The sun., 1900-12-22
ROOFS WEST POINT FIGHT.
urvi. rrr orsR rHs Srs avn MT
~ JUF sTONtfH.

,.,,,s ui, mach ,o slis Opponent suh Tried 10
v,,sp. Blow. Then ts' pewu and Cried
Y..,,d a H.und and . Usif One ~
uo,,. second. Afraid lie would lose
,.,,u.tap.s ttl. Principal Auedso -Hoos
t,ld q FRIEND that Ue Thought Sse Had
Heart Disease cen. Hroohe scoses Ono
cadet VINO violated Rules -Tuii story Of
the risht h, Al who Engaged In IT,
war potSr. y =. Dso u Tho war
D.paft-nsnt ,ommitt~s lrv"stgating tho
charges In connection with the death of
p.cat BOO, ~ Bristol Pa who vasa cadet
lere something over two years ago, to-day
40, the vhols story ot Tie now historic fist
eyh, In which Booz and another cadet were
engaged here and which IL specified In the
,harso. ~ ono NJ the instances of cruelty To
Which Booz was subjected cadet Keller
rao II the surviving principal ot this one
and.n .half-round encounter. tho timekeeper.
re'efnn seconds AMI sertinels connected
with the combat wore called In turn before
the commission and each gave hls version
4 the affair under sharp fire OF questions
and rross-quest lons. in which Major-ten.
Brooke. Brig Gen. Bates. Assistant Judge
Advocate Clous and Capt Dean. the re-
corder OF the commission and q member OF
Gen. Brooke's star. all took an active part.
In addition 10 this the features Of to-day's
testimony were the examination OF First
Lent Cos, instructor In Mathematics at
tho ccaderny In whose division Booz made
A particularly bad record as a student, and
the letter produced by Cadet Burnett, tho
President Of the academy Young Mems
christian Association. THIS letter was from
the Rev Alexander Alison. pastor of the
church young Booz attended In Bristol. and
va. In response 20 one written by Cadet
Burnett TO Mr. Alison In connection with
sermon the last-nsmed gentleman delivered
concerning Booy's death. In which the Mill
tary Academy methods we're severely crit!-
c!sed. As President Of the Young Mems
Christian Association Cadet Burnett said
that he felt that IL fell within his province
TO reply TO MI Alisons attack In defence
Of the academy. Mr. Alson's reply 20 Cadet
Burnetts communication was as follows
-Codet Charles Burndn. President Y u c. A.
L S Miht1ry Academy. West Point, " v.
MY DEAR SIR: bes to acknowledge the
receipt Of your letter Of Dec Inst. IL Is
nv desire 20 say to you that your letter Ia a
confirmation. IN not u few particulars. OF my
friend Oscars experiences. Your surprise
that Christian minister should make state
nents Of a certain kind cannot help. IL Is a
CHRISTIAN HlNlSFr uUlN 10 NtIl 'HN tIllH
I feel quite sure that the Congressional COM
mittee Of Investigation will discover that no
urtenable position has been taken by Mr..
Booz's friends Your letter Is TO me a most
Interesting communication In the presence OF
the sweeping and other kinds OF statements
hy Col Mills lie denies the hazing and
the presence OF tabasoo sauce at West
Point You do not You admit both. but
endeavor TO minimize the effects on the theory
Of 'exaggeration,' 30.
u am glad TO have had your letter. as Il
10 likely to be helpful to us in more ways thsn
one ! can understand. OF course how nat
ural It Is for you young men 10 see no de-
fects In your alma mater since you have
crossed the plebe Rubicon. The friends
Of Oscar know that he was truthful. His
statements are to them prima facie evidence.
What he stated In the long letter he wrote
home when he pleaded 10 be allowed TO leave
the Academy Is enough. Only Yesterday
/ had the sad privilege u perusins It's con-
tents am sorry you mentioned that novel"
theory The cadet who told you that made
n statement that your Christian grace and
common sense ought TO have tlken cum
crGro s1hs oscar was not that kind OF a
young man. Most sincerely yours,
Cadet Lewis Brown IRON Rhode Island,
who Is member Of tae erI, class that CradHiI
the details OF the fight He and cadet Barnes
were the seconds OF Keller Boozs opponent.
We had three sen,inel-, he testified We
Rad them because there had been SO much
said lately about lighting that we were afraid
get e9gsn 4S ss@nss Sna
i6s 6 waist, B@o5 looked p ,Nhe isrser and
sssd man N the R 'hq "2 2ounS GHen Rodl s sr
at Keller a number OF times Then
Rooz got hitt in the face: Hc turned half
the ring lie seemed to be trying 70 keep
away. When the second round began no
did, tho same, He turned around and ran
and shoulders. Then Keller finally struck
Booz over the eye This was the hardest
over Booz lay down. He would not get up
Gen. Bate,-You knew you were violating
tie regulations:
Cadet frank Keller. trinity built young
man oi medium sizo and weight told his own
story ~ the combat ia the form OF a running
narrative, as he was desired 10 do by Gen
The fight occurred on the 9Th Of August,
';as | was informed that Nr b,,o1 had liz;
made insoient REPLIES to upper cias-mon Who
were directing HIM n his dUties IIa had been
Grdered to walk hls post properly, Cadet
20 him about this. was informed 81 the
'auso Of the complaint by the committee Of my
class
The cadets who had complained of Mr.
Roo2 were larger and heavier men than ha
and could not tight tim | was Informed by
the committee thar ! had been selected a.
the proper man to meet Boo1 We were
weighed | weighed $50 pounds and Buoz
li? He was a tribe taller than ! was and
Rad longer reach We were about tho same
hlild however, The orders were very strict
against lighting HAT j. the reason We
wont TO Fort Putnam Tho referee called
the principals when We reached tie ground
an gave the rules that were to govern the
ngnt
InGen Rrooke-'T did not know then % the
charge that Mr. Boo2 had made also state
mspt unl" knew II the charge that re lad
dsote cd orders ard made lusol.rt replies
When tho r"feTe" gave uS III" iulea he told
~ "" e. nd ask an. trueSi ions thg' va desired
When | saw BooE ! thought Ec looked Ike n
Formidable oproHeut. O'" - ~. seconds
said 70 me: You have cD' y tough looking
customer 10 face iuu viii have to loo out
FOR yourself In the first rnund Mr. Booz
showed 2 little fght II" struck n me several
times and hit nae on the shoulders After
tits hnd hard worl; 10 C,' n"ar him ua
ra-ci his arm in This Wav hero the witness
n'' up ils left arm n though shielding lis
lace and head and turned his back toward
no, dod-ing ahOu' the ring | warned him
that Il he did rot turn around and face ne
would strike him IN the back. | then did
srrll" him several times on the muscle under
the rl-,.' arm aud oH the shoulder
In 20" ."'ond round lif him on tho rlrht
ESQ n" soon after went to his oofrcr and
,sv Gown He then gave up tho nCht
W''' 'n n and told him hoped he had no
l0Tt fDp. ONatfSt That WAS a ,l1..