The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-12-30
The HAZING INQUIRY
COMMANDANT HEM on THE STAND
NESTEaDAX.
SUPT. MILLS ALSO TESTlFIES
EFFORTS TO SUPPRESS HAzING
RELATED.

Col. MN. Tells Of what lie HAS
Done-HHd Fourth Glass Men I'm
Ger into an Agreement Not 20 sub
init 20 HakinR and Increased Re-
sponsibiIitGeS of first CIas. Men.
West Point. y. y. Dec. 29.-The inves-
tgation OF the charges OF brutal hazing
arising out OF tae death or former ca
det oscar l.. Booz which. under court
Of inquiry appointed by the Secretary OF
War has been In progress with some in
tcrmisslon Tor the last two weeks, was
concluded ar shc West Point Military
Academy this afternoon The court left
for Governors Island tonight. and on
Monday VIII examine the mass Of evil
-ence which they have listened 20 during
the several sessions OF the court and ex-
cept something Unforeseen occurs. will
make a report to the War Department "a
Washington very soon afterwards.
Lieut. Col OTTO l. Helm. CON-
mandant at the United States All
itary Academy. was the FIRST wit
ness ealled 20 the stand to-day 90 tes-
tify before tho court Of inquiry appointed
10 investigate the allegations % brutal
haziuR Of cadets.
Col Helm produced the superintendenrs
sick reports. which showed that cadet
Rooz had only reported sick once while
he was az the academy. The records
made lt clear that Booz had never been
absent from breakfast. dinner nor sup
per while he was cadet az West Point
An extract from the records was read
by the witness. who said Cadet Booz had
awaited himself of the Saturday evening
privileges Of going anywhere within the
reservation on Saturday, Aug. g. the day
Of the Bo0z- Keller fight BooG reported
his going away at l.ss . m. and his re-
turning az sIs =. m. In reply 60 Gen
Cious. the witness slid that !n the SUM
mer of isg9. through anonymous letters,
the brutal hazlug Of Cadets MaeArthHr
and Haskell came 20 the knowledge o.
the academy officials An investigatoA
was Immediately ordered. but no informa-
lion as 10 the facts could be elected from
any % those examined, among wnom were
Macarthur ard Haskell The reglaions
prohibiting hazing provided punlsnm-nt
for hazers and hazed alike
/ In telling OF the agreement made bs
ne fourth class men in lsee. among Wnom
were Cadets Macarthur and Grant. not 70
submit to haziug. col Helm said
II called the GLASS togetner GIG was
very large oue) and explained 20 them the
rules and regulations prohibiting hazihs.
| told them~thaf II they wou.a agree no.
10 submit 10 haziug. and promise not 70
sazo anyone themselves. they would Tid
Inc academy of a foul blot on its rep9ta-
uon soon afterwards they appealed 20
me to BE- released from this agreement
bat / refused
~ of-o heard" continued the witness.
~that candidates preparing AZ hiEhiahl
rails were being hazed. ami fnt9s an
Investigation. the outcome Of which was
1 severe punishment Of the quilts cadets.
Speaking generally Of hazing Col. hein
said:
"Hazine Is traditional. nnd am sorry
| IN sav i thought by persons, inside a.
vveu a. outside Of the academy. 80 ~
( eommcndahle. and as bong as stuaentH
/ hear ia spoken OF in tAas Aay t VIII r.
Impossible for the authorities 70 stamp u
/ out "
..what methods do sou shluk could be
used 10 stnmp out the calling out OF the
| fourth class men and subsequent nate
/ eutssunters?'' asked Gen. Clous.
.sWhv. I consider that form of nax-
| ing and as long as the cadets done i've
uf TO the agreement not 10 submit 70 hA4-
| ing and the upper class do not cease IN
| teFt0FtuE Win tAtlAF a. WA "e
-orr1@r casget smith OF Carbondsle. m.
testified 10 seeing BOOK. on one occasion,
( aal4ins out dum1beils ana DOING wooden
Whites "We were exercised almos'
dailv.- the witness said. Cadets Meyer
ana Nelly exercised me frequently"
Cadet Truman W. Carruihers or l4t-
nose the next witness. said be was cali
/ II out ''for disobeying upper class men
ana general freshness" His opponent
was Mr.. shannon Of the present second
class.
what was the result?'
4 got knocked out. sir"
apsA vou receive any iniuriesT' In
/ CURED Gen. Cicus.
eyes. sir had an abrasion on the
/ forehead and ms jaw was broken
..Did yoE go 20 tne hospiialg'
yves. sir i was there just two weeks.
1 .sNas shannon n good manZ
| YES cir. / thought So" replied the
witness. who laughed as he answered.
He was allowed 90 go then.
Col A l.. Mills. superintendent of the
/ academy. was then sent for. and after
I few minutes delay he came into the
4 ~ot,rt and was sworn He submitted many
/ REPORTS and extracts regarding The reg
4 mlatIaus prohibiting haEine and the meas
I ures adopted hy the authcfifies to abolish
/ me several varieties % .. which existed
Z - the post he also SN ffultfeu tQf& ssEAH
1 81 eatgsefs who were eummariiy punished
I eo- violations or these regulations. bui
they were merely renetitions Of the ex-
tracts OF records handed to the court pre-
1 vlouslv By Conmaudsnt Helm.
/ Speaking OF "hraeing." the supertnten-
] Aans said. II do not consider 'bractng
A. haxlng. but Ii amounts TO q when car
/ rtea 10 excess and causes physical pain"
/ For the protection Of the fourth class
I men che witness said that he bad IN
I creased the rneDopsibllities - the first
1 class cadets In regard 10 this end He
+ sen that these men. on the verge % grad
nation. woud use their utmost endeavor
1 a. abolish haxlug methods.
/ col MINs said that great deal % difh-
/ rsiify rad been experienced hy him and
/ the other officers iu getting information
I from cadets about eases of haxing on the
ground shag xhey might insFifninsse them
selves
The superintendent told % bis having
/ secured the oath OF society known IS
/ the auosl Carriers" which existed annens
I candidates for admission - this acHaemy
i xho we're al q preparatory school AZ
/ HfrnIana Falls. abou8 two miles from
West Point. 1t was a society composed 81
ara formed for haxirg candidates The
L witness said Il was Of such vie nature
thai he knew he had good weapon n
hfn hanas lie submitted Il TO the cadet
hs5v with the result that when they saw
a*4aa