Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-12-30
THE SENTIMENT is FOR 1T.
Tho Practice ia uonored lsy Long usnge-
The Testimony Befor" the Military
Court of Inquiry Yesterday Brutal unz-
ing of Two Cadets In 1899 No Ineorma-
tion obtainabis ut the Tip,e In Relation
toIt-coionol Otto Holm Tells what he
Knows.
(By Telegraph to virginianPilot.)

~. II,
at the United States Military Academy,
was the first witness called to the
stand today, to testify before the court
OF inquiry. appointed TO investigate
the allegations OF brutal hazing of
cadets, Colonel Helm produced the SUI
perintendent's sick reports, which
showed that Cadet J3ooz had only re-
ported sick once while he was at the
academy. He was excused on that
occasion from ono drill. as he was suf-
fering from an acute attack The rae
ords made 1T clear thai Booz had neSer
been absent from breakfast. dinner or
i supper while he was u cadet at West
Point.
BRUTAL HAIING.
An extract from the records was
read by the witness. who said Cadet
Booz had awaited himself of The Satur-
day evening privileges of going any
where within the reservation on Satur-
day, August 9th, the day of the Booz-
! Keller fight. Booz reported his going
away at lbs p. m. and his returning
at 3:1S p. m. In reply to Gen. Clous.
the witness said that in the summer
of 1899, through anonymous letters. the
brutal haZing OF Cadets Macarthur
and Haskell came to the knowledge of
the academy officials.
dered, but no information as to the
facts could be ELECTED from any of
those examined, among which were
Macarthur and Haskell. The regu,a-
lions prohibiting hazing provided pun
shment for hazers and hazed alike.
In telling OF the agreement made by
the fourh-class men in 1899, among
whom were Cadets Macarthur and
Grant, not to submit to hating, Col.
Helm said:
ASKED no AsgI,rl7
az called the class together ut was
very large one) and explained to them
the rules and regulations prohibiting
hazing. 1 told them IL they would
agree not to submit to hazing and
promise not to haze any one them
selves. they would rid the academy OF
n foul blot on its reputation.
Soon afterwards they appealed to
me to be released from this agreement,
but l refused
II also heard" continued the wit
ness that candidates preparing at
Highland Fails were being hazcd, and
/ made an investigation. the outcome
of which was the severe furnishing of
the guilty cadets
IS TRADITIONAL.
Speaking generally of hazing, Colo
mel Helm said:
'Hazing is traditional and / am sorry
to say is thought by persons inside, as
we'll as outside of the academy to he
commentaries and so long as students
hear it spoken of in this way it wilI.be
impossible for the authorities to STAMP
1t out"
What methods do you think could
be used to stamp out the calling out OF
fourth-class men and subsequent fistic
encounters?" asked General Clous. Il
why, 1 consider that form of haz-
ftttr
live up to the agreement not to submit
to hazing and the upper class do not
cease interfering with them, It will be
impossible to suppress it,"
CADET KNOCKED OUT.
Cadet Truman W. Carrithers, of
Illinois. the next witness. said he was
called out for disobeying upper class
men and general freshness" His OPP
ponent was Mr.. Shannon, of the pres
ent second class.
What was the result?"
81 got knocked out sir"
Did you receive any injuries?" in
CURED General Clous.
Yes. sir; / have an abrasion on the
forehead and my jaw was broken"
did you go to hospital?"
Eyes. sir; 1 was there just two
weeks"
WAS Shannon a good MANI"
eyes. sir; l thought So replied the
witness. who laughed as he answered.
He was allowed to go then.
SUPERINTENDENT MILLS.
Col. a. l.. Mills, superintendent of the
academy, was then sent for, and after
a few minutes delay he came into
court and was sworn.
He submitted many reports and ex-
tracts regarding the regulations pro-
hibiting hazing and the measures
adopted by the authorities to abolish
the several varieties of which existed at
the post. He also submitted long lists
of cadets who were summarily punish
ed for violations of these regulations,
but they We're merely repetitions of
the extracts of records handed to the
court previously by Commandant Helm.
Speaking of "bracing." the superin-
tendent said: ~ do not consider
.bractng' as hazing, but 1t amounts to
Ut when carried to excess and causes
physical pain"
For the protection of the fourth class
men the witness said re had increased
the responsibilities of the first class
cadets in regard to this end He felt
that these men. on the verge of grad
uation, would use their utmost endeav-
ors to abolish hazing methods
Col. Mills said that n great deal of
difficulty had been experienced by him
and the other officers in getting in
formation from cadets about cases of
hazing, on the ground that they might
-incriminatc themselves.
THE "HOD CARRIERS"
He told OF his having secured the
n l.