The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-18
Members of the Dead Cadets Family,
Two Doctors, a Preacher and a
Classmate Examined.
LETTERS FROM WEST POINT
THAT INDICATE THE YOUNG MAN
WAS BADLY TREATED.
His Eyes Were Blackened, Tobnsco
Sauce Poured Down His Throat
and He Also Was Snubbed.

PHILADELPHIA, Pa, Dec. 1.-THE
taking of testimony in the case of Oscar
l.. Booz. the West Point cadet who died
two weeks ago from injuries which his
parents alIege were inflicted at the West
Point Military Academy, was begun to-
day by the board of inquiry appointed
by the secretary of war. Three sessions
were held during the day. two at Bristol.
the home of the Booz family, and short
session in this city in the late afternoon.
The members of the board, Generals
Brooke, Clous and Bates, accompanied by
Captain Dean, of the Fifth Artillery, who
acted as recorder, arrived at Bristol at
1890 and shortly afterward went into ses-
sion. The court sat in the study of the
Rev. DIR. Alexander Allison, the pastor Of
the Bristol Presbyterian Church, which
adjoins the Booz homestead. The witnesses
called were William III. Booz, father; Mrs.
Sarah Booz, mother; Nellie Booz. sister
OF the young man; Rev. DIR. Allison, DR..
Weaver, a Bristol physician who attended
Oscar Booz, and several others. Little of
the testimony was new. After hearing
all the Bristol witnesses, the board made
a flying visit to this city, where it took
the testimony of DR.. ]. Soils Cohen, a
throat specialist, who had Oscar under
treatment, and S. s. Albert, a former class
mate of Oscar Booz. The board left for
New York tonight and will sit at West
Point tomorrow afternoon.
The inquiry at Bristol opened at 10:s0
o'clock this morning. Mr.. w. H.
Booz stated that Oscar entered the acad-
emy on June 10, 1885, Soon after letters
were received from him stating that he
had been hazed. Mr.. Booz said that his
son had complained to him of the indigni-
ties to Which he was subjected at West
Point, but when Mr.. Booz spoke to Lieu
tenant Bakely about it, he was told the
hazing would stop after the cadets got
back in barracks. He told his son he would
have to stick to it.
EXPECTED TO BE HAZED.
In August letter was received in which
Oscar said he had been in a fight and had
received pair of black eyes, and that he
had been knocked out by a blow over the
heart. Mr.. Booz said he went to West
Point to see his son. Oscar told his father
he expected 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 tobasco sauce had been
forced down his throat. Mr. Booz said
when Oscar came home in the fall of 1895
he was broken in health and was never
well after that. Oscar liked fun, the father
said, but not brutality. While in tents,
the father continued, Oscar said the cadets
would pull the blankets from him and pour
hot wax from candle on his body. Mr..
Booz also said Oscar told him that tobasco
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-
Congressman Phillips, OF Ohio. Mr.. Booz
thought the officers of the academy could
stop the brutality, but he would not say
they condoned IL. All the cadets We're not
treated like Oscar was. he said. and he
CONTINUED ON PAGE l. COL. 60