The Savannah morning news., 1901-05-23
CADETS DEALT WITH.
MEMBERS EXPELLED
OR SUSPENDED.
SEVERE DISCIPLINE NEEDED.
sUPT. MILLS REPORT TELLS THE
WHOLE STORY.

Four second Glass and Two Third
Glass Suspended for n Year-ActiOn
Taken by Secretary Root by Di-
rectioR of the President-The Boys
Had Resumed Hazing and Became
Mutinous and Insubordinate When
Punished-Wanted to Run the
Academy According to Their own
Ideas.
Washington, March 22.-The names of
the cadets who have been dismissed from
the West Point Military Academy as the
result of the recent disturbances there
are as follows:
Henry L.. Bowlby, Nebraska; John A.
Cleveland, Alabama; Traugott F. Keller,
New York; Raymond A. Linton, Michigan;
Birchie o. Mahaffey, Texas.
All these cadets are of the second class
The following cadets have been suspend
ed; Olan C. Aleshire, Illinois; Benjamin
F. Mcclellan, Mississippi; James A. shan
non, Minnesota; Charles Telford, Utah,
all of the second class. Also Thomas N.
Gimperling, Ohio, and Harry Hawiey, of
New York Of the third class.
These cadets are suspended without pay
until April /, 1902.
The order of dismissal is signed by Sec
retary Root, and states that it is issued
by direction of the President upon recon-
mendation of the superintendent of the
military academy"
The same language is used regarding
the suspensions. There was no court mar
tial of these cadets, but under the law
the secretary has the power to dismiss
or suspend cadets upon recommendation
of the superintendent "A board of officers
in this particular case was appointed,
which made a thorough examination Of
the disturbance. The board reported the
facts to the superintendent, and the su-
perintendent made his report and recon-
mendations to the Secretary of War, and
upon this report the secretary acted
Had Started Hazing Again.
The following is the report of Col. A. L.
Mills, superintendent of the West Point
Military Academy, upon which was based
the action of the Secretary of War dis
missing the five cadets and suspending
six others for year. Col. Mills says
II have the honor to report that at dusk
on the evening of April Is, 1901. imme-
diately after the dismissal of the battal-
ion of cadets on its return from supper,
a large number of cadets became engaged
in an insubordinate demonstration direct
ed at the superintendent of the military
academy The demonstration took place
In the main sally port of cadet barracks
then in the area of the barracks; in the
sink; on the plain north of barracks, and,
finally, in front of the superintendent s
quarters. 1t consisted of cheers, ending
with the names of two recently punished
Aatc fc tnd of
the superintendent, and the moving of the
reveille gun from its accustomed place to
a position on the plain Immediately IN
front of the superintendent quarters, at
the door of which the muZzle was pointed.
THE pretext for this demonstration m
was a punishment awarded Cadet Robert
r. Ralston, second class, in orders pub
lished at parade that evening. The act
ual cause, as established by the testimony
of cadets under oath, taken by board
of officers convened the following morn
ing, and which has made a long and ex-
haustive investigation into the affair, was
the resentment of a group of insubordi-
nate cadets of the second class at meas
tres taken by the superintendent to en-
force the law forbidding hazing.
superintendent Mills Report
when the civilian candidates reported
entrance examination, it became evident
that members of the fourth class were
disposed to improperly interfere with
them. On March /, Cadet j. B. Richard
son was detected molesting one and was
punished. On March 27, 1901, Cadet Lieut..
Myron s. Crissy, second class, was pun :
ished for 'bracing' fourth class men in
the manner condemned in the report of
the congressional investigating committee
in session here last winter. On April IS,
1901, Cadet Robert r. Ralston, second
class. was punished for a fragrant neglect
of duty.
THE evidence taken before the board
shows that the group of cadets referred
to- resenting the first and second of the
above punishments. began to engage in
secret meetings in which the superintend-
ents actions were criticised and con-
demned, and ugly terms were applied to
him before other cadets. The evidence
shows that the demonstration was first
proposed in ranks at parade Immediately
after the order Furnishing Cadet Ralston
was published, by three cadets prominent
in the group and the arrangements for
it were completed by them in the mess
hail at supper.
Need Many Lessons Yet.
II have read carefully all the evidence
GERS. 1t supports the findings. and both
show that considerable has yet to be ac-
complished to implant in the cadets the
essentials Of good discipline when matters
concerning the proper treatment of new
cadets are concerned. This has been a
task which has engrossed my
attention for many months, and
in endeavoring to attain the desired
end and secure from cadets a reasonable
regard for the obligations under which
they serve, the measures resorted to
have covered the several fields Of per-
sonal representation and persuasion
published orders and warning punish
ments of different grades Of severity
Punishments also which have seemed to
have accomplished the end in view have
been invariably RENTED when the fact
became plain.
cipline Of the corps Of cadets that the
leaders in the insubordinatian be separ-
ated from the Academy for good. To per-
NIT them TO remain under any promise
OF reformation would. In my judgment.
be a mistake and might involve very Sc
rious consequences. The Academy cannot
AFFORD to have an repetition OF hazing
or other outbreaks. The present demon
stration plainly exhibits among its lead
ers a total lack OF appreciation OF their
RESPONSIBILITIES and obllgations. entirely
inexcusable among cadets finishing their
third year at the Military Academy"
II was stated at the War Department
to-day that no complaints had been re-
rafvad regarding the superintendent OF