, 1901-01-21
HAz|NG BURIED
CADETS SIGN WRITTEN PROMISE
TO DO AWAY WITH CRUEL
PRACTICE.
The Congressional Committee Highly
Pleased at Unexpected Victory for
Observation-Disclosures Of the Military
Academy Glasses Commended by
Investigators for Sensible ConcIu-
sion of Matter.

own VI "dklCEs
West Point, N. Y, Jan. 19.-The con
sressional investigation of the Yves
Ponit military academy has borne frui
rather Unexpectedly. Tonight wher
the congressman were hurrying theil
inquiries to a termination, the cadets
OF all o classes, held a meeting il
Grant hall, and unanimously decided
to abolish hazing in every form as vel
as the practice of calling out" fourth
class men. This is exactly what Gen
eral Dick and the other members Of
the congressional committee have
been trying to impress on the cadets
who have testified before them, as the
only course open to them if they de.
sired to see the fair name of the Unit.
ed states military academy unsullied
and above reproach. The communica,
ton was addressed to Superintendent
A L. Mills, who returned from Wash.
ington only this afternoon, and he
quickly brought it to General Dick.
The committeeman are delighted at
the action of the cadets, and General
Dick in a few words said hat they
would all go back to the house of RED
resentatives, and that in spirit and let
ter the agreement would be firmly ad-
hered to by the cadets, who made It
voluntarily.
Colonel Mills, superintendent Of the
academy, handed the following docu-
ment to General Dick, chairman Of the
committee:
West Point, Jan. 19.-To the super
intendent of the United States acad-
envy:
Having become cognizant of the
manner in which the system of hazing,
IS practiced at the military academy,
IL regarded by the people Of the Unit
ed States we, the cadets of the United
States military academy. while main
tanning that we have pursued our sys-
TEN from the best motives, yet realiz-
ing that the deliberate judgment Of the
people in a country like ours should be
above all other considerations. do re-
affirm our former action abolishing the
practice Of exercising fourth class
men, and do further agree to discon-
tinue hazing and compelling fourth
class men to eat anything against their
desire, and the practice of calling out
fourth class men by class action, and
that we will not devise similar prac-
tees to replace those abandoned. Re-
slectfully submitted.
For the first class-W. R. Bettison,
president class 1901.
For the second class-B. o. Ma
haffey, president class 1902.
For the third ~class-Quinn Gray,
president class 1908.
For the fourth class-Joseph A. At
kins, representing class 1904"
Merited Appreciation.
After reading the communication
General Dick said:
This voluntary act of the corps has
so impressed the committee that 1t has
every reason to believe that in spirit
and in letter it will be carried out by
those cadets who are now at the mill
tary academy. This action OF the men
Is greatly commended by the commit.
tee, and will be read by the country
with feelings of merited appreciation.
Cadet Bettison, Mahaffey, Gray and
Atkins, the presidents and representa-
tives Of the four classes, we're called
before the committee and addressed by
General Dick, who thanked them for
their action in abolishing hazing at the
academy. and said that congress would
recognize and adopt what they had
done.
He also thanked Colonel Mills for
kindness and courtesy shown the COM
mission since it came here. He also
said the committee would go back to
congress with the kindest feelings and
best wishes for the academy and all
connected with 1t.
The committee then adjourned to
meet again in Washington at 10
o'clock Monday morning.