New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-04-29
THE CADETS CAREER IN SCHOOL.


FIELD.
WEST POINT, N Y, April 2S.-In the Court
Of Inquiry today Recorder said that he proposed
to Introduce testimony rs facts in regard to Cadot
Yhttakers character his history and career, ana his
present standing in the Academy.
Henry l.. Kendick, professor OF chemistry nhneraE
osy and geology the last twenty years. testified as
| follows:
Cadet WHITAKER has been in my class since last sep
tenher and he was also with me for four months In
1873 HIS application as we eau IT, mas 1een S"T"' n ms
execptonahle He passed to my delar met III 5a nv
Dry hS was 'e o W man ~ in thaG position
f thl", is some doubt hanging over him.. Whit
ap He pg s9ss tyr Eink iatS1s1
the foot of the MN seeto there being eigH s ,, ;:
In the section room he was unexceltlolbs "a every
thing, and regarded him as quite suiiouN 30 ttr a.
Onsc we'd the .ruct0rs paid the same attention 10 him
as to the Others aud pad him perhaps Tito more
| other colored cadets besides Whitaker
President MordCca" Do You know II The focial posi-,
sion Of the oOOICd cadets at The Acadey mas ever Dc
| known away from lie Academy {
The Witness" That he is a htlc hit by himsei!f
thought that was matter OF Public H3i l
here we have bad on the 80 Of Visitors sonalot
Blaine, Senator Maxcy Senator Allison anu the present
VCcPresldent; and among the visitors General Grant
Secretary Sherman and the Secretary 81 Mar lwnnt I"
If any of these gentlemen rave ever said anything
in your presence the social position Occunca hS
| the cOlOrcd cadtt52"
| Not word, so FAR Ms I remember"
md ld not know social position Of
| II assumed that they knew il. Wht'akcr's standing
sbetter now than year ago. due iarEely to The TACT
been here a visitors hu Lave never heard from Them
any expression OF anxiety BIS ~ tue sOc STATUS Oh te
cOOrcd cadets"
! Several cadets including Edwin st. j. Grcbe, aT-
pointed at large FROM Ncw-YOrk, Cadet Mormon,
Henry 3. MOOn Of Missouri snd Reuben Il. Turner.
who was appointed 10y Mr.. Townsend. testified sue
cessvely to the fact that the cadets mad refrancd from
| II. a1.of
| at the mess table he had been treated Just as
all OF the other cadets treated. They all agreed
that they had never had any Instructions adv from
any one as to the selection OF their social companions
Cadet Morrison said that he had never seen the word
fixed used slang except in one OF Reades novels.
| What novels" he asked. "'Put Yourself In His
Place." replied Morrison with military promptness.
"Did you across the saying All things what
soever ye would that should do unto DO sc the
same unto them :" asked Mr.. Townsend.
YES sir" replied the witness.
"And have you never heard the word fixed used Pc
| culiaryi"
Not as 1t lie Whitaker note" replied the
witness
| To President Mordecai-cadet Turner aaid that he
thought his popularity the corps would be afccCdf
| he spoke to or associated with Whitaker.
Recorder Sears who is the professor Of Nat
| urs and Experimental Philosophy, then took the
! stand himself and gave interesting testimony
o. to Whittakers standing III the class. The witness
| said:
III January. 1879, fcuOd that Whitaker had an av-'
eroge i'll mechanical philosophy OF +f less than TWO
out of maximum OF three representing the total work
In that department for that term He wa4 then iOnu
de6ceut Ge rUnstn being want Of study appli
cation but lack OF mental power 10 grasp subjects IN
sIning He If one n,ost attentive, and as far 20
Judge from his recItatlons, one OF tho most IN
dustrious of all the cadets under my CnnRe.
His conduct in the s"cOm-r0um has been most keel
Lent ana GTT H evr aT ne ,1sance But IN the oxa
ton lie was found TO be deficient, and was asked
daehargsd isad INA na %t g r " a 1ns c a
he final But thought that If anyone were turned back
IL should BIZ Whitaker fer the reasons stated above ana
BECAUSE account OF his social OstraclS he was de
DIiyo of the benefits Of the intellectual sleek exchange
| which the cadets form when thrY meet L" exchange
ideGs and talk The lessons, Yer wac AFRAID that
!; would not avali much or The lLrrc lounh dylcch,
| diets were set back, and one was discharged:
about ~ nsr cent Out Of 100 lie Is in an cxtrec,,
doubtful suutiU-on tle hord,r ne Tor IL - my Gus
Of three on general average Tho chances. however,
| are that he will pick up and save himself
Later in the day Lieutenant Sears told Of compelling
white cadet to resume the seat winch he lad left when
Cadet Fippcr sat down by his side in the class
At the afternoon session First Captain Peck, who on
toys the reputation Of OF the few who have brdyed
the cadet opinion by talking with Whitaker, testified to
the conversation which he has had with The coorcd lad
about progress in his studies aud about the cOudi
ton Of affairs in tho South. dc thought that suspi
zion attached to any In the connection with
tho outrage fact would be- reported the Court.
Peter g. Michie professor OF natural history and ex
permental philosophy cOrroborated much OF Recorder
Seass testimony regard Whttakors ability in his
studies and bis good conduct in the CLASSROOM He
said:
In January last Whitaker began TO fall behind, and
now think he s fourth from the foot I think now
that he will pass but the examinations may change my
| mind regard him as very 6tudOus but MS lacking
| in aptitude. don't think white cadet would
sfy ne sS his T not to hs
average. have helped him IN the class, feeling sym
work alone. His conduct has been eDtIonabe. He
Is reported his bearing Is military, and no s do
the last few weeks than before, and there are evil
Wny Of T9PS eecu On the he
that know OF where oadet was turned back and
suspended until beginning Of the next year. Besides
my branches he is studying minernlogy, geology,
chemistry and drawing"
Lieutenant sprinEett, acting assistant professor Of
chemistry said that In his studies Whitaker stood
| good chance ct the next examination.
General Schoaed recalled. and gave the details
Of how Whitaker was saved from being discharged In
January 1870, when he reported deficient and The
Board of Examiners Ind recommended his dismissal to
the Secretary Of War He talked With WHITAKER and
then addressed tie following letter 10 the Secretary
| War:
HHADo'rT'Rs MILITARY DEPARTMENT OF WEST POINT,
VEST r P3LNT ~ e. jan =; iS59
SIR: have the b0nor to submit hereHith Tor the aC
On O the Honorable rho Secretary Of War tho report
cadets the second and third Glasses who de-
elared deficient at the semi-annua examinations now
/ closed
In the cases OF Cadets a. @. Hammond ]. c. wbtta-
| ker aud W. Z. Burnham, | am constrained tn make
| special recommendation Op The ground OF
| their excellent conduct and studlous habits.
| In the case Of Whitaker I do know
but be influenced somewhat by The fact tat he Is
the only of hts at the Academy Bn0 has
the Hympnthes Of ali by his manly department and
earnest efforts TO succeed The professors do think
lie muster the course but disposed % give
him another chance. Irespectfuily recommend that
diets Burnham, Whitaker and Hammond be not dis
charged hut they I've turned back to join the
class. (Sgued) j. n. SCHoHIHLD, Ms Gen. U. g. a,