Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-07-06
A CADETS PRIZE FIGHT
A Washington Boy Said to Have Come OFF
Victorious
What Brought 1t AbOut-Severe Pun
ishment Awarded by Col. Ernst
for q Case of Haxing.

An interesting story comes from West
Point, in regard to an alleged prize fight
between two cadets. in which a Washington
boy carried off the "honors.' The contest
was between a yearling and plebe, and is
said to have occurred last Friday behind the
oyergrown rampant of Fort Clinton. Ac-
cordng to the story, plebe named Michael
Lucey of Chicago was being drilled by
'Yearling'' Rea, and the latter is said to
have so aggravated Lucey that Lucey
struck his drill master on the head with the
butt of his musket, knocking him down and
cutting deep cash over Rea's eye. This
was not reported to a tactical officer, and
the "yearling' class determined that its
honor had been assaiied, and Lucey was in
formed that he would have to fight.
Lucey is nineteen years old, weighs 1873
pounds, and stands feet IL inches In
height. 1t was evident that Rea would be
no match for the young Chicago giant, for
he is little fellow, and therefore the year
ling class selected Cadet Heintzleman of
Washington to uphold it's honor in the ring.
Heintzleman is a son of Major General
Heintzleman, and is nearly as large as
Lucey.
These two youths met in the ring on Fri
day morning, stripped to the waist, and
surrounded by some sixty cadets. Seven
rounds were fought in which the major
generals displayed superior science
with the result that Lucey was knocked
down and out. He was struggled into the
hospital, a sorry-loOking young man. His
nose was dislocated and his features badly
battered. AS the two pugilists were not de-
tected while fighting, they will not be pun
ished. The ''yearlings' have been avenged.
and as Lucey stood up and took his medi-
cine bravely he will not be further molesteG
while at the academy, having given suffi-
cient proof of his courage.
An exaggerated case Of hazing Is also re-
ported at the Naval Academy. the perpe
traitor of which received, at the hands of
Gel. Ernst, superintendent OF the academy,
the most severe punishment ever accorded
any of its students for a similar offense.
The offender was Cadet Robert Cherry F'oy
of Alabama. member of the third or
"yearling' class. and his victim IL
nineteea-ye ar-old youth named Prentiss.
from western New York. The hazing con-
sisted of putting Prentiss through the IA
tiguinS exercise known as the spread
eagle which consists of bobbing up and
down as quickly as possible, keeping all the
muscles Of the legs and body stiff, and
bending only the knees. 1t is an exercise
that is given only in homeopathic doses by
the instructors, minute being considered
sufficiently fatiguing for any cadet.
Lieut.. Dyer. one of the instructors. was a
quiet spectator of the proce edings. He was
On the scene for a brief period unobserved,
and heard Foy laZily order the ''plebe' to
vary his performance with the ''Guckstep."
This is an equally firing exercise. the man
having to lift his knees alternately. and as
quickly as possible. to the height Of his
waist like prancing horse. The strongest
man could hardly keep this up for more
than five minutes without extreme physical
fatigue.
When Lieut.. Dyer had seen this continue
for several minutes. a glance at the
plebe's face told him it was time to in
terfere. AS he entered the tent Foy sprang
TO his feet, while the plebe turned toward
him and then fell in a faint to the floor
Water was dashed in his face. but as he
did not revive, he was carried to his quar-
tiers for treatment.
Foy was Immediately placed under arrest
1t was nearly an hour before Prentiss re-
gained full consciousness. and even then he
was fncoherent in his utterances. 1t was
Subsequently learned that he had been or
dered by Foy to report at his (Foy's) tent
that afternoon. ard blindly following the
traditions of the academy. he had done So
Then Foy had put him through the exer-
cises. which had continued something over
an hour before Lieut.. Dyer's arrival.
Cadet Foy was brought before Col. Ernst
and did not attempt to defend himself The
colonel was disposed to regard the offense
as very serious. for he sentenced Foy to
one years close confinement. This is re-
garded as an astonishingly severe punish
ment. for 1t carries in it's wake the loss of
furlough and a.! social recreations