New-York tribune., 1900-12-30

mate himself by answering certain questions
ms change was made after the cadets had
Iidue i. an agreement to stop all forms of exer-
Colonel Mills read some letters which he had
,Sst 70 the War Department in his efforts to
s,,ot isn - 1na1lng at the academy, which contained
Ss. SI .sussestlVe words brutal treatment of
cadets and secret outrages - referring to the
encampment of 1899
COL. MILLS CURBS THE HAzINcI SPIRIT
IN reply to General Bates. the witness said:
l oont think that hazing can be effectuaIly
stamped out as long human nature remains
as IL is Even in colleges and schools and busi-
ness centres it is carried on For instance, the
initiation of a member of the Stock Exchange
Is marked by rough usage Of the newcomer But
/ think that by vigilance 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
Il have been unremitting in nv endeavors &"
continued Colonel Mills. I'm trying to secure the
assistance or the cadets to this end, and feel
that my eiIorts have been successful to a large
extent"
AS to the abolition of fighting among cadets
Solohel Nls SAID that where there were many
young men living together under the same roof
It was natural that fights should occur He sug-
gested treating the first case with severe punish
hent, ana II that did not act as a deterrent
"a, - auopt eNCreme measures so as to make it
clear to the entire corps that such violations
would not be condoned or tolerated
The witness took occasion to deny the accu-
racy of an interview with him published in a
New-York paper on December g. in which the
inference was palpable that he was in favor Of
hsuc encounters between cadets and that he
would not investigate them. Referring to the
case or oscar l.. Booz, he said: THE first inti-
nation that had Of the case was in a letter /
received from the Editor of The Intelligencer'
or Doylestown, Penn. in which he said that
Booz was dying from the effects of severe in
5uries he had received in a fight at West Point
and also from the effects of having swallowed
some liquid substance
This letter was dated November 27, 1900 I
Immediately investigated the case and replied
10 the letter November %, saying that Oscar L.
booz had resigned on account of weak eyes, and
mat ne had received no serious injury in the
hght mentioned. L wish to call the attention of
the court 10 the fact that the resignation Of
former Cadet BoOz was dated September %
1885. In 1t he says he resigned account of
weak eyes, and the resignation was accom-
panied by the written consent of his father.
AT no time since Booz left this academy until
the present time have the West Point authorities
or the War Department received any complaint
or reference to the case from Booz's parents I
would also wish to make mention of the neces-
sity Of establishing the cause of the death of
Cadet Booz."
Here the witness was interrupted by the presi-
dent Of the court, General Brooke who said that
the court would take of that matter
Did you ever in any way call Cadet Booz a
iiar?" inquired General Clous
NO. Sir; simply wrote to the authorities at
Washington the facts which learned through
my investigation here at the academy"
Have you any measures to suggest which in
your opinion would stamp out hazng at this
academy" inquired General Brooke.
mo, sir. think that the present conditions
are all that be desired and that the con-
tinuation Of these efforts will accomplish every
thing that we can expect TO accomp plish. be-
lleVe that II would be most unwise for Congress
TO act either by the requirement of an oath or
by any other provisions than making the super
fntendent's power absolute in a case of hazing
so that he can act summarily at all times"