New-York tribune., 1901-01-08
NEW EVIDENCE OF HAZ!NG
TENT NATE OF BoOZ TELLS HOW HE
HAD TO TAKE TABAsCo SAUCE
RELATIVES OF BRETH TESTIFY
TO ILL TREATMENT
TO ILL TREATMENT.

Bristol, Penn, ana John Breth of Altoona, Penn,
resumed the taking OF testimony at the Lafayette
Hotel this morning. The committeeman attachei
much Importance TO the testimony of tc-dav's
witnesses. The Breth family which firmly believes
that John Breth died indirectly from hazing nj
West Point. and Anthony J. Burnham, jr of
frankfort, KY. Booz's terminate were heard In
course OF the day. None of these witnesses testi-
sed before the Military Board Of Inquiry
Burnam' who is the son of Judge Bur-
NAM OF the Kentucky Court OF Appeals was
the first witness called. He was told 10
state in his own way what he knew of the
matter under consideration. He said he went 70
West Point in June. 1898. He asked Booz TO be-
come his terminate when they went into camp I'm
July Of that year. Oscar Booz he said was a
nice sort Of young man. and up to the standard
Of other cadets. The older cadets had a lot of fun
with Booz account OF his name. The upper
class men and cadet named Bettison, in particu-
lar Burnam said. ordered new cadets to do various
things 10 see If the new men would obey them
Booz did some things asked Of him. iut finally
refused, believing the third class men were
only trying 70 harass him. He was ordered out TO
feht by the lighting committee Burnam did moi
know any members Of this committee. After the
contest Burnam Booz lying in his tent. He
looked detected and had been crying. Booz told
him he had been ''called out and that he had
received blow in the stomach, which rendered
him absolutely helpless. Burnam said other cadets
said that Booz had ''laid down. The upper class
men kept taunting him. saying he would make no
soldier. This kept up until he resigned.
Burnam said Booz. like all other classmen,
always tired out by the routine Of camp
Keller his opponent in the fight. was an ex-
rerienced with his fists. Burnam said. and
was fine gymnast. Booz studied very little
account OF his eyes hurting him. On this account
ne stood low in his class.
HOW TABAsCo SAUCE WAS TAKEN.
oscar also told Burnam how upper class
told him BoozO take tabasco sauce. To Booz,
said Burnam. was given a small bottle of tabasco
sauce. and he told 20 take all OF 1t before he
left the table He took & by teaspoonfuls On
occasion Booz told him that he put a lot Of sauce
On piece OF steak. intending not to eat II. An
upper class noticed this and ordered him TO eat
the steak. Oscar told Burnam the stuff was ruin
ing his stomach. Booz was compelled 10 take the
sauce often. Burnam had tabasco sauce admin
istered 70 him once, only drop a spoon. He
knew BOoz was going to resign and said Oscar left
the academy on account of sore eyes. He be-
leved that Booz resigned because he detected
on account OF hazing and failure in his studies.
Colonel Dick asked: eff complaint had been
made, do you think Booz would have been treated
better?'
'Booz was very unpopular, and IL ne had made
q complaint he would have been treated still
worse
DO not the officers Of the academy try to pre-
vent hazingT"
They 90. but the officers not always around
when the hazing IS going When any hazing
was in progress number Of cadets were usually
on duty 10 watch for the officers and warn the
hazers 81 should along"
Burnan explained the method of making COM
plants against hazing. II would be hard for a
cadet 20 make eecret complaint. II, however.
secret complaint made. and investigation
followed. the hazers would quickly come to the
conclusion that the haze6 cadet had made the
complaint and the result would be that life would
+ become more miserable for the complainant.
IN answer to Congressman wanger, Burnan said
Ne never knew that physical force had been used TO
gst Booz 20 take tabasco II Booz had refused
he probably would have again been ''called OUT
10 fight Burnana believed that only about one
tenth of the cadets approved Of the harasstns tao
ties pracfssed on the Bristol boy. Booz was not
prosecuted much after the cadets left camp and
went into barracks Eurnam never knew OF any
cadets having been made 20 stand up and open
their mouths while upper class men squirted
tabasco sauce into them
Burnam. like Booz also submitted 70 the fleet
inspection" OF upper class men, which consisted
Of dropping candle grease the feet. In answer
to Colonel Dick, Burnam said that Booz
sidered q good fellow personally. but his actions
in his fight with Keller made him unpopular. The
third class taunted him being unit to be
soldier.
HAD AN oPossUM IN CAMP.
Burnam also related how the fourth classmen
we're compelled by upper elassmen TO do night
guard duty over opossun for three or four
nights In camp. The officers discovered
the presence Of the animal. The witness also
lated how men were put through the Sweating"
process after they had done a hard days work.
Oscar Booz read his Bible, and only on one occa-
sion as far as witness knew, did a cadet refer 10
T. One night Booz was sitting in his tent reading
the sacred book. and an upper cassnnan passed
him he said: THAT Is pretty way TO ceadbeat-"
Former Cadet Albert. Hebrew. was or
two occasions insulted by sneering remarks as
70 his religion, according TO Burnam.
While Burnam was in the fourth class, period
Of about twelve months. there were about ten men
called OUT 20 fight. All OF the contests were
severe and the fourth classmen were usually
badly battered up. Fighting prohibited at
the Academy and although every contestants face
showed much evidence OF his having been in a
fight vet no action was taken by the Academy
officers 20 punish any one. far as Burnam knew
When q fourth classman. battered up. came
through the company street from fight, the upper
classmen always called out all the 'piebes" TO wit
ness the mans miserable condition.
Burnam knew little about the membership Of the
fighting committees. As far he knew they were
appointed by the class president. and were not
elected by the classmen Reverting 10 Booz's fight
Burnan said that Booz at drill was ordered TO
step out OF line by an upper classman. which, If
he had done so. would have been violation OF the
Academy regulations. His refusal break the rule
resulted in his being called out" TO fight.
BOoz was non-aggressve, retiring sort Of a
young man, not much given 10 athletics. said Bur-
Burnam. well Booz. went through all
the hazing exercises Of wooden Willie, 'bracing.
football 'eagng," hanging from the ''stretcher.
etc. The witness not hazed severely as
only about ten severely exercised. Cadets
were. Burnan said frequently punished for hazing
Regarding the dernerit system. Burnam said the
cadets were a rule, fairly treated by the upper
classmen. whose duty il 20 watch the conduct
~ "yearlings." a cadet named Hetzler, Hebrew
q Baltimore was reported 20 have been forced
out OF the Academy by unjust demerits but Bur-