The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-12-28
THE TESTIMONY OF
TWO TAR HEELS
Cadets Willis 6. Peace and
Walter H. Lee.
DDuTkIITN 10 RCMICN
BRUTALITY IS DENIED
Hazing Until It's Object Has to be
Helped Brutal.
THIS IS CADET PEAcE's DEFINITION
Oscar BOcz' Brother Declares That Oscar Was
No Coward and That His Record at
the Preparatory Schcol
Was Good.
(By The Associated Press

(By The Associated Press.)
West Point. N. Y, Dec. 27.-There was
an unusually large attendance of specta-
tors at both the morning and afternoon
sessions of the Military court of inquiry
at the Military Academy today. The fact
that two witnesses from distant points
would be called upon to testify was the
cause OF the increased interest. One of
these was Horace C. Booz, a civil engineer
of Buffalo. and p. o. Phillips. of Cleveland.
The testimony given by the former was
principally refutation of the statement
made about his brother. former Cadet
Oscar L. Booz. of Bristol, Pa, who died
recently. Several of the cadet witnesses
during the progress of the Investigation
accused Booz of having shown cowardice
in his fight with Cadet Keller in August,
1925, and they also accused him of un-
truthfulness.
Lieutenant Coe, instructor of mathema-
tics, in his testimony last week stated
that Booz was not possessed of sufficient
mental capacity to pass the necessary ex-
animation al this Academy. His brother
stated today that this was not so. as
the manner III which the former cadet
mad passed his examinations at the
preparatory school at Bustleton, Pa. was
sufficient to D.oYe that Oscar was possess
sed OF sufficient intellect. On The other
hand he said Oscar was not untruthful
and said he vas anything but coward
Mr.. Phillips principal reason for ap-
pearing before the court was to show that
he had not visited the academy in 1898
Tor the purpose of saving his son from
being hazed. He said that in his opin-
ion Booz was not of the kind of material
OF which good army officers would be
made.
Cadet Willis G. Peace. of North Caro-
lima, said he knew former Cadet Breth
and saw him hazed in the tent of ex-
Cadet Beder in camp in 1897. The wit
ness after requests to describe various
forms of hazing to which Bretll was sub
Jected, replied:
1 cannot exactly describe them in de-
TAN, but | think they were the usual
forms, such as holding out Indian clubs
Gntll II became tiresome, doing wooden
Willie and other things which were in
vogue at that time. Breth was a very
awkward man and did not seem to be
able to do anything right. He was sub
lect to nervousness and was easily rat
tied,
Continuing, the witness said:
Il got letter from Breth about six
months after he left here. In it he tried
to explain his difficulty in doing things
right while at the post here. and said
that hp had
and the time he was in camn. He had
hoped to get better in barracks, but did
not"
The witness in reply to General CIous
said that ne knew of about eight fights
having occurred during the first two years
he was in the academy and about nine
during the next two years.
In reply TO General Bates, the cadet
said that whenever a fourth class man
was IN trouble or wanted he would come
to class man for information and ne
would invariably get it,
is there any hatred or feeling in ex-
istence between frst-class men and
fourth-class men?" asked the General.
i don't believe there is any feeling on
the part of the frst-class men against
Iourth-class men. but there may be on
the -art OF fourth men against the
upper class. This may be accounted for
by the treatment of the lower class. but
this feeling passes away when the cadets
are advanced to the third-class
Peace went on to say that he did not
consider exercising brutal
Then you don't think that being re-
quired to exert yourself physically
against your will almost to the point of
exhaustion, brutal?" exclaimed General
Bates
1 was exercised myself, sir, and l did
not think it was brutal 1t was uncom-
Portable, but l never knew it to result in
permanent injury"
The witness said there were some men
who seemed to be without the faculty OF
Judging when a man had enough.
After being closely questioned as to
what he would consider brutality in haz-
ing, the witness replied:
1 should say that if cadet were hazed
to such an extent that he would have to
be helped by his fellows the hazing would
be brutal"
ms answer was given after General
Bates had jntimated to the witness that
in case a cadet died from the effects of
such hazing the law would hold all of
those who took part in it. responsible
for the mans death.
Cadet Clarence H. Knight, of Florida
in reply to General Clous. said he had
taken rart in fight when he was a
third-class man His opponent was a