New-York tribune., 1901-01-09
HAZED TILL UNCONSCIOUS.
so CADET BRETH TOLD HIS BROTHER
COMMITTEE GOES TO WEST
POINT TO-DAY

Philadelphia, Jan. s-The Congress Committee
which is investigating the bazing of fourth class
cadets at West Point Military Academy resumed
the taking OF testimony this morning. Colonel
Clayton, of the members of the committee,
who has been indisposed for week. not in at
tendance, he having gone to his home in Brooklyn
The first witness Professor Charles H. Strout
principal of ST. Luke's Boarding School Bustleton
Penn, where Cadet Booz prepared for the acad-
emy. Professor Strout heard by the committee
last week, but he recalled for the purpose OF
giving further testimony regarding Boozs efficiency
in mathematics.
Breth. whose death is also under investigation.
called, and told OF visit he and his sister paid his
brother at West Point in August 1897 few months
after his admission to the academy. Harry is
slightly deaf and his brother described to the sis
ter how he had been hazed. John said he had been
exercised until he rendered unconscious and
was revised with whiskey. Harry said that hazing
had become so severe that extra guards had been
put on duty. and John said that such proceeding
unusual
When the cadet returned home after having been
found deficient In certain studies in 1898 he seemed
unweH, and never in good health after that
Lucien Alexander, secretary of the Board Of Ex-
aminers for the admission Of law students TO the
Philadelphia bar. who yesterday refused to give the
result of Oscar Boozs examination the ground
that he would he in contempt of the courts under
a rule of the court was again recalled The COM
mlttee allowed him until this morning to decide
OF the United States House OF Representatives
He again refused to answer the committees ques-
tons. but as he deSirous Of assisting the COM
mittee he said he had personally applied to the
Court of Common Pleas and that a rule had been
granted TO him permitting him to make answer.
He then testified that Oscar BooZ failed in the
animation, his general average having been 80 per
cent Mr.. Alexander said he attributed his bad
showing to Boozs poor eyesight. 1t was the Boards
experience that young who had successfully
passed the examinations for admission to West
Point had little difficulty in passing the Boards
examination
Harry Breth was again recalled. and he submit
ted three letters written by his brother while he
was cadet at West Point.
Mr.; Breth' the father Of John. who testified yes
tio9. he said that the excessive hazing his son
underwent made him chronically nervous broke
his health and reduced his vitality to such ex-.
tent that the young man was unable TO fight the
typhoid germs.
George L. Smith of this city. who was at West
Point from June, 1886, TO June, 1887 described the
haZing as he knew II at that time General Wesley
Merritt was then the Superintendent and he was
very strict, more So he thought than the succeed
ing superintendents There was no brutal or ex-
hausting hazing while he a the academy
The committee then adjourned meet at West
Point tomorrow morning The members OF the
committee will stay at the Manhattan Hotel New
York. tonight. After hearing testimony at the
Military Academy the committee will return 70
Washington, where other witnesses will be heard.