The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-01-05
IS NOW EEING PROBED BY COM
MI1TEE FROM HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVE
HE SAID CADETS WERE BULLIEs
TOLD HIS PARENTS WEST POINT
WAS NO PLACE FOR A GOOD
YOUNG MAN
TOO MUCH TABAsCo SAUCE
Three Times, He Said, Was 1t Forced
Down His Throat by Upper
Class Men at the
Academy.

BRISTOL, Pa. Jan. 4-The house com
mlttee of five congressman, appointed bv
speaker Henderson to investigate tbe
case of Oscar L. Booz, formerly a West
Point cadet. who. it is alleged, died from
injuries received from being hazed by
the upper class two years ago. began its
inquiry here today. The committee.
which consists of Charles Dick. Ohio
CHAIRMAN; Edmund H. briggs, New
1ork; Irving P. Wanger, Pennsylvania.
waiter M. Smith, Iowa, and B r CLAW
ton, New York, arrived here from Phila-
delphia at o'clock this morning and i'm
medlately went into session at Pythian
naA' winch place had been selected for
the committee by the borough authori-
ties. ''0'1iol !
Maj. H. A. Casson, of Ohio. was select
ed by the committee for sergeant-at-
arms.
Chairman Dick called the session TO
ORDER number of witnesses were nres-
ent' but the committee decided to hear
the members of the Booz family first
Wliham II. Booz, father of the dead
eadet, e. was the first called. He was asked
py chairman Dick 10 tell the story of
his boys life while at the military
academy, as far as he knew.
MI. Booz then went over the same story
ne told before the war department in
quiry several weeks ago.
He said Oscar did not complain of
eaghng, but spoke more of the fight
anu anu tne tabasco sauce incident. Oscar
told him he had black and blue marks
on his body as a result of an encounter
Wlth an upper class man Oscar reluc-
Iantiy told his father that the hot sauce
nad peen poured down his throat three
LINES ana that force was used
Mr. Booz," asked Congressman Wan
ger, was your son absolutely truth
ful?" I'LL
Yes, sir, absolutely" was the repIv
oscar said he was getting along verv
well until he received a heart blow which
knocked him OUT
oscar, the father said never had any
throat or pulmonary troubles previous to
going to West Point. Oscars ewes did
not trouble him before he went to the
academy.
Chairman Dick asked numerous cues
tions OF Mr Booz as to his sons educa
tlon. He said that his boy was up to
the average in his studies and that he
was proficient in mathematics.
FEARED TO MAKE IT WORSE
Chairman Dick then asked: "Whv did
you not make official complaint to the
superintendent of the academy of your
sons treatment
Il was really afraid to do so because
OF the upper class men"
DO you believe that you son. died as
result OF hazing at West Point?" Mr.
Booz was asked.
I do firmly" he replied.
men why did you not make official
complaint?"
II did not wish to have any publicity"
Why dld you not as q citizen make
complaint?" -'-''--o
Il did not know at that time the Sc
rlousness OF the case, and also did not
know there was any redress"
MRS. Sarah E. Booz mother of Oscar.
SAID her son was in rugged health when
ne went to the academy but when he
left ne was broken in health and never
was in good physical condition after
wards. Mrs. Booz wept as she detailed
the sufTerings of her son. She called
the West Point cadets bullies Mrs.
Booz said Oscars health was good be-
lore he went to West Point She said
oscar sent letter home each week In
the fourth letter Oscar began to COM
plain of ill-treatment. He resigned. she
said, because of his ill-treatment but in
MS resignation paper he gave the weak
condition of his eyes as the reason for
his quitting the academy.
Miss Nellie Booz, a sister of Oscar.
said she saw in newspaper a year
ago that two cadets named Lane and
Bender were expelled from the academy
Tor tamperIng with the records She
told Oscar about it and he said the acad-
emy was we'll rid of them, as they had
held his hands on a galvanic battery
Miss Booz submitted several letters
and extracts of letters sent to members
of the family from Oscar, five exh bits
in all. The committee decided to with
hold the letters from the public until
it could consider them in executive ses-
sion. This was done at the request of
the family, as they contained some per-
sonal matters which in on way related
to the investiga ton
The sister said Oscar had told her he
would not again undergo the eatment
he had received at West Point for $780,
600.
At all other schools Oscar had attend
ed, she said, he had got along very
we'll and was popular with the students.
At West Point all was different After
he was called out to fight he was called
coward and 'tgoody-goody" He was
always annoyed by the upper class men,
Oscar characterized the upper class men
as ''brutes, "bullies'' and "tyrants.'
LUNGS WE'RE BAD.
DR.. William H. Martin, of Bristol, who
examined Oscar Booz's physical condi-
llOn- preparatory " TIE young IMAM go
ing to West. Point, said he found him
a fair specimen of manhood. He no
ticed, however, his lung expansion was
slightly deficient.
DR.. Joseph Abbott, of Bristol, testified
that Oscar Booz had, primarily, tuber-
culocis, with a secondary extension into
the throat. He was of the opinion that
tabasco sauce could not affect the lungs.
| DIR. Willis P. Weaver, the family ply
| sician, differed in opinion from the pre-
| vious witnesses as to where the boys
| affection started. He was of the be-
| lief that it started in the throat. He
| also believed that the abuse, humiliation
| and fear he was subjected to was suf-
fieent to lower the vitality Of the boy,
| Oscar never told him that he swal-
! lowed the tabasco sauce, but if he did
| it would excoriate his throat in resisting
! its swallowing, which would create a
Vulnerable spot for the lodgment of
! colony of tuberculosis baccili.
The committee then adjourned to Mo-
lin Park, Philadelphia, tonight
DR.. o. L. Soils Cohen, a throat special
| ist of this city, was the first witness
called at the night session held in this
| city. He testified to Booz coming to
him on Aug 4, 1900, with a well developed
case of tuberculosis He did not think