The New York herald., 1875-08-21
DEVILLING THE PLEBES.
THE RECENT ATTEMPT TO 'DEvu" CADET
ERw1N-CoNsTERNATIoN AMONG TIE CADETS
ACTION OF THE WAR DEPARTMENT.

THE RECENT ATTEMPT TO ''DEvn" CADET
ERw1N-CoNsTERNATIoN AMONG THE CADETS
ACTION OF THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
WEST PoNr n Y August 16 1875
What the 'wards of the naton are continually up to
here the way of devry is not known, for the simple
reason that it has never been fully exposed The
tempt with which the colored cadet Smith was used and
the general ostracism he received from all the other
cadets the post is little compared with many other
schemes and maneuvres of the great majority of the
older students Some few days ago, you will remember,
the HERALD published an article in relation to the
practice of "Devilling the Plebes" The charge, be-
leve first made public through the columns Of the
Highland Falls Journal paper recently started at the
Gals" in this town, which is but short distance
south of the Point. 1t charged that Cadet Erwin
roughly handled and would have been ''dtched"-that
is rolled in the ditch-if he had not been plucky
and possessed Of enough "cear grit' to take his
own part 1t was also charged that clubbing the pebes
aud woundng one with bayonet the result Of the
devilling" practice attempted by the cadets This
tcie natural to suppose caused considerable stir
among the embryo generals and coonels who are being
tuored the expense of the country 1t was the theme
of conversation for all and the leaders in the attempt to
devil" Cadet Erwin shook in their boots" lest big
time might be made the affair." and they be decapi
ated and removed from the Post Their fears were vis
be in all directions, and they lost no tme IN denying
the truth of the statement made by the paper named
Seeing the article copied in the Newburg Journal one
of their number under the signature Of &C c." which
no doubt stands for Cadet Corps, hurriedly replied
to the editor of the Newburg paper. sc G." says
the 'account is grossly Inaccurate Nobody attempted
10 nut Cadet Erwin in the ditch nobody clubbed
nobody was severely wounded The whole alair was
accidental A very Slight flesh wound was
THE CASUALTY"
Now il sounds very well to say that the whole affair
was accidental but the bottom is Knocked completely
out of that theory when the truth is told The older
cadets are Of young fellows generally, and by
experience very proficient in the practices they
carry torment and ridcule the pebes. AS they
'grow older in the service" they get bOder and more
defiant They manage to themselves from the
rigid vigilance of their superiors and by repeated
cesses in this respect fancy that their say the least
very disrespectfu work will come TO light In
some cases however they calculate wrong and Cadet
Erwins is one OF them. The denial they have made az
above given docs sufficiently answer the charge pre-
scented against them II Is something OF the legal denial
of each and every allegation but often times each and
every allegation is fully sustained when the paintin
takes his into court And IN the case under CON
sderaon IL Is universally believed here that the High
land Falls paper has established the fact of "devllng
the plebes" as 1t recently charged. After commenting
upon the communication, signed "C. e" TINS paper
clearly shows that the practice Of deyilng prevails,
and concludes by stating that at least one cadet mas peeh
beheaded for il another reported TO be gong the
same way The one removed is Cadet Scrivcn OF the
third class He was publicly.dsmissed on Monosy 9st
bv order of the Secretary of War for moesng cadet
sentinel Scriyen is the who was so severely IN
iured i'm the recent fracas The other one Who Is said
I,,iu c,IIo,v gcrivon IL Cadet Captain BOrup.