The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-12-30
MILLS ON TIE STAND


got knocked out.
Did you receive any injuries? % inus
quired Gen. Clous.
Yes sir, had an abrasion on the fore4
head and my jaw was broken"
Did you go to the hospital?"
Yes sir. l was there just two weeks"
WAS Shannon a good man..
Eyes sir, L thought se,'' replied the
witness, who laughed as he answered.
First Lieutenant w. Rivers, first cav
airy adjutant of the academy and Gus
todian of the records, was sworn He
submitted an abstract of the records
which showed the record Of Cadet Booz
during his stay at West Point. This
was ordered to be attached to the record.
Col. A. L. Mills, superintendent of the
academy, was then sworn.
MILLS TESTIMONY.
Speaking of "bracing'' the superinten-
dent said:
Il do not consider 'bracing' as haz-
ing, but 1T amounts to it when carried
to excess, and causes physical pain"
For the protection of the fourth class
men the witness said that he had in
creased the responsibilities of the first
class cadets in regard to this end. He
felt that these men, ON the verge Of
graduation, would use their utmost en-
beavers to abolish hazing methods.
The superintendent told of his having
secured the oath of a society known as
the "Hod Carriers" which existed among
candidates for admission to this academy
who were at a preparatory school as
Highland Falls, about two miles from
West Point. 1t was a society composed
and formed for hazing candidates.
Tho witness said 1t was of such a vile
nature that he knew he had a good
weapon in his hands. He submitted -
the cadet body with the result that when
thew W what oy,fo Ia
uating class of 1900, declared that I71Sy7
would abolish hazing and wrote him to
that effect.
Col. Mills read some letters kve~1-a he
had written to the war department in
his efforts to abolish hazing at the acad-
envy containing such suggestive words
as brutal treatment of cadets" and
secret outrages,'' referring to the en-
campment of 1899. .
Col. Mills cited cases where cadets had
been dismissed from the West Point
academy for hazing lower class men.
He said they invariably had gone to
Washington, where they brought a great
deal of influence to bear on the authori-e
ties there to bring about their reinstate-
ment and in every instance, Col NILS
said, he was ably supported by the war
department and the dismissal was rati-
fed by the officials there
HARD TO STAMP OUT.
In reply to Gen. Bates the witness
said: II don't think that hazing can be
effectually stamped out as long as hui
man nature remains as it is. Even in
colleges and schools and business CEN
tiers it is carried on. For instance, the
initiation of a member of the stock ex-
change is marked by rough usage of the
new conner. But. I think that by CIVIL
ance of the authorities at this academy
and the cooperation of the cadets
themselves, it can be kept within such
bounds that no injury would result.
II have been unremitting in my en-
deavors," continued Col Mills, ''in try
ing to secure the assistance of, the cad
cts to this end and feel that my eff
forts have been successful to a large
extent"
AS to the abolition of fighting among
cadets, Col Mills said that where there
were so many young men living together
under the same roof it was natural that
fights should occur. He suggested treat
ing the first case with severe punish
ment, and if that did not act as a deter
rent, extreme measures should be adopt
ed so as to make it 1t clear to the en-
tire corps that such violations would not
be condoned or tolerated.
Referring to the case of Oscar L. Booz,
he said:
THE BOOB CASE. :
1.-THE first intimation that / had of the
case was in letter 1 received from the
editor of Intelligencer, of Doylestown,
Pa, in which he said that Bcoz was
dying from the effects of severe injuries
he had received in fight at West Point,
and also from the effects of having
swallowed some liquid substance.
This letter was dated Nov. q, 1900
Immediately investigate the case and re-
piled to the letter Nov q, saying that
Ocoor r ho1
of weak eyes and that he had received
no serious injury in the fight mentioned.
l wish to call the attention of the court
to the fact that the resignation of for
mer Cadet Booz was dated Sept. 90, 1898.
In it he says he resigned on account Of
weak eyes and the resignation was ac-
companied by the written consent of his
father.
cat no time since Booz left this acad-
envy until the present time have the''
West Point authorities or the war de-
partment received any complaint or ref
erence to the case from Booz's parents.
II would also wish to make mention
of the necessity of establishing the cause
of the death of Cadet Booz."
Here the witness was interrupted by
President of the Court Gen. Brooke, who
said that he would take care of
that matter.
"Have you any measures to suggest
which, in your opinion, would stamp
out hazing at this academy" inquired
Gen. Brooke.
mo, sir; 1 think that the present con-
ditons are all that can be desired and
that the continuation of these f-1sorts will
accomplish everything that W can ex-
pect to accomplish"
Continuing, Col. Mills said: believe
that it would be most unwise for con-
gress to act either by the requirement.
of an oath or by any other provision
than that of making the superintendents
power absolute in a case Of hazing, SO
that he may act summarily at all times"
The court adjourned at 1880 to recon-
vene at Governors Island at 10 o'clock
on Monday morning.
ST. Vincent Cane Verde Islands-The