The age-herald., 1900-12-27
Twelve Cadets Were Examined at
 Yesterdays Session
SOME AMUSING TESTIMONY
The Boys Told of How They Ate oui. nine Pills and Other Ridiculous Acts-They Never Thought
 of Disobedience.

mas recess of three days, the military court of inquiry resumed its investigation of al- | legged brutal hazing at the West Point Mill itary Academy this evening. 1 Twelve witnesses were examined by Gen. erals Brooke, Bates and Clous. They were | all of the present first class and classmates ot former Cadet Breth. l The witnesses were all questioned as to | whether they had held any conversation with other cadets as to the withholding of testimony at the investigation, and they all l denied that such thing occurred. They said that on the contrary, all the cadets were anxious that everything should be 1 told.
 ' The court room was thronged this even- | ing by officers and several women, who watched the proceedings attentively The l first witness, Cadet B. E. Browne, of Vir- ginia, said that he had taken part in feet l Inspections which consisted in dropping hot candle grease on the bare feet of the 1 fourth class men.
 What do you make fourth class men do?"
 Tn camp 1 have had a fourth class man act as special duty man. He cleaned army gun and bayonet and carried water and l cleaned my tent" The witness described how cadets had been made to run down the company streets while others threw water on them. 1 This was called taking a bath.
 "Did you ever see a man braced or ex- ercised to the limit of his power of endur- ance?" asked General Brooke.
 T could not say, sir, but-I have seen them pretend to faint in order to be excused from going any further" That was the most exhausting thing yourself was required to do as fourth class man?"
 "Eagling, sir" was the reply.
 "Describe it, please" "It Is a modification of the setting-up drill for back and legs"
 Was it on the account of danger of haz- ing or because they wished to avoid sean dal outside of the academy that caused tie classes to do away with the practices?" asked General Brooke.
 There Was No Danger.
 There no danger; sir, and we voted to do away with the hazng because of the stories published about it."
 What, besides bracing, do you require a fresh classmate to do?' inquired Gen. eral Brooke
 We have them do ridiculous perform ances, one of which call the barn yard. The men are designated by names you yourself was required to do as fourth told to form they initiate the noises made by the animals
 'Do you make them do anything you tell them?"
 '"They generally do all they are told"
 'How do you account for this implicit obedience?" asked General Brooke.
 The witness seemed to be puzzled for a moment and then he said:
 Well, when I was a fourth-class man the idea of refusing to do all l was re- quired never entered my head sir.'
 Was there any brutality?"
 No, sir; there was no spirit of brutality in it. If thee was brutality by word the fourth-class man would resent it."
 'rhen he would have to fght?" sug- gested General Brooke. "Yes, sir.' And get beaten?" Mot always. The fourth-class men have won fights.'
 Some Ridiculous Things.
 Cadet w. D. Smith of Maryland describ- ed number of ridiculous things done by fourth-class men at the bidding of upper class men. He told, among other things, of man being required to stand on his head and while in that position to speak a piece and deliver right hand salute with his left foot. What do you mean by saying men were required to do these things?' "Gpmpelled, sir" 'Why do they obey?' 'The witness hestated and said the | fourth class men knew that would have to | do what they were told. Cadet Edward M. Shinkle of Ohio de- scribing other forms of hazing in vogue now said the most ridiculous was 'sa-i- l my-race." What is a sammy-race?" asked General l Brooke
 1.-TWO cadets were seated face to face | with bowl of molasses between them oh, 1N0f., I3a1 wxrsfA | they were instructed to feed each other.'' l Cadet Edward Garfield, Jr. of New lork | said that Booze Keller was fight was the
 said that the Booz-Kellar fight was the Ewhile he was on guard duty. | What was the retort?" "I think it was go to he'll sir Cadet Jerome G. Pillow of Arkansas tes- | tiled that fights were usually the outcome | men to do something he had been told 10 | of the refusal on the part of fourth Class | do.
 | Breth Underwent Operation. | Prince A. Oliver of Illinois said that Ca-
 det Breth had told him that he (Breth) had | undergone a painful oeration before he ad | come to the academy. The witness said that Breth was treated the same as the | rest of the class. The witness had been
 hazed He said he was told that he was | hazed so that no part of his education | should be neglected.
 "Were you particularly unhappy during
 your first year at the academy?" asked l General Bates.
 | "No, sir''
 Were the other men in your class un-
 happy?" c
 Well, many of them did not like some
 of the things they had to do, but think | if cadet were left severely alone it would
 be much more humiliating than if he got 1 hazed. The witness went on to say that | ostracsm from the society of the cadet
 corps would become so nnbearable that | the man would have to resign. Cadet Booz
 was left very much alone after his fight | with Kellar This was account of his | cowadice Kerr Trggs, a cadet from | Kentucky, a classmate of Breth, had
 never heard of the latter being placed in | straightjacket.
 Cadet William Tidbal of Virginia swore