The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-12-19
CLASS DISTINCTION.
Evidence in Booz Case Shows It Is
Carried to High Degree.

ternoon and resumed the investigation
of the charges of hazing and brutal
treatment made by the parents of for
mer Cadet Oscar l. Booz, who died re-
Gently at his home in Bristol.
Generals Brooke, Bates and C1ous and
Captain Dean questioned the witnesses
as to the practice of hazing in the
academy, both in camp and barracks.
Sixty-eight members of the class of
1902. to which Rooz belonged until he
resigned in September or October, 1898,
were summoned to the court and We're
brought in squads and kept in ante
rooms in the academic building. Four
of the sixty-eight cadets of the second
class We're examined during the after
noon and all of them who knew Booz
declared that his standing with his
classmates was not very high, as they
looked upon him as a coward. The
story of his fight with Kellar, in 1888,
was told by Cadet o. r. Tyler, who
seconded BoQz. When asked by the
court why he did So Tyler said
Wen, Rooz asked me to be his sec
ond, ard l could not well refuse"
Every one of the witnesses denied that
any brutal hazing occurred and two of
them described the 'bracing' and "set-
ting up drills as only correctional
measures" and neither injurious nor
humiliating. All denied that Booz had
been interfered with on account of his
religious belief or tendency. The inquiry
IS expected to take UP the greater part
of this week
Cadet Orfeld r. Tyler said:
I was present at the fight
Whom did you see there?''
Cadets Kellar, Hayden, Spaulding,
DeYoung, Herd and Brownell."
who refereed the fight?"
Il don't remember, sir
WAS there a knockout blow deIiv-
ered?"
Eyes, sir. Booz was hit in the region
of the stomach, and when he was on
the ground he said the wind was
knocked out of him"
WAS there any blow delivered in the
region of the hearth"
mo, sir"
was it a fair fght?'' asked General
Clous.
Yes, sir; it was"
Were there any marks on Booz after
it was over?''
yes, sir; he had a black eye and a
cut over the left eye.''
Did he complain to you of injuries
after the fight?''
mo, sir. I told him that I did not
think he acted exactly fair in the fight
The other man was smaller and lighter.
He had asked me to be his second, and
/ could not well refuse"
In reply to a. number of leading uues-
tons by Generals Clous and Brooke the
witness said he had never been made
to take hot sauce, but he had seen it
a spoon, but not more than three
four drops. He never saw it given to
Booz. lie never knew of any one in his
class being injured by hazing.
Did you know of any hot grease be-
ing dropped on the body of any of the
men in your class" asked General
Brooke.
yes. sir; at night sometimes some
one would come into the room and re-
move the clothes off the feet of the
men in bed and in examining the feet
some drops of candle grease would fall
on them"
was this dropping accidental or in
'FWeII, 1 think it was Intentional, but
it did not hurt much was TyIer's re-
ply.
We're ever hazed, replied:
Yes, sir; I was subjected to athletic
exercises"
did you ever know of any one to
faint from hazing?" asked Captain
Il have heard such reports, but I
think the men only pretended to faint"
Later on the witness said that he had
made Cadets Caldwell and Orr sit in a
strained position on chair for a
couple of minutes about two days ago.
why did you do this?' asked General
Brooke.
to desert before the first class men,
was the prompt reply
Cadet Robert Ralston answered a.
number of questions as to the practice
strained position at the table, and he
defined this as a correctional meas
ure," which was not hazing- He de-
scribed the order in which the men were
served at table, which was according
to their grade. '"Then," said General
Clous, eff man helped himself before
an upper class man it would be con-
sidered an act of rudeness and impo-
1iteness?'
since the classes had declared
against hazing or exercising, has there
seen any visible loss of manlineSS among
the menu" asked General Bates.
mo, sir; I think not"
Were you a fellow cOmmunicant of
Cadet BOOZE"
And has your attending to your re-
1igious duties lowered you in the esti-
nation of your classmates or caused
any one to speak disrespectfully of your
reading your Bible?" was the next ques-
ton put by General Bates.
NO. sir; it has not" was the earnest
reply.
the fight between Booz and Kellar, but
saw Booz afterWard, and his face was
marked.
what was his standing with his
classmates"
HE was considered a coward, and his
standing was net very high.
General Clous made a motion that
from the scope and character OF the
investigation it appeared to MIN that
the commandant of cadets and superin-
tendent of the academy should be pres
ent, as the evidence might involve their
stanoing in the academy.
General Brooke then sent orderlies for
Col. A. L. Mills, the superintendent,
and Lieut.. Col Otto i. Helm, command
ant of cadets, and they were furnished
with separate tables and chairs
John c. Pegram, of the class of 1898,
said that Booz was looked upon as a
coward by his classmates, but was not
interfered with on account of his re-
ligious actions or belief.