The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-08
Refusal to Do Objectionable Things
Led to Being Ordered Out to Fight
Until He Laid Down.
CASE OF THE LATE J. BRETH
TESTIMONY OF MEMBERS OF THE
DEAD CADETS FAMILY.
Father, Brothers and Sisters Of Opin-
ion that Hazing Was Responsible
for the Young Mans Death.

the testimony adduced before the congress
sional investigating committee which is
inquiring into the charges of hazing at the
West Point Military Academy, Oscar l..
Booz, of Bristol Pa, and John E. Breth,
of Altoona, Pa. had a rough time of 1t
during their ''plebe" year at that insti-
tuition. The star witness of the day was
Cadet Anthony j. Burnam, jr., son of Judge
Burnam, of the Court of Appeals of the
State of Kentucky. who was Booz's tent
mate while in camp. The committee also
heard, for the first time, testimony in re-
gard to the experiences of Breth from the
lips of his father, brothers and sisters.
Tomorrow the Breth family will submit
further evidence in the way of letters from
the cadet while he was at West Point.
The committee got into legal tanglc
with Lucien Alexander. secretary of the
board of examiners for the admission of
law students to the bar. The committee
wanted to learn what sort Of an aver
age Booz made in his examination. but Mr..
Alexander refused to state, except on an
order from the courts of this city, believ-
ing that under rule of the courts he would
be in contempt for making such informa-
ton public. He persisted in his refusal, al
though he said he would cheerfuIly give
the information IL the court would permit
him, and the committee allowed him until
10 o'clock tomorrow morning to choose
whether to be in contempt of the courts of
Philadelphia or the United States House Of
Representatives. The committee will prob
ably conclude its work here tomorrow
and will begin the taking of testimony of
the cadets at West Point on Wednesday.
BURNAM's TESTIMONY
Cadet Burnam was the first witness
called to-day He was told to state in his
own way what he knew of the matter un-
der consideration. Burnam said he went to
West Point in June, 1898. He asked Booz
to become his terminate when they went
into camp in July of that year. Oscar
Booz, he said. was nice sort of young
man and up to the standard of other ca
diets. The older cadets had lot of fun
with Booz on account of his name The
upper class men, and cadet named Betti-
son in particular. Burnam said ordered
new cadets to do various things to see If
the new men would obey them He did
some things asked of him, but finally re-
fused to do SO, believing the third-class
men were only trying to harass him. He
was ordered out to fight by the fighting
committee" Burnam did not know any
member of this committee. After the con-
test Burnam saw 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 a 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 was kept I'D
until he resigned.
Burnam said Booz, like all other class
men, was always tired out by the severe
routine of camp. Keller, his opponent I'm
the fight. was expert with his fists, Bur
nam said, and was fine gymnast. Booz
studied very little on account of his eyes
hurting him. On this account he stood
low in his class. Oscar also told Burnam
how the upper class men told him (Booz)
to take tobasco. Booz. said Burnam, was
given a bottle of tobasco sauce and 1nld
to take all of it before he left the table.
He took it by the spoonful On one occa-
sion Booz told him he put a lot of the
to eat it. An upper class man noticed this
and ordered Booz to eat the steak. Oscar
told Burnam the stuff was running his
stomach. Burnam said he had taken to-
basco sauce but never more than drop
at a time. He did not know that physical
violence had ever been used to induce Booz
to take IT. He said: "Booz was very un-
popular, and If he had made a complaint
he would have been treated still worse"
''Do not the officers Of the academy try
to prevent hazing?"
s'They do, but the officers are not al
ways around when the hazing is going on.
When any hazing was in progress num-
Der of cadets were usually on duty to
watch for the officers and warn the hazers
IL one should come along
While Burnam was in the fourth class a
period OF about twelve months, there were
about ten men called out TO fight All
Of the contests were severe. and the fourth
class men were usually badly battered up.
Fighting was prohibited at the academy.
and. although every contestants face
showed much evidence of his having been
in a fight. yet no action was taken by
the academy officers to punish anyone. as
far as Burnam knew. When a fourth
class man. battered up, came through the
company street from fight. the upper
class men always called out all the 'plebes'
to witness the mans miserable condition.
In answer to DR.. briggs, Burnam said
he was discharged from West Point for
deficiency In studies. especially drawing
and mathematics. He said he positively
had no animus against the institution and
Ma no known enemies there. either. among
~ cndeta After = few furfher questions