The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-19
Sixty-Eight Members of the Second
Class Examined by the Military
Court of Inquiry.
Rooz WAS NOT WELL LIKED
MOST OF HIS CLASSMATES REGARD
ED HIM AS A COWARD.
story of the Dead Cadets Fight with
KelIar I'm 1898 Related by the
Formers Second.

WEST POINT, N. Y, Dec. 1s-The mill
tary court of inquiry which began taking
testimony in Bristol, Pa, yesterday ar
rived at the Military Academy at 1 o'clock
this afternoon. At 2:30 o'clock 1t resumed
the investigation of the charges of hazing
and brutal treatment made by the parents
of former Cadet Oscar L. Booz, who died
couple of weeks ago in his home in
Bristol. The courtroom was open 20 the
public, but no nonmilitary men except the
reporters were present. A great many
officers and attaches of the academy were
interested spectators, and from the OPEN
ing of the proceedings to the adjournment.
at o'clock, no one left the room.
Generals Brooke. Bates and Clous and
Captain Dean questioned the witnesses as
to the practice of hazing in the academy,
beth in camp and barracks. Sixty eight
members of the class of 1902, to which
Booz belonged till he resigned I'm September
or October, 1898, were summoned TO The
court and were brought in squads and kept
in anterooms in the academic building.
This Is the first time In many years .hat
a court of inquiry has convened at this
academy. The last occasion was TIE in
vest'gation of the case of a colored cadet
named VIII ttaker, who claimed Sat he
had his ear slit, but it was finally found
he had done the cutting himself This was
over ten years ago.
Four of the sixty-eight cadets of the sec
ond class were examined during the after
noon, and all of them who knew Booz de-
clared that his standing with his class
mates was not very high, as they looked
upon him as a coward The story of his
fight with Kellar in 1898 was told by Cadet
o. n. Tyler, who seconded Booz. When
asked by the court why he did so Tyler
said: well, Booz asked me to be his sec
ond and l could not well refuse"
NO BRUTAL HAZING.
Every one of the witnesses denied that
any brutal hazing occurred, and two of
them described the "bracing' and 'settine
up drills as only correctional measures
and neither injurious nor humiliating.
Every one of them seemed TO give a
straightforward story, and one and all
denied that Booz had been interfered with
On account of his religious belief or ten
dercies. Just how long the inquiry here
will last could not be figured on by the
officers of the court tonight but it is ex-
week The hearing will be resumed at 9:3o
tomorrow.
Capt. William A. Mitchell was the first
witness sworn. He testified that he was a
member Of Cadet Booz's class, but that he
knew of hazing of Booz. In reply 10
General Brooke the witness said: Il was
subjected TO hazing myself while I'm camp. y
Now state exactly what did it con-
sist of's
well, it was bracing and exercising. 1t
would all come under the form OF exercis-
ing 1t did not do me any injury either
physically or mentally"
The next witness was Henry NJ Dalton.
also of the class of 1902. He said he knew
OF no hazing of Booz. and was not present
at the fight between Kellar and Booz He
said Kellar was seconded by Cadet Spauld-
ing and Booz by Cadet Tyler.
Cadet Orifeld r. Tyler was next exam
ined. He said: 'I was present at the
fight
"Who else did you see there?'
Cadets Kellar, Hayden. Spaulding, De
Young, Herd and Brownell"
"was there a Knockout blow delivered?'
"Yes. sir Booz was hit in the region or
the stomach. and when he was on the
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