The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-18
But Denies He Had Commissions, and
Says Reports About Him Have
Been Exaggerated.
MoANED WHILE ON HIS COT
BECAUSE HIS MUSCLES WERE
CRAMPED, But DID NOT CRY OUT.
Cadet Prentice Now Says He Might
Have Been Mistaken as to Booz
Reading a Novel.

WEST POINT, n. Y, Jan. 1.-THE con-
gressional committee only held two ses-
sicns at the West Point Military Academy
to-day. The afternoon session only lasted
| a little over an hour. The committee after
wards attended a cavalry drill at the rid
ing academy and after dinner they were
entertained at a concert by the West Point
Military Band at the CuIlom Memorial
begun at o'clock tonight. but General
Dick decided to postpone any further hear
ing of testimony until tomorrow.
Only two witnesses were examined to-
Cay. The first was Cadet James Prentice,
who had accused the late Oscar L. Booz
of feigning to read his Bible when he had
a novel hidden inside the cover. After
long examination by the committee, Prem
tice said he believed he was mistaken, and
Rooz might have been reading a lesson
leaf or supplement to the Bible. General
Dick questioned the witness as to what
brought up the recollection of the episode.
and Prentice replied:
1--WE were all reading about Booz's
charges in the Philadelphia newspapers"
What charges?,
'He had stated that he was killed by the
bazing he received in this academy" re-
piled the witness, who evidently did not
see the bull he had made.
The witness told of being hazed by Cadet
Foy during his first year at the academy
He was sick during the day prior to being
hazed and after he had done twelve eagles
he became faint and told Foy that he had
been i'll. Foy let up on him and scolded
him for not telling of his illness before.
This" said Prentice, "made me very care
full ever since IL 1 was hazing a man.
never interfered with delicate looking ca
| det. Booz was not a strong looking man.
and I always had a friendly feeling for
him and tried to advise him for the bet
ter"
HIS VOICE BROKE.
While making this statement Prentice
was visibIy affected and his voice broke
He seemed to be on the verge OF breaking
down. when, in answer to General Dick he
said: "If I had known anything about Il
beforehand / should never have allowed
Booz to be called out. / considered that
he was not physically fit to take part i'm
fight
Under Judge Smiths questioning the wit
ness became confused in describing the DIFF
ference between the spoken lie and the
acted lie In reference to "dead-beating'' 10
avoid hazing and "dead-beating" through
alleged devotional reading or exercise. The
witness was forced 10 admit that the book
he saw in Booz's Bible might have been a
religious publication.
Before dismissing the witness General
Dick said: Now. turning back 10 your
own experience as fourth-class man. don't
you think that kindly hand and an en-
couraging word from an upper-class man
TO a fourth-class man would have been a
more beneficial one upon the plebe than the
rude, rough hazing TO which he Is SUBJ
jected?"
.yes, sir: believe it would" said the
cadet.
Congressman wanger congratulated the
witness for the considerate manner In
which he had treated Booz In not report
(cONTINUED ON PAGE 7. COL 80