The age-herald., 1901-01-05
FATHER OF BOOZ
 BEFORE COMMITTEE He is Positive That Death Re-
 suited from Hazing THE MOTHER ALSO WITNESS Physicians Differ as to the Effect of Tobacco Sauce on the Throat. The Congressional Committee
 Now in Philadelphia.
THE MOTHER ALSO WITNESS


 Bristol. Pa. January 1.-The House com- mittee of five Congressman appointed by Speaker Henderson to investigate the case of Oscar L. Booz, formerly West Point cadet who, it is alleged, died from injuries from being hazed by the upper class men two years ago. began its inquiry here today. The committee, which consists of Charles Dick, Ohio, chairman; Edmund H. Driggs, New York; Irving P Wanger, Fennsylvan- ia; Walter U. Smith, Iowa; and B. F. Clayton, New York, arrived nere from Phil adelphia at o'clock this morning and im- mediately went into session at Pythian Hall, which place had been selected for the committee by the borough authorities. W. H. Booz, father of the dead cadet, was the first witness He said Oscar did not complain of "eag ling" but spoke more of the fight and the tobasco sauce incident Oscar told him he had black and blue marks on his body as a result of his encounter with an upper class man.
 Oscar reluctantly told his father that the hot sauce had been poured down his throat three times, and that force was used.
 "Mr. Booz," asked Congressman Wan ger, twas your son absolutely truthful.
 "Yes, sir, absolutely" was the reply.
 "OscaIr said he was getting along very we'll until he received heavy blow which knocked him out"
 Oscar, the father said never had any throat or ,>umonary troubles previous to going to West Point.
 Oscars eyes did not trouble him before he went to tine academy.
 Chairman Dick asked: "Why did you not make official complaint to the suIperintend ent of the academy of your sons treat ment?"
 Do you believe that-your son died as a result of hazing at West Point?" MT. Booz was asked.
 'I do firmly"
 '"rhen why did you not make official complaint?"
 "I did not want to have any publicity"
 'Why did you not as a citizen make com- plaint?"
 "I did not know at that time the serious ness of the case, and also did not know there was any redress"
 Oscar Booz's Mother.
 Mrs. Sarah BoOZ, mother of Cesar, said her son was in rugged health when he went to the academy, but when he left he was broken in health and never was in good physical condition afterwards Mrs. Booz wept as she detailed the sufferings of her son.
 She called the West Point cadets ''bul- lies"
 She said Oscar sent letter home each week. In the fourth letter Oscar began to complain of ill treatment. He resigned, she said, because of his i'll treatment, but in his resignation paper he gave the weak condition of his eyes as the reason for his quitting the academy. Miss Nellie Booz, sister of Oscar, said she saw in newspaper a year ago that two cadets named Lane and Bender were expelled from the academy for tampering with the records. She told Oscar about it and he said the academy was we'll rid of them as they had held his hands on a gal vanic battery.
 The sister said Oscar had told her he would not again undergo the treatment he had received at West Point for $100,000.
 At all other schools Oscar had attended she said, he mad gotten along very we'll and was popular with the students. At West Point all was different After he was call ed out to fight he was called ''coward and goody- -goody." He was always annoyed by the upperclass men. Oscar character ized the upperclass men as ''brutes" .bul- lies" and 'tyrants"
 An extract of a letter found in Oscars trunk said he had trouble with his heart as the result of several blows he received in his fight.
 Howard Booz, younger brother of Oscar, said that Oscar was irritable after he left West Point, and when he played basket ball he seemed to tire very soon. Oscar had told him that he had been hung by the hands from a stretcher. Oscar also told Howard that if he CHoward) should go to West Point he would come back in coffin.
 Fair Specimen of Manhood.
 Dr. William H. Martin of Bristol, who examined Oscar Booz's physical condition preparatory to the young man going to West Point, testified he found him a fair specimen of manhood He noticed, how ever, his lung expansion was slightly de- fcent.
 Do you think tuberculosis could have been caused by tobasco sauce being forced down persons throat?"'
 q believe it can only be produced by the inhalation of germs.
 Would burns produced by the swallowing of the sauce leave a good ground for the Judgement of tuberculosis germs?'
 Tt would
 Would the condition of Oscars throat as it was before he went to West Point be- come worse after swallowing the sauce?'
 T think it would. The throat was not in a normal condition one month prior to his entrance to West Point, at which time I treated him for rheumatic sore throat" Dr. Joseph Abbott of Bristol testified that Oscar Booz had, primarily, tuberculosis with a secondary extension into the throat He though tobasco sauce could not effect the lungs.
 Dr. Willis P. Weaver, the family physi- clan, thought the boys affection started in the throat. He also believed that the hu- initiation and fear he was subjected to was sufficient to lower the vitality of the boy  r In Philadelphia. Philadelphia, January Apr. J. Sofas Cohen, a throat specialist, testified to Booz coming to him on August 4. 1900, with well defined case of tuberculosis. He did not think the swallowing of tobasco sauce could produce tuberculosis. Dr. James Wallace of Philadelphia, an eye specialist who treated Booz for the