New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-06-06
THE BLooDTHIRSTY TEXAN,
THE SHOOTING AT HIGHLAND rALIA.'

| IHE odOOiiN9 Al HtGhLAND EAl<xt}S r<<
PARTICULARS or THE ATTACK on JOHN = TNoo{
SON BY BEAUMONT .. BUcK-How rmx xotd1Q
|. MANS ANGER WAS ARoUsED-sTA7EnKn7 xxt
THE PRINCIPAL or THE AcADKMY. s Il >35<
| [YRoM THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT or TIE TR40ClU&
West POINT, June 5.--Tho gay thto01
| which Ill the West Point ard Highland Fails hoeo1
have been occupied to-day with asomewhat ssnsesze1
topic Of convsrsation-the shooting yesterday q ~
Highland Falls Military Academy Of John 9. Tnompoce
jr the of JohG G. Thompson Of Ohio. 6crReauf ~
Arms OF the House Of Representatives BY Bcauu1ont
Buck, OF Texas. week ago to-day young Bpck pco<t
sented himself at the preparatory school and satd ee
he wished 70 do something toward preparing himself
| the examination at West Point Which VIII ~.
held next week. He had an appointment ~
| tho West Point Academy, which 10 had nnsI
ceived from Congressman ohn wellborns of IA, uI4
District Of Texas He was almost without mon4xss
Colonel Huse, the principal cf the Highland 1sl15
Academy, told him that he misht come 10 the sscte{
tous without paying for tho privilege, sud ikht ~
what he could In the short time 20 oolnp1etpz
his prepar ation Buck eept In the Academy Haturdsy
aud Sunday nights. He brought with him only eaoi
small trunk, and this suggested the remark to ~
the students, Why Buck that WON'T hold the wssp9
| OF man down your way" 8'
"oh. that's only my ammunition" replied The vss
| like young Texan. y
He seems to have persuaded himself that a wostS
Point he would be hazed aud he prepared himseixt e
meet his assailants. Y.
temptation, however to have some fun with the neN
conner was irresistible. On Sunday night plan vas
laid to pull the clothes Of his bed by rope, which wa6
to be let down from window above Bucks Buck got
| wind Of what was going on In some way, aud z
| anticipating trick Of some kind, took club to bed
with him. friend who not to have reished the
trick that about to be played went into the room
to warn him. and Buck, misaking him for assallans
laid around him with tho club in ferocious manner
Colonel Huse, who beard the noise, rushed to the
room, and found Euck with the club raised. "Tvs<
knocked down." cried Buck referring to bis friend
Allston, who meanwhile had crept under the bed, g
and now I'm ready for the rest" q.
The next day Buck went into boarding house near
the Academy but still continued 20 attend the recita
tons The students had criticized Backs manner Of cat
ing when he first appeared among theln since he seemed
disposed to use O kufe rather than fork
Thompson occasion handed him fork, and this
taken insult. On Monday, the morning after
the affair with the bedclothes and club, pistol
found in Bucks trunk, but he seems to have had am
other. ~,
the boarding house, Bnck boasted to cadet from his
State that he had "ceaned out all the Highland
Falls Academy" referring presumably. to the ccver
way In which he Knocked his friend Aston down on
Sunday night The report of course spread to tho
Highland Falls Academy, and this the Immediate
cause Of the shooting. ~
THE ALTERATION.
On Friday forenoon after the grammar class had an
shed recitation the members went out the piazza.
1t this time that Thompson spoke to Buck, say
ing that he wanted him 70 take back what he
had said at West Point in regard to cleaning
out oil the Highland Falls Academy" This made
Buck angry and he replied with oath that he should
say what he liked. Buck stepped back as though he
were preparing for fight and placed his hand In his
hip pocket Then followed few words which were not
heard by anyone except Thompson and Buck Buck
was heard to violently. however, aud suddenly
| haou niafnl IQFn hQl IN
ut Thompson the shot entering his groin and passing
clear through his body It afterward found in the
bed to which Thompson was carried. Buck taken
10 Newburg, as stated In to-days TRIBUNE, and was
committed TO await the action Of the Grand Jury
To-day your correspondent learned that the chances
were fair that Thompson would recover. He under
the care of Dr. Monroe, Of Highland Falls and Surgeon
Lippincott, OF the West Point Academy The ball
made clean wound which has bled some.
Whether or not there has been internal
oa anS bis SoOS in order
cover unless inflammation sets in On Friday afternoon
has ess" ans ss%s.sss
ali % ns
aDic9sly for favorable turn In hi, eonaition Inom
rived here as morning Ing xSIr s had
he spoke encOuragiugly OF his sons condition. f
FEELING AT THE ACADEMY.
The sentiment among the students after the shooting
was such that Is thought Bucks life would have been
in danger he had fed Immediately to magistrate.
One young fellow had to be held by Colonel Huses
Thompson was favorlte in the Academy, and Colonel
Huse and his wife say that he model boy he had
heen there since the middle Of January.
Your had tsx y, WITH G0onsi Tss tn
TnOmpsons condition early this evening Is favorable
bnt will be almost marveih he does not have re-
Colonel Huse who extremely anxious that the fair
nate affair has preDared for the public which
he gave your correspondent this afternoon He main
tS Sn sE nsGe
students o gentemsnly way and that the hazing was
Insignificant. His statement Is as follows; Ks
COLONEL HUsEs STATEMENT.
Will YOU allow me space TO say concerning the
amentable affair which occurred yesterday at this
academy:
First-The young man who shot young Thompson vas
received the members Of the academy 10 the kindess
day arrived to ss% sS % wes
Courtesy S% that wei6ed young would materially
tend TO newcomer likely TO DO their companion Tor
fSs any a. ..ns
was PTaGcsd on Buck Tns Man ss S2s
fence at that gentiemans son need be ashamed
ho Fl son seens tSi: Politely SaSdea him fork In
doing so. he did what understand was done by sx-
sS1 S SSS SaSs naa r SSs
Of os os pea lad s 90
m, ding un inspection of rooms Sunday might, that
tSrS tSTousS T an % open window to the window above
Third-The boys hearing Buck use violent lauguage
concerning what he would do to anyone attempting 20
maze him thought that he probably had in his trunk
pistol which he might use II he became excited. They
ccorlipRiy opened trunk and finding pistol there
they took It. They handed this pistol TO ne after the
a nasS nST ba
der his pillow after leaving my house: The second pr
to larger than the found In the trunk
is probably the one,used by Buck IN shooting
fVth-Thompson was not insulting M Or pantering 70 ~
him to take back what be had SAID about cleaning
ont ali The Highland Falls Academy" He spoke peas-
aniJg and that be had idea OF having any dimcui
with Buck Is manifest think, from the fact that both
and principal and yce-prihc'pai VI tne eonoes
were on the piazza at the time 81 ssis