Evening star., 1900-12-17
BO0Z HAZING CASE |
Military Board of Inquiry Making an
Investigation.
CADETS FATHER 4 WITNESS TODAY
He Details the Brutal Treatment
of His Son.
HOT WAX POURED ON him

BRISTOL, Pa. December 1.-THE mill
tary board of inquiry appointed by the
Secretary of War to investigate charges
made by the relatives and friends of Oscar
l. Booz. the former West Point cadet, that
he came to his death on December at his
home here as the result Of hazing by fellow
cadets at the academy two years ago, be-
gan the taking Of testimony here today.
The board. consisting Of Major General
Jonn E. Brooke, commanding the depart
ment of the east; Brigadier General Alfred
f. Bates and Colonel J. H. Clouse, deputy
judge advocate general. arrived here at
1880 o'clock this morning. They were met
at the railroad station by VIM. H. Booz,
the father of the former cadet, and Rev.
Alexander Allison, pastor Of the Bristol
Presbyterian Church, the worsniping place
of the Booz family. The members of the
board were escorted to the church, where
the inquiry was held in the pastors study.
The entire Booz family was present.
Mr.. Booz Witness.
The inquiry began at 1850 o'clock, the
first witness called being Mr.. Booz, who
was invited to tell all he knew. Mr.. Booz
stated that Oscar entered the academy on
June 20, 1898. Soon after letters were re-
ceived from him stating that he had been
hazed..
In August 4 letter was received in which
he said he had been in a fight and had re-
ceived a pair OF black eyes, and that he
had been knocked out by Il blow over the
heart Mr.. BooZ said he went to West
Point to see his son and told him he must
stand it. Oscar told his father he expect
ed to be hazed, but he did not want TO be
treated brutally The father said Oscar
did not want his mother to know how he
was being treated.
Mr.. Booz then told how Oscar had in
formed him that tsbasco sauce had been
forced down hi:s\hroat. The witness start
ed to deny the published statement alleged
to have been made by Superintendent Mills
of West Point. but he was stopped by Gen
Bates, who said they would later hear what
Mr.. Mills had tc say.
Came Home Broken In Health.
Continuing, MIR. Booz said when Oscar
came home in the fall of 1898 he was
broken in health and was never we'll after
that. Oscar liked fun, the father said, but
not brutality.
In answer to question Mr.. Booz said
he made no complaint He. however, ap-
pealed to a lieutenant, Blakely, who said
the hazins would stop when young Booz
got into barracks The cadets We're then
in camp. While in tents the father con-
tinued, Oscar said the cadets would pull the
blankets from him and pour hot wax from
candle his body. Mr.. Booz also said
Oscar told him that tabasco sauce was
poured down his throat, both in camp and
at the table.
In answer to another question, Mr.. Booz
said the only cadet he (the father) talked
with at West Point was the son Of eX-Rep-
resentative Phillips of Ohio. Mr. Bo3Z
thought the officers at the academy could
stop the brutality, but he would not say
they condoned it. All the cadets We're not
treated like oscar was, he said, and he
1ns to dor Sfan u-h hey "a
treated his son in such a severe manner.
Oscar spent all of last year at home in an
endeavor to build up his health. In June
of this year he accepted a position with
law firm at Philadelphia but was com
PEELED to leave this occupation owing to his
throat trouble.
Would Not Tell Who Hazed Him.
In conclusion, Mr.. Booz said that Oscar
would never mention any names. When he
felt very badly he would talk Of the brutal
treatment he had been subjected to, but
never would reveal the identity Of his per-
secutors.
Mrs. Booz, Oscars mother. was then
called. She said that Oscar never told a lie
or ever acted one Oscar wrote to her that
he liked the surroundings at West Point.
but complained of the treatment he had re-
reived at the hands Of the upper class men.
Her son told her in letters that the place
was unfit for young man who wanted to
their sons there.
The upper class men," Oscar wrote ARE
'brutes and bullies.'" AT this point Mrs.
Booz, trembling perceptibly, said that Su-
perintendent Mills should be made to apol-
ogize for calling her son liar. She said
the upper class men, according to her son,
were not fit to be soldiers.
Nellie Booz, sister OF the deceased young
man, was next called. Her testimony re-
lated principally to a letter received by
the family on August from Oscar. In it
he told of the fight he had with another
adet, and that he fought until he was
winded. The cadets began to taunt him
and call him coward, and said he was a
disgrace to the corps: If he did not go
into the fight, they said. the fellows, would
make life unbearable for him. He was
sorry that he went into the fight. He
thought 1t best for him to leave West Point,
and asked his father for permission to re-
sign. Oscar described many little indigni-
ties which were practiced on him.
Had to Swallow Tabasco Sause.
The sister in answer to a question, said
that Oscar told her that If he had not
swallowed the tabasco sauce he would have
strangled. They were holding him down,
and he could do nothing else