Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-05
CADETS DENY RACE PERSECUTION
iOunE Hebrew Resigned From West
Point for PersOnaI Reasans


The New York Herald of today saws:
Officers and cadets at the United States
Military Academy at West Point deny that
there was any race persecution connected
with the resignation of Sigmund Selig AL
bert Of Lancaster, Pa, or those of two
other young Hebrews.
Mr.. Albert left the institution, it is as
serted, because he and another Pennsylva-
MAN, named Alvord his companion, were
personally Objectionable to the members of
their class Mr.. Alvord was not a Hebrew.
Louis Sonneborn HutZler of Baltimore one
OF the young men mentioned in yesterdays
dispatches, abandoned his military career
because he was deficient in his studies and
Charles Lionel APPEL of this city was per-
| mitted to resign for reasons which the au-
thorities of the institution decline to dis
cuss.
Mr.. Albert entered the academy on July
90 1898. He underwent the customary at
tentions from the upper classmen. This
treatment was no different from that of all
the other "plebes" Many times the mem
bers of his class demonstrated with him
because he did not give due attention TO
policing his tent.
Every cadet is expected to register him
self at the bath house as having performed
thorough additions once a week. Mr.. AL
berts classmates allege that he on several
occasions merely registered. The cadets OBJ
Jected to this, one reason being that Mr..
Alberts registration gave a wrong impress
sion.
Mr.. Albert challenged another cadet to a
fight not long since, and it is alleged that
he struck his antagonist before time was
called. This was distinct violation of the
cadet code of ethics.
By the unWritten rule of the Academy
the "plebes," after they have become year
lings, are considered fiji to associate with
the upper classmen and are supposed to
eliminate from their ranks all who have
given offense. So after June 20 of this year
the yearings proceeded to eliminate Mr.
Albert. They refused TO speak to him. No
cadet would be his partner at the dancing
class. He was completely ignored on every
occasion.
The young man wrote to his father, who
| arrived at West Point last Monday, and
| after consultation with officers of the
| Academy reached the conclusion that il
would be useless for his son to continue his
| military course. The young man presented
| his resignation to Col Mills, saying that he
| bad concluded for personal reasons to re-
| tire from a military career.
Mr. AlVord, who was his tent mate had
| resigned two weeks before. The elder Mr..
| Albert gave his approval and consent to his
sons designation, is required.
Two Hebrews still in the class stand well
in their studies and are exceedingly popu-
| lar with their cl2s mates. dispatch 10 the
| Herald from Washington says that an ex-
| ADMIRATION of the records in the War De-
| partment fails to show that the matter of
| religion was ever considered in the case of
| Mr.. Albert.
| Charles J.. APPEL of No 1863 Rivington
| street, yesterday said race prejudice had
| nothing to do with his resignation or that
| of young Albert.
We were all of us subjected to hazing, -
| he said, land without it the Academy would
| lose standing. That determines the manli-
| less of cadets. All the cadets are gentle
| men. and for that reason it seemed to me
| that We three Hebrews escaped more easily
| than the others, lest the upper classmen
might think men had been prosecuted on
| account of their religion"