The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-25
TRUTH ABOUT HAZING
FORMER CADETS STORY OF CRUEL
TIES AT WEST POINT.
Described IIaxing at the Acad-
envy as "Exquisite Torture

WASHINGTON. Jan. 24-The congress
sional committee which is investigating the
hazing of Cadet Booz had before 1t to-
day the last witness who would be called
on to testify. He was +. H. Cunningham,
a teacher at the Hamilton Institute, New
York city, who formerly was a cadet at
West Point He was the tent mate OF
Cadet Macarthur. a son of General Mac
Arthur, who was severely hazed accord
ing TO the testimony adduced at West
Point, and he also was supposed to have
furnished the material for an article on
hazing which appeared in a New York
newspaper.
Before beginning his testimony, Mr.. Cum
ningham stated that it would not be vol
untary, but would be given because ne
was summoned. He wanted his friends at
West Point to understand that a Mr.. Cum
ningham entered the academy in June.
1898. He testified that his tent mate was
Macarthur. He described the hazing of
Macarthur in July. 1898. He said he reeled
into the tent after being hazed and went
into commissions. He was writhing and
moaning so that he Cunningham covered
him with blanket TO prevent his means
from being heard by the officer of the day.
MacArthur's inquisitors after the hazing.
he said, were very much exercised over
what they had done. and were anxious to
see Macarthur restored. Barry. one of
them. brought water TO restore him Asked
az To what was done to Macarthur, Cum
bingham replied that they had done every
thing which came under the head OF Eek
ercising."
Witness said he would distinctly class
MacArthur's writings as commissions not
cramps, as Macarthur had testified Mac
Arthur was urged to so on sick report next
day. but refused. He was nazed because
though he never had exhibited undue pride
I'm the relationship. The worst hazers IN
witness part of camp were Barry, Dockery
and Duval. Witness SAID one reason why
he left the academy was his feeling lthat
hazing exerted brutal influence Mac-
Arthur had said to him that Another
night like that would make me feel like re-
signing" Several cadets were called to
console Macarthur.
Witness named Cadets Hill, Howse, Has
kell and Kensel as cadets who suffered
from commissions and needed medical as
sistance as a result of hazing. A cadet Of
ficer told witness a cadet had choked Ken
sci to prevent him uttering cries Cadet
Crown had qualified on prunes,' breaking
the record by eating 135. They made him
sick One of the academy instructors lee
tured against haZing and the classes de-
cided against ''hazng," etc AS they left
and every one 'braced," and that ended
the agreement to stop hazing.
Commenting a statement by General
Ludlow that college hazing and West
Point hazing' were the same, the witness
said: 81 refute that statement. l went
through college before l went to west
Point. and know there Is nothing In the
colleges like the hazing at West Point =
He described hazing as nothing short OF
exquisite torture. He gave graphic ac-
count of the pain suffered in certain forms
of hazing which fairly sent shudder
through the listeners Men were hung on
bars their feet up so that when they
dropped from exhaustion the knees struck
on the wooden floors several feet below.
The fainting man was again hoisted up,
and again repeatedly dropped.
Cunningham said the object of calling
OUT was to place a trained upper class
man against an unframed lower class man.
The result was inevitable. In conducting
a fight the purpose was to cut up the face
of the lower class man before knocking him
out. An upper class man had said to the
witness that certain fight was not cor
rect because the lower class mans face
was not cut up sufficiently. When on guard
one time Cunningham was told by the
corporal of the guard mot TO see light
then about to occur.
The witness said cadets from foreign
countries, admitted by act of Congress
were quilted and bothered" in the same
way and instanced Cadet Iglesias, of Costa
Rica.
Cunninghams testimony appeared to
produce a deep impression, and at its con-
clusion the court went into secret session.
The hearings are now closed and the COM
mittee will give its attention to the report