Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-12-29

The taking of testimony by the mill
tary court of inquiry in regard to the
death of former Cadet Oscar L.. Booz,
will be finished at the West Point mil
itary academy tomorrow afternoon.
To-day's investigation brought out
testimony to the effect that cadets had
been haZed to a degree of exhaustion.
The victims mentioned particularly
were Cadets Macarthur and Haskell.
Macarthur himself denied that he
had commissions, but acknowledged that
he had been exercised to such an extent
that he had cramps in his muscles
and that he lost control of them.
Haskell is not in the corps now, so that
his testimony is not available.
Cadet U. S. Grant told of the ordeals
through which he was put as fourth
class man. He said he felt no i'll eff
fects from the treatment afterwards.
Several of the present fourth class
men told of what forms of hazing ex-
listed during last summers encamp-
ment. While there were few cases of
men being made to stand on their
heads there was very little exercising
done, which would show that a major
ity of the cadets are living up to the
class agreement last year to abolish
severe hazing methods.
III First witness.
hen the military court of inquiry
resumed to-day its investigation of the
allegations of brutal hazing of cadets
by first class men at the United States
Military Academy, Cadet Harry B. Jor-
dan, of Washington State, was
by Recorder Dean. His examination
brought out nothing new and he was
quickly excused, the court being evil
IDENTIFY DESTROYS of getting through with
the first class cadets so as to reach the
other classes and ascertain what kind
OF hazing, if any, had been practiced
on the fourth class men in the last two
years.
The next witness, Alfred A. Maybach,
of Ohio, had nothing of interest," to tell
the court.
Cadet Elliott J. Dent, of Pennsylva-
mia, said that he had been hazed when
a fourth class man, but mad not to go
to the hospital in consequence. He
told of being punished for refusing to
reveal to the authorities of the acad-
envy the names of the cadets who hazed
him.
Did you know Cadet Booz?" in
Quired Gen. Clous.
He was pointed out to me-" said
Dent, and | was told that he was con-
sldered to be very worthless"
Cadet Ernest ID. Peck, OF Wiscon-
sin, swOre that though he knew Cadet
Booz, he had no knowledge of his be-
ing hazed; he was, however, left alone.
Former Cadet John R. Doyle, of Phil
adelphia, who "a in the academy
from 1897 to June, 1900, testified:
Il remember Cadet Booz. l spoke to
him after his fight with Keller. l told
him he had not acted right in that
bout and that he ought to have gone
on. He spoke in such a way to me that
showed he was tired of the place and
wanted to leave"
Took Pepper Sauce.
Were you ever hazed?" asked Gen.
Clous.
Yes, l took pepper sauce, as much
as a ~teaspoonful and a half at one
time" was the reply.
Who gave it to your"
Cadet Bender, who was discharged.
He began by giving me a few drops. |
think it was Bender who started the
giving of pepper sauce the witness
added.
did it hurt you?"
mo, sir; it Was unpleasant, but it
had no injurious effect that l know OF"
In answer to several questions from
the other members of the court, the
cadet said he had been exercised" a
great deal. He felt fatigued frequently
but never suffered afterwards.
Did you ever have to eat any dis
agreeable food?"
Yes, sir; on one occasion. I had to
eat some preserved pine apples"
Then the witness made a grimace
and added:
But there was plenty of Quinine
mixed up in it."
Did you know Cadet Breth or know
him to be hazed?"
Eyes, sir; l saw Cadet Bender "ex-
ercise' him and saw him exercised"
To the Point of Exhaustion,
but he went as far as he could go. He
was of a very nervous temperament.
When spoken to suddenly he would
tremble all over. | knew him at the
preparatory school in Baltimore, and
there he was found physically deficient
by Major Wynn. l mean deficient to
enter this academy"
The witness then went on to tell of
an association which was formed for
the purpose of initiating candidates
for admission to the West Point acad-
envy who were preparing at Highland
Falls. This society was known as the
Hold Carriers. The witness said he did
not know much about the association.
Cadet NJ. N. Nichols, of Connecticut.
said he belonged to the third class and
was in camp in 1899. He was "exer-
cised" then and did two hundred and
fifty eagles" He was also "braced"
and hung to the stretcher, but not all
t the same session.
did the hazing continue in bar
racks?" asked Gen. Clous.
mo, sir; not after Rotations began
in November"
DO you know of any cadet having
tainted from exercising?"
yes, / remember the case of Cadet
Haskell, who is not now in the corps"