Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-02-11
THE WEST POINT HAZING.

The report OF the special Congres'
sional committee which investigate d
the hszipg Of Cadet Booz and the ger
eral su' sct OF hszlDg at West Point
was Oh Saturday submitted to the
House Of Representatives by the chair
man OF the committee, Representative
Dick, together with a bill making
stringent regulations against hszng
fighting and all brutal prsctises.
The report ia an exhaustive review oi
the practice OF bszing in all its forms,
| and, while moderate 10 tone, is, never
| theltss, a singing arfaignment OF the
many alleged brutal practices enumer'
ated. l. specif more than one hun
dred distinct methods of annoying and
barassing fourth class men, and de-
scribes Them in detail. One OF the
"funny formations" described is that
prsctised on Philip Sheridan. jr.. who
was compelled to ride broomstick
"in mOckery of his ilustrious fathers
achievement at Winchester"
The report states that a system OF
fighting has grown up which is shock
ing 10 it's character. The fights are
described. and the committee states
that the West Point code Is more vi.
cious than the Queensbury code. The
com mittee bolos that fighting is the
worst form of hsziDg. The report says
that such fighting as that at West Point
is felony according TO the statutes In
many OF the States. and the time has
whether fights which are high crimes
elsewhere shell continue at West Point.
The committee find, that Cadets
Macarthur, Breih and Burton were
nsz d into convulsions, Others were
ID until they tainted, while others
we're hszed until they were sick.
The bs2ipg Of Cadets Booz aud Brstb
are elaborately treated, but the COM
mutee does not attribute their deaths
dlrec ly to hszing. The report adds:
But while We cannot fix upon hsziDg
the responsibility for these two desths,
the possibility that it FASTENED them and
the blot it throws op the otherwise fair
and glorious fame of the Academy; lite
cobh ct with proper training and dis
cipliue and unfitness In this new GEN.
tury urges the adoption OF reasonable,
yet we believe effective, measures for
its eradication and the promotion Of
discipline at the Academy"
The bill tubmitted contains IL Sec
tons against bszinQ, and provides
means for its detection and punish.
ment Dismissal is provided Tor
taking part in fight or challenge,
directly or indirectly, or for aDy
form of annoying, harsssing or braclng
OF csdets. Cadets dismissed are
made Ineligible to appointment to the
army, navy or marine corps. Pro-
vi.ion is made f,r courts OF irqniry,
courts martial, closer association be.
tween officers and cadets and Other
means for effecIuslly stopping the prac-
ice OF hszing. Wnen the superinten-
dent is unable to secure evidence when
hszlDg is suspected the Secretary of
War is directed to order court OF in.
quiry to probe the cases.
The Confessional committee ap-
poiuted TO Investigate the Boo case, IN
which Cadet Booz was said to have died
ss result of treatment at the hands Of
West Point cadets, began work on Jan.
nary 4, and the lsst witnese testified on
January "a. 10 the 20-dsy investigs-
ton number of witnesses were ex-
amioed and the Congressman probed
the status OF hszing at West Poitt to
the bottom. Before the Hou'e COM
mittee began its inves igation mill
iary board OF inquiry also looked into
the matter thoroughly. The report
was handed in to Secretary Long in
stead of Congress, and has never been
made public.