The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-09

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. S.-The Con
Quoting the investigation on the subject
! of hazing at the West Point Military
Academy for a week in this city finished
its work here at noon today. The mem
hers went to New York tonight and il
the morning will go to West Point, where
they expect to remain at least a week
All the class of 1902, of which Booz was
a member, will be called before the COM
mittee.
Among those called today were Prin-
cipai Charles II. Strout, of the prepare
tory school at Bustleton, where Bco2
prepared Tor his entrance examination to
the Military Academy. and Harry Breth,
a brother of the late Cadet John Breth,
OF Altoona, whose father. the mayor of
Altoona, charged that his sons death
was due to hazing at West Point. Mayor
breth was also asked few questions
George L. Smith. resident of this city
in civil life, who was in the classes of
1886 and 1887 at the Military Academy,
and Lucien Alexander, who was a mem
Der of the Philadelphia examining board
for admission to the study OF law when
BOOB desired to enter the legal profess
sion. were also examined. Alexander said
his examination showed what has been
the opinion of many. for some time, that
Booz was deficient in mathematics. and
the fact was developed that he had very
meagre knowledge of history. His gem
eral average in all the studies was so.
and the board refused to register him.
Harry Breth said that he visited West
Point in August. 1897. He found his
brother very nervous, the muscles of his
face twitching. and in reply to a query
he said that he had been hazed en- Satur-
day night so much that he became ex-
hausted and fell to the ground uncon-
scious He was revived with whisky and
was then taken to the hospital, where he
remained four days
When | was there" said young Breth.
the hazing was SO severe that extra
guards we're placed in the company
streets"
Breth said that when his brother re-
turned to his home he had an attack of
acute Indigestion. He recovered from
that and secured employment in Pitts
burg as salesman for a tobacco house
The nervousness continued until he was
stricken with typhoid fever, which caused
his death
The witness also produced several let
ters which were written by his brother
while he was at West Point In one of
-hese he wrote of his low standing because
If the number of dement's he had received.
These, the letter said. were not due to
allure in Rotations, but to untidiness
The reason he gave for this was that he
vas constantly employed in drilling and
and when it was neither of these
lie was forced to attend soirees, which was
me form of hazing.
: Charles ]. Breth, the boys father, tes-
tilted that while he did not believe his
sons death was directly due to hazing, he
continued to hold that the nervous strain
20 which he was subjected and the extra
Exercise That he voc forced to take weak |
sned him and rendered him less able ~ |
resist the disease which killed him.
George L. Smith, a cadet of the Academy
IN 1856. was in the room as a spectator. |
This became known to the committee. and |
he was called to the stand to tell about |
ne conditions when he was in the Acad-
amy. He said that at that time General |
Merritt was superintendent and Col Henry !
:. Hasbrouck commandant of cadets Haz-
ng was not very severe. as General Mer- |
-itt was strongly opposed to it, and pun
shed severely those caught. He never |
Knew a case Of harsh treatment while he |
vas there