New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-10
CADET DUELS AT ANNAPOLIS.
FIGHTING BOB EvANs'S OPINION OF YOUTH
WHO WHIPPED FOUR MEN IN ONE MIGHT
uror, r'ha Chicago Times Herald.

FIGHTING BOB EvANs's OPINION OF y YOUTH
WHO WHIPPED FOUR MEN IN ONE NIGHT
From The Chicago Times Herald
Readers Of TON Browns School Days ana
Tom Brown at Oxford like the books for the
manliness Of them The manliness consists or
portrayal of youngster who was th0roueh.!
a boy ready TO give with generous neai. "
helm with a willing hand ard TO resent WIN
blow Tom Brown had lighting blooi III MN.
II came down to him IN red stream iromi III.
whi:e-skinned Saxons who. drunk "l'' 'ne ~
of battle reeled around the dragon stanualu
at Senlac 1t Is good thing Tor America tlt'
the same blood flows in the veins OF It's sols'
Writers may write and preachers may pta',a -
hut the world--our world at least-"lii take "
It's arms the boy who Is as aIixious to 1ght as 10
play II predicts great things OF nm anu -
willing TO help him along Out OF mes p.','c3 ~,
come blackened eyes and bloody noses; but 10,
any harm Self-confldence is born OF them anu
the ability to make the hand guard, the hcao'
There used TO be an ole fellow In Goliad touht!'
Tex who expressed his utter condemnation OF a
neghbor in this way: "Smite him on one cneeK
and he'll turn the other Smte him on the otheI
and he'll have you arrested. Ihch nc Spd' i"
disgust. ,.. -, .hn
IL is not known that the authoritles OF ne
Naval Academy at Annapolis encourage hSnt-
ing There is nothing in the published ruies
urging the cadets 10 follow the advice of dead
Sam Randall and get together as olteil az
possible. But 1t is certain that they do not ols-
courage ii. There tales among the embryo
admrals handed down rom class to c.ass, OF
how the preceptors have stood afar and watched
the battles through spy -gllssas. Srtntin! AT
each w all-delivered blow and betting gleefully
among themselves on the results. The consc-
quence of this laxity is that the younger cadetf
those in their first year-C0me IN lttlc Whlir
70 believe that the powers arc very friendly TO
fighter and would offer active ENCOURAGEMENT
10 combats il il were necessary (which II ism T.
This state of affairs may not condUce TO STUDY.
but II does conduce 10 the development Of mus
Gle and the fattening Of tn, fighting instinct.
Not long ago a cadet took leg leave or the
Academy and wandered into Baltimore. Where
he spliced multiplicity Of main braces. rs
result he first whipped q cab driver then whip,
ped friend Of the cab driver. and then whipped
two policemen who had walked up In time to Sc"
the end of the fray. He got back TO the grounds
badly battered but standing up well under his
canvas The affair made some noise and per
sons went to Washington to obtain the cadets
dismissal There they met Fighting Bob
Evans and mistakenly detailed the circum-
stances. requesting his influence. What" bel
lowed that veteran Dismiss boy like that.
Licked four in night? Damme sirs.
are You crazy? What in the blue - do you
think naval officer is for? When he graduates
give him TO me. Put him on my ship want
hundred like him..
In the matter of humping his fellow there
are certain rules governing tic cadet. They
are leCes non scriptae. but ironclad neyerthe-
less The epithet liar must he resented with
nm instant blow. All insults must ne accounted
for on the spot The only spots exempt are the
chapel and the classroom. The combatants are
Immediately separated by any one standing
near. a first-year man is permitted to separate
seniors. After that the code has play. The com
bdtantS two seconds edcn. IneSc lay the
matter before a member Of the senior class he
fixes the place and date of the encounter. The
place is always an open space behind the gym
nasium 1t Is not turf. but Is ground worn pare
and hardened by many feet II has been red
dened time and again by the best blood in
America The time is always the afternoon OF
some SATURDAY. No meetings are allowed on
week DAYS The rules Marquis Of Queens
berry-three-m rounds and a minute rest
between. The exception is that no gloves are
used. Wrestling is not permitted OF course. Oc-
,ocioo oll,- hotxa L.
ants has had two years training in the sparring
school and the other is newcomer the old style
of rough and tumble" fracas is allowed.
Always a senior class man IS master OF cere-
monies appellate court and supreme court In
these fistc ltiga lions. The seconds are there TO
handle their men. but all points OF dispute are
submitted to the senior His decision is never
questioned. fight is fought out until one or
the men is deemed incompetent by his SECONDS.
who throw up the sponge Then he is borne TO
the hospital. The sponge never goes up until
he is made fit for a cot. Woe TO the warrior
who cries enough or quits when he is able TO con-
tinue. Nothing is left him save TO depart 10
civil life. His classmates and the men In his
dormitory will not speak to him He is "coven-
tried" There is no instance where these bare
knucke duels have had fatal termination The
participants are endowed with the blessing or
youth. and are always in condition.
So numerous cadet combats that during !
the first six months of year. until all OF the
newcomers have whipped somebody or been I
whipped. there is often not time of Saturday !
afternoon TO finish with the fights dated for that |
a week. or surrepttiously "pitted and thrown |
together on Sunday. Frequently there VIII he !
dozen disputes set for settlement At the same !
time. II sometimes happens that cadet goes !
through his four years at Annapolis without an |
appearance on the field of honor but the occur
renee is as rare as a black swan. The courage |
of such men is looked on with gravest suspicion !
by their comrades. Indeed a fight is regarded I
q necessary complement to an education and es- |
cape would impossible - any man VINO !
could be made TO resent an Insult
All of this does harm. Enmities enc with |
the duel. II is required that this should he SO !
The opposing Youngsters become faster friends !
than ever. Is il Sir Lucius O'Trigger who says: |
at is astonishing how well you like man 7
when you have fought with him. War Is !
profession with these wards OF the Government |
With them courage Is a necessity. Each battle |
strengthens Il. The checks OF fond mothers at |
home would blanch If they knew that their dar- |
linss were pummeed, but their respected and |
respectable fathers would dance upon one leg !
and howl with delight. 1t is in us. and IT can (
not be talked out nor bred out AS Fighting /
Bot" inquiries What in the blue sheol arc naval |
officers for?