Evening star., 1901-01-18
PLEBE WON A FIGHT
Cadet Caples Acknowledges He Was
Fairly Beaten.
HE FOUGHT A FOURTH CLASS MAN
Cadet Macarthur Tells of Brutal
Treatment in Camp.
HE HAD co Nv ULS 10 \ S

WEST POINT. n. Y, January 1S.-Cadet
Douglas Macarthur. who yesterday strenu-
ousy denied having had commissions or
hysteria on the occasion of his being viO-
lently exercised during the summer en-
campment of 1879 at the West Point Mill
tary Academy, was called again by the
congressional investigating committee when
the inquiry was resumed this morning.
Young Macarthur is not a. strengthening
lad. He is pale and anything but robust,
and at times is troubled with short nerv-
Gus cough.
Mr. Wanger questioned the witness to-
day and in reply to q series of questions
Macarthur said:
MY health. appearance and nervous tenn
permanent are now about as they were in
the summer of 1899. The day on which the
exercising occurred was exceedingly warm
and | was feeling more Frustrated than
usual
''Who directed YOU to so to the tent on
the evening in question:?
Cadet Dockery, sir
"You say the 'soree' at which You ana
the other fourth class men were exercised
was going on in two tents!
Eyes. sir
''DOcRerE ana Barry, you SaN' "tlt 'iS
men who led in the hazing
Yes, sir.
And they went from one tent to the
othcr?''
Yes. sir 1t was about dusk when
went to the tent The hazing soiree lasted
over an hour ,..
Macarthur always said muscular
cramps when describing his condition at
ter the hazng. and his interroeator inVari-
ably used the word 'conVuisions.
Another Cadet in Bad shape.
'.you found another cadet in "a fainting
condition some time aftcrward during that
encampment?"
Yes sir; found Cadet Murphy in bad
way. unable to control himself, and helped
him to the sink.
hazed?''
NO sir: the fact become known to the
authorities of the academy and an lnVesu-
CATION was made by Col Helm, the COM
mandant"
did you testify?"
mo. sir; l availed myself of my privilege
under the regulations Of not answering
questions.
WAS there any good reason for your de-
None more than that 1 did not care to
go any further into the matter, was the
Tenly. 1eE.ra ,.o,, ever nazea arain?v asked Gen.
Dick.
'.No. sir
WAS it because you obeyed the COM
mands of the upper class mem?
i was no more submissive than the other
fourth class men.
Then perhaps you gave no more Of
fense?'
i don't remember having given any Of
Tense the first time
rs that 50? Then you were hazed for
nothing?" said the general.
Yes sir
when a cadet is called out after a re-
fusal to comply with the requirements of
an upper class man and he fights once, does
hat settle it? / mean is he hazed or made
to fight again?"
1T does not settle it, sir. They are hazed
and may have to fight again. / know one
who had to fight twice"
"Who is hep
Cadet CoIey of my class, SIR
Judge Smith handed the witness list Of
the names of the cadets, who. according to
the several witnesses examined previously,
had been engaged in fist fights.
Can you add any to that list of names?''
Remembered No More Names.
NO sir; cannot said Macarthur, af-
ter scanning the paper. He gave a similar
answer when asked to add to the list of
forms of hazing or exercising. on which
the committee has now fifty-nine methods
recorded.
Young Macarthur was then excused, and
called and sworn. Judge Smith read over
the list of fifty-nine forms of hazing and
asked the witness how many of them were
in vogue in the camp of 1897 when he was
fourth-class man.
Caples knew of about forty of these forms
being practiced when he was in his plebe
year.
You were hazed yourself by most of
these methods in 1877"
"Yes, sir.
''HoW many forms were in evidence dur
ing the following summer%'
Approximately the same. sir"
"And you practiced some of them on the
fourth-class men In 1882"
II exercised, braced and gave tabasco
sauce to the p1ebes,' was the answer.
Did you know Oscar L. Booz?"
Yes, sir.
did you know Cadet Pegram?"
"Yes, sir: he was class mate of Booz ~
Caples, who was corporal Of the guard on
the morning of August 3, 1898, when Booz
was reported for facing in the wrong direc-
ton at guard relief that morning told Of
the whole matter. He said that Booz, in
explaining his action, had said that he
faced In the wrong direction probably be-
heving he had faced correctly
He was called out on account of his
having contradfcted your report, was he
not?" asked Judge Smith.
mo. sir; would have had to report him
myself to my class president in order that
he would be called out. l did not do so,
and his contradiction had absolutely MOTH
ing to do with his being called out" re-
piled Caples.
He Had Taken TnbaxcO.
Did you ever get any tabasco sauce?'
Yes. sir; got about fifteen drops from
Cadet Prunty."
did you ever give any when you got out
of the plebe class?"
Yes, SIR
'"ro whom?
II remember Cadets Sheridan and Smith.
and l should say about thirty altogether"
What was your maximum dose?
Il had no maximum. l only gave two or
three drops at time
did you ever take part in fght?" ask
ed Judge Smith.
Yes, sir, when 1 was third-class man
l fought Cadet Clark, a fourth-cass man"
What was the cause?"
"He swore at me in the barracks area
and called him OUT
WHO won on that occasion?''
HE did; l was whipped replied Caples.
That's strange; an upper class man
whipped by plebe." interrupted Mr..
Smith.
He was a good boxer. I could have
got better man than was 10 fight him.
but chose to do my own fighting" said
Caples.
Was he q bigger man?"
mo. sir: he did not have any decided
advantage"