Centre Hall reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1868-1871, 1871-02-17
NO. z.



tails the troubles at West Point Il
J appears that in the night Of Jan. 2, Cadel
baird left his quarters, and was absent
without leave from O till o'clock
, Meanwlliie, his roommate, Cadet Flick
} niger, twice reported +" all right" 70 tbs
sentry who makes the rounds 10 see j
the boys are In their quarters Ihi'
answer, according 10 the custom Of tbg
Academy, means that the absent cadel
has left. 10 be gone not over ten minutes,
and IL was, therefore, false report ON
the part Of Flickingei. Baird went "a
ButteFmilk Fails, several miles away,
wearing citizens clothes On tho same
evening Cadet Barnes left his room.
reporting /" al right" 10 the sentry but,
instead of returning he ernWied into the
back window Of Fhekinger's room. and
spent the evening with him. These boys
all belonged 30 the fourth or youngest
class. The sentry suspected al was not
night, and tho absence Of Baird and
Barnes from their quarters was ascertain
ed and reported neat day. The three
boys were at once put under arrest, aud
ordered not % leave their quarters. and
charges were preferred against them with
a view 20 a court~maFtial BAind was
charged with absence without leave, and
Barnes and Flickinger with making false
reports 10 the sentry. Barnes and Flick
niger had Jailed in their studies, and, IL
was stated by the officers at the Academy,
would have been dropped after the
January examinations. Baird is the son
Of a distinguished officer Of the army,
and his case eKcites much sympathy on
account of his iine personal qualities.
4 On the morning al the day Of the aF-
rest, the first class held meeting, but
did not determine upon anything, AZ
4 O'Clock the order of the arrest was read
ON parade, and i'm the evening the frsh
class again got together. and agreed upon
the programme b be carried out All
the class we're present except four, one
of whom was absent, two i'm hospital.
and one Cadet Mansfieldl refused 10
take any part in the transaction The
class, numbering IS, divided itself into
4 squads, and went 10 the rooms OF the
I three cadets under arrest at about mid
night No senfries are kept in the quar-
I ters after tattoo, 30 the lynching parties
met with no trouble. They entered the
rooms, walked the boys. ordered them 10
make no noise, and get up az once and
put on citizens clothing. Cadet Grant,
son of the President, appears 90 have
been the leader OF ore squad BE walked
Fhckinger, and finding that be had no
citizens coat, gave him one. Baird was
reused by Cadet Davis, the captain OF
the company 10 which he belonged The
poor boys were greatly terrified, but
were assured that no violence would be
done them. The party left the quarters
1 by the light os lanterns, and marched up
| TO the mountain toward Fort Putnam
After going n short distance they halted,
told the prisoners that they were expelled
FROM the Academy for lying. and warned
them never 10 show their faces in Il
again. The boys, when released, took
10 their heels, fearing that stones would
T be thrown at them, and they made their
way to ButtermiIk Falls, where they
spent the rest Of the night The first
class then went hack 10 their quarters,
which they gained without raising any
alarm. The whole affair did not occupy
half an hour. and the victims were taken
/ from their rooms In such haste that one
of them left his watch and wallet
The next morning the three fourth
class cadets were missed, and the Cadet
Captain, Davis, who had himself walked
Baird. reported him absent without leaTe,
and coolly saw the poor boy marked as q
deserter upon the rolls. The Superin-
tcndent made haste 10 report the boys as
deserters in q dispatch to Washington.
During the DAY the facts partially leaked
out. and the commander Of the corps,
Gen. Upson. ordered the two leading
members Of the first class 10 make re-
port 10 him Of all that had occurred The
class at once held a meeting, took the
matter out Of the hands of the two cadets
thus appointed, and chose committee
OF three 10 draw up report, which they
submitted on the 9th.
Meanwhile the expelled cadets had sent
messenger TO the first class, begging
that their clothes and other yaluables
might be sent 20 them This was done,
with % new warning 10 them not TO re
turn. Barnes went to New York, and
/ Baird and Flckinger 10 Poughkeepsie,
where they found friends. The latter
two wrote q statement of the outrage,
and sent il 20 Superintendent Pitcher.
/ On the 9th an officer was sent 10 arrest
I them ass deserters. Barnes was also
I brought back from New York The
three victims, on their return, instead OF
receiving the sympathy and support OF
the officers Of the Academy, were urged
10 resign at once, and were easily induc-
ed. in their state OF alarm, 30 sign resig-
nations. These were indorsed by Gen.
Pitcher and Gen. Upton, with an urgent
recommendation for their immediate nc
ceptance. without the usual reference 10
the parents. The designations were re-
ceived and accepted at the War Depart
ment on the 9th.
The first class appeared TO have 80
impressed the academic officers that they
we're anxious 10 get rid of the victims IN
order 10 prevent the necessity 9f investl-
eating the outrage and punishing the
perpetrators. They are accused of seem
ing TO have no conception of the gravity
Of the ofiense until the 10th, when,
finding that the resignation of the three
victims had been accepted, a weak order
was issued disappearing of the affair,
and confning the first class within the
limits OF the parade-ground and academic
buildings. The first class in their adj
dress to the Superintendent, and in their
subsequent testimony before the Con-
gressional Committee, said that lying
had become so common in the Academy
that they felt it their duty 10 make an
example Of some one in order 10 main
tain the honor Of the Academy. They
stated that in % cases where cadets has
been court-martialed and sentenced to
be dismissed, II has been restored by
orders from Washington, so that courts
martial could not be relied upon 10
punish offences. All of the cadets en-
gagged in the affair sustained each other
and declared that they were all alike
responsible, so that it was impossible for
the Committee to find out who instigated
the movement. The Military Committee
win hear the report of the subcommittee
and decide what action TO recommend to
the House.
GERMAN REVENGE. But in strong
contrast to these instances of German
clemency il the following, which is true
recital Of which happened in recent
encounter The Fourth Company OF
the One Hundred and Seventh Prussian