New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-12-21
SECOND CHARGE OF HAZING
Ex-MAYoR BRETH CLAIMS HIS SON WAS
KILLED Al WEST POINT.
WITNESSES AND RECORDS DENY HIS AC-
cUsATIoNs-BooZ INQUIRY
IS CONTINUED

10 OON lA4N0GsD.
West Point N Y, Dec. 20 CSpeciaD.-The Mill
tsry Court OF Inquiry has had brought TO it,
knowledge another case OF alleged fatal hazint
of q former cadet Of the Academy. Investigation
into this second charge was begun to-day, II
conjunction with the continued inquiry into thu
circumstances which. it is asserted. contributed
70 the death of Oscar L. Booz. Ex-Mayol
Breth of Altoona. Penn. has publicly accused
the upper class men of the Academy of hazins
his son death.
Nj Breth does not rnince his words He as
serts that his John was subjected 10 such
brutal exercising" that upon several occa-
sions he was taken to the hospital unconscious.
and that once he remained insensible for three
hours. He makes the charge that his son was
forced to sit upon the point Of bayonet for hf-
Teen minutes, that medicines Of all kinds were
given 10 him in such quantities as to ruin his
health. Soap he was forced to eat-not once.
but many times: and the father alleges also that
his son was once confined in a straitjacket
fastened so tightly that his arms were SEEM
ingly paralyzed on his release. When Colonel
Mills superintendent Of the Academy. was
asked about these allegations to-day by Trib-
une reporter he said
They are untrue. Cadet Breth was never sub
5ected 10 the treatment described by his father.
All ] wish TO say is that the young man ala iot
die a result Of the hazne he received while
81 West Point
The court devoted oonsiderab bic part of the
day 70 examining witnesses who were in po-
sition 10 speak Of young Breth's experiences at
the Academy. The testimony that was submit
ted 70 General Brooke and his colleagues went
70 contradict the statements Of the elder Broth.
Father O'Keefe Roman Catholic priest of the
parishes Of Highland Falls and West Point who
personally interested himself in the young man.
hat Brat him of
hazing, but seemed 20 regard 1t fun. The
hospital records were produced, and showed that
the former cadet had never been admitted TO
the hospital in an unconscious condition, while
several cadets swore that such forms of
hazing IS the father described had never been
employed at West Point in the recollection Of
the present corps. Breth was discharged from
the Academy in January. 1895. for deficiency in
his studies. Father OKeefe testified:
When young Breth to West Point in
1897 he called upon me with a. letter of intro
duction from his priest and from that time on
] took great interest in him. After he entered
the Academy I sent for him from time to time
and asked him how he getting He al
why's told that he doing very well. He
made complaint of any kind to me. Upon
one occasion ! remember. l asked him if he
had been hazed. He said that he had not been
hszed badly: that he had received no more
noyance than others, and that hazing seemed
~ him to he fun more than anything else. He
gave me the impression that he had never suf-
fered any injury. I also remember that toward
the end of the year his sister here
from Altoona and seemed very distressed be-
he was low in his class and likely to be
found deficient in the January examinations.
She made no complaint OF her brother being i'll
treated but she feared that he would be
dropped. She said that her brother seemed quite
heartbroken over this possibility. I made in
quiries Of one Of the instructors. who told me
that the young mans case was hopeless, and
that he would not get through his examina-
tons.
BRETH DID NOT COMPLAIN.
Did he complain Of any particular Ill treat
ment during his stay in quarters?" asked Cen
ersI Claus.
Never" Father OKeefe answered
Did you ever know him to be in the hospital
while he was here?"
No; II he had gone into the hospital 1 think
! should have heard Of it. He himself would
have TOLD me. OF course. II he had only been
sick for day two with some slight illness
I might not have known, but if he had been
seriously i'll would have heard Of IT,"
Il understand that you have been in this
parish for ten years. In that time what has
been your experience Of the character generally
Of the Academy"
Il have always considered, and rave always
said, that West Point compares very favorably
with any institution that have knowledge Of
Religion in every case is absolutely respected
INT A1sl PROOF OF lfat is the large number or
men who belong TO the Young Mems Christian
Association. They not only attend the meetings
OF that institution. but write papers on religious
subjects. Every facility has been given to me
to visit the cadets. and I have never heard one
single word of disrsspect or sneering at re-
ligion by any cadet"
DID you ever hear of Broth having been put
in straitjacket for the amusement Of the
upper class men?"
mo sir"
Have you ever heard of such a thing oc-
curring?'
i have never heard Of such thing IN the ten
years ! have been here although ] have con-
Versed very conhdentially with cadets upon all
phases Of hazing'
Many new forms of hazing mainly of a u
oiorous nature, were described to the Court to-
cay The first witness called was Major Charles
3. Hall, treasurer of the Academy and Quarter
master and Commissary of Cadets He identi-
led TWO bottles Of red colored sauces which he
said were the only kinds of pepper sauces in
use n the cadets mess hall since he took charge
three years ago. The hot sauces were not gen.
orally laid upon the table. but were served
when called for.
HARD DIET FOR "PLEBEs"
Herbert T. Krumm brought out the ordeal a
peoe has 10 undergo TO qualify for the mess
nan This was the eating OF eighty-hve prunes.
q bowl If molasses ana six slices of bread.
krumm said he was not successful at the first
attempt but swallowed the mixture all right at
the second effort This witness said that Booz
hso siouchy manner, and did not seem to have
enough energy 10 hold himself together
Among the ridiculous stunts" which fourth
class men we're called upon 10 perform while in
camp We're reviewing turtle as it passed down
company street with a lighted candle upon
us 06Ck. shaving with a baVOret singing the