements which lead 10 hell This is not his
fault the fault OF his comrades, except to a
limited extent; II Ia fundamentally the nun Of the
situation. and OF human nature Itself.
SMITH TAKES THINGS HARD
The cadets have TO do many things which offend
their uri1c and try their manhood TO tie utmost.
For cxsmllc, while In camp they now arc, they
ia turn have TO do what Is called police duty, one
function OF which Is to so over the ground with
whcclbarrcw aud gather M the bits OF orange pee,
peach stones, guilds OF tobacco, cigar stumps. and
other ut signify things vi icl nave accumulated ur-
ing the preceding day and evening. Every West
Point cadet, from President Grant ard Gen. Sher-
man down TO William Smith, has had TO perform
this dslsrccablc duty, and all OF them except vii.
liam smith have doue 1t without rebcous or mu-
tinous mutterngs and grumblinrs. But tie coor,d
hoy takes IL exceedingly hard. He in fact taxes
everything hard, as we predicted he would when lie
natural that he Should take things harder than the
whie boys do. 1t Is In the nature Of the case for
aim to think that disagrecable matters which are
put upon him. are put upon him simply because he
is colored boy, and for the purpose Of annoy ing
and degrading lin. Consequently he Is sulen, in.
clincd to he dsobcdient and quick TO quarrel TIE
latter tendency has at last got him into serious dill.
Guilty
now rHE rRAcAs OCCURRED.
The other day while he vas on guard duty, lie
went 20 the tank FOR water for the guard and there
found other cadets ahead Of him II is customary
for each cadet to take his turn at the tank and when
many meet there at the same time line is formed
for that purpose. When Smith cam, up. he at
tempted to push away a cadet who was ahead Of
him, ut the same time exclamIng,
al want water for the guard"
take your turn" said the cadet thus addressed
little fellow named Wilson, not large as
Smith.
The colored boy again attempted TO crowd Wilson
out of his turn, whereupon Wilson struck at him.
Smith then struck Wilson the head with his
dpper, so hard a. to break the cup portion from
.ne anas Inen, S,1n .hg IL. naHG' ,uSH INN
moved to the hospital and his wound dressed, anu
then lie Was placed under arrest. smith was also
placed under arrest and court OF inquiry Ia to in
vestcnte tie matter. This account OF the lracas
| gathered from the cadets We were net allowed to
do so To Gen Upton, the ohoer In charge, who has
succeeded Col. Black.
GEN uProS's VIEW OF HIS DUTY.
On being conducted to the hont OF Gen Upton's
tent by orderly detailed for that purpose the
officer of the guard-everything is on war fOoti'e
| In tie camp-that gentleman came out to meet Us,
| =" General, so many conflicting reports about the
recent frseas between the coored cadet and a CON.
rsde have been sent down to New York that Mr..
Dana not wishing to publish anything In The Sun
but the exact truth, has sent here purpose
| " get the precise facts OF the matter"
| That Is a trustworthy course Tor Mr.. Dana to
| take. most certainly" eaid Gen. Upton. MIR. Dana
| is friend OF mine, and should be glad to ohge
| him; but | csnnot hold official communication with
| any one on this subject. Whenever tho court OF
inqury shall finish its Investigations, its proceed.
| incs will probably be published But can give no
Information, nor hazard any conjectures on the sub
ject in advance"
Can You direct me, General, to sny one who
Can and will give me the information | seek 7"
| No, sir; no one can give 1t TO you'
"Whcre II Smithf"
| " lie Is under arrest"
" Can see him I"
GEN. UPTON rHlxks PUBLICITY WILL ISJuRE SMITH.
| "No, sir; nobody can be allowed to see him nor
would II be TO his interest for you to see him. 1t
win not womote his interest 10 have anything PUB
| listed about him in the papers"
| " That may be, General. ] I'm not here In the in.
forests of Smith, NJ in those Of the public and Of
| 1nE Sun. The public want TO know the truth about
this matter, and InH san will do its beet To give II
YES understand But everything that's said
about Smith IN the newspapers. hurts him with his
comrades, and makes matters Norse'
wei, General, | shall have 10 do the best can
then among the CADETS and get rs near the truth a.
| possible uTier the Circumstances
" II you publish ANYTHING 1t will be almost sure ia
| make II worse Tor Smith among bis comrades II
would be better to say nothing about IL
| We left Gen. Upton. and did tue best we could
among the cauot- aud heard the story OF the fray
| we have told H. We think II II essentially correct
but would have preferred TO have Smiths own state
| ment OF he case In addition.
| Gen Grant, Mrs. Graut and Nellie are at The
| West Point Hotel. The General went To dinner a
Mr.. PierreI outs yesterday, across the river, ant
| Mrs. Grant went to church with Gen Pitcher.
| To-day the cadets break camp, and IN the evcnin
| the grand TOP Of the season comes OF. scores O
| pretty Girls are on hand for tie occasion. and II II
| expected TO be an exceedingly brilliant auair