New-York tribune., 1900-12-22
HOW CADET BOOZ FOUGHT.
COURT OF INQUIRY HEARS DETAILS OF
THAT MoMENTOUS BATTLE.
UPPER cLAssMEN DEFEND HAZING AS 4
PROMOTER OF DISCIPLINE AND MILL
TARY EXCELLENCE.

/
PROMOTER OF DISCIPLINE AND MILL
TARY EXCELLENCE
West Point. NJ Y, Dec 81 (specian.-The story
| of the fight which Oscar Z. Booz had with a
senior cadet in the summer of 1895 was told to-
day by the man with whom Booz battled, the
seconds and the referee of the encounter. The
military court which is now investigating the
charge that Booz so brutally hazed at the
Academy as TO weaken him physically, and to
| make him an easy prey TO the disease that car
| ried him off, has been particularly anxious to
have put upon the records the true history and
| facts of the fight.
With that combat Booz's troubles at the Acad-
eny began. In his letters to his parents ana IN
his statements 10 some of his classmates, Booz
asserted that he had been knocked out by
blow in the stomach. Witnesses of the bout de-
cared that he had exhibited cowardce; that in
fact he had laid down." as II is termed in the
pugilst's vocabulary. Thereafter Booz was os-
tracized by the corps; in every possible way he
was made 10 feel that he held in contempt.
he was insulted and taunted until life for him
became unbearable, and he obliged to leave
West Point.
So far the only knowledge the court has been
able to obtain of the conflict and of the causes
that LED to it from indirect sources, from
cadets who had heard about the tussle, but, be-
ing "plebes' had not been permitted to see 1t.
To-day the principals in the affair graphically
and without reservation told the whole story to
the court. II laid bare phase of cadet life
at tte Academy In its essential points the
testimony of the witnesses did not mate
rally differ. One night in the early part Of
August. 1898, Booz was on sentry duty. Cadet
W. r. Bettison of the present first class. thought
that Booz was not patrolling the full length of
his post, and told him so. Booz made some pert
reply, turned his back upon Bettison and went
on patrolling as before. He was reported to the
corporal Of the guard, but the matter was not
allowed 10 rest there. Booz had had the temer-
ity TO speak insolently to senior. West Point
tradition and custom insist that 'plebe" who
talks back to an upper class man must fight.
Therefore Booz called out, although he had
committed no military offence. 1t was Bettison,
in fact who was in the wrong. He admitted on
the stand that he had right to give instruc-
tions TO Booz. and that he had been guilty of
breach Of military discipline in speaking to a
sentry on duty. Bettison was sharply censured
by General Brooke for the position in which he
had placed Booz.
COMMITTEE ARRANGED ALL.
A committee of Bettisons class was formed to
make the arrangements for the encounter. Cadet
Frank Keller. OF Missouri. because he was of the
same height, reach and weight, was selected to
meet the contumacious junior. Referee. seconds
and timekeepers were appointed. and the
next Saturday afternoon the battle took place.
Fighting at that time under the ban of the
authorities and was strongly prohibited. 1t was
decided that the fight should be pulled off at
Fort Putnam, away UP in the hills that form
the background of the Academy. Hidden by
the walls of the old fort which Benedict Arnold
planned TO betray to the British the two cadets
prepared for the strife. They stripped therp5
selves to the waist, and the rules to govern the
engagement were read TO them With bare
knuckles they were to fight two-minute rounds,
with minute rest between To guard against
being surprised by officers sentinels posted
on the paths leading to the fort
The preliminaries completed. Time"
called. According to Cadets Lewis Brown, jT,
and Joseph F. Barnes. who seconded Keller, the
first round went in favor Of Booz. He fought
vigorously in the opening round that Barnes
warned his principal to be careful, as he had a
tough customer TO deal with. Some hard blows
were struck. and it is contended that Keller got
the worst of the exchanges. Soon after the he
ginning of the second round the Missouri hoy
got opening, and hit Booz over the left eye
with such force as to cut the skin. The sight of
blood, the witness said took all the fight out of
Booz. Covering his face with his hands, he ran
around the ring, despite the urgings of his sec
onds TO stand up TO his opponent.
Eventually he was brought back to the centre
of the ring, but after a few more passes he
again turned his back and spr'nted Barnes
thereupon told Keller that, according to the
rules it permissible to hit the Pennsyl-
vania cadet in the back. Keller took the hint,
and subsequently struck BooZ two or three times
under the right shoulder. It seems also that
Booz, after aiming blow at his opponent would
drop TO the ground to protect himself from
return punch. Finally, in the third round he re-
ceived a blow in the stomach, and falling to the
ground he refused to get up again, explaining
that Keller too good for him.
One after another the witnesses who were at
the fight sWore that none of the blows which
landed on BooZ of sufficient force to knock
him out Beyond the cut over his eye, his face
was not marked. they said and he walked back
TO camp seemingly unhurt. The opinion formed
of him was that he was GUTTER and in
consequence was sent to Coventry Two
months later Booz left the Academy.
"BRACING" GOOD THING.
= large number Of cadets were again examined
upon the general subject of hazing customs at
| West Point, but their evidence was practically
repetition of that which has been already pub
| lished Some OF the first class men, displaying
members of the lower classes when on the stand
| to-day were inclined TO defend the practice of
| 'bracing' and other such disciplinary measures.
| II was their contention that these gentle "exer-
cses'' contributed to the efficiency of the Acad-
| my by teaching the raw cadets 10 obey orders
with precision and promptitude, and by giving
| them an erect and military carriage. BY each
one of the witnt sses IL admitted that "brac-
| ing'' was a violation of the regulations of the
Academy. and was not enforced in the presence
| OF officers.
Much of the evidence has gone to show that
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