The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-02
DEATH NOT DUE TO HAZING
Secretary Root on the Findings of
the Booz Enquiry Board.
The c>-Cndct Declared 10 Have Re-
~ctv~d no Permanent Personal In
suri-r-The Practice Condemned
rs,c Report of the Military Court.


sur,---Thc Practice Condemned
rhc Report of the Military Court.
Tho Secretary of War yesterday made
public the report OF the court OF enquiry
convened for the investigation OF the
treatment of cx-Cadet Oscar l.. BooZ, at
IA, Military Academy at West Point
Secretary Root in disposlng OF the case
aays.
The findings of this court OF enquiry.
which are sustained by the evidence show
that the statements which led to the
converting OF the court to the effect that
former Cadet Oscar l.. Booz came to his
death by reason of Injuries received by
hazing at the Academy were not true.
They show that at the time Cadet BooZ
WAS a member OF the Academy hazing
WAS prevalent there to n deplorable eX-
tent: that the present officers of the Acad-
erny have shown CONNIE 1dable energy,
! zeal, and efficiency In detecting and pun
ishing offences of this character. and that
they greatly decreased the practice and
improved the prblic sentiment among the
cadets upon this subject.
Tho testimony and findings OF the
court were placed in the hands
of the committee Of Congress charged
ut about the same time with the
investigation of the subject, and the
very efficient and beneficial action of that
committee, followed by the legislation
upon this subject. contained In the act
of March .. 1901. renders further action
by the department unnecessary.
The report. which Is signed by Gen
John r. Brooke President % the court
of enquiry, after detailing the charges
made by the cadets family. says;
THE examination resulted In the devel-
opment of the fact that the members OF
the class to which the late Cadet Booz
belonged while fourth class men, were
subjected to severe hazing, having been
required TO perform so-called exercise
to the limit OF their utmost endurance,
these so-called exercises taking an ex-
aggerated form of the exercises laid down
in drill regulations in the School of the
Soldier and were known as 'eagllng,
'wooden-willying,' etc In addition there
to fourth class men were required to take
sweat baths So called ridiculous and
nonsensical performances were also re-
quired from fourth class men.
while there is no doubt that Cadet
Booz was forced into fistic encounter,
was severely hazed, was required to take
small doses of tropical pepper sauce. and
had at least on one occasion few drops
of grease from lighted candle dropped
on his bare feet, careful examination OF
the testimony elected does not disclose
any proof that he. while at the Military
Academy, received any permanent per-
sonal injury. or that his treatment at that
place had any causitive relation to the
disease tuberculosis. from which he died
more than two years afterward.
AN examination of a number of cadets
1889 showed that hazing in the eharac-
ter of physical persecution in its worst
phases reached its highest point during
the encampment OF 1899, some of the new
cadets having neen brutally exercised ur-
til completely exhausted physically, caus-
ing eonvulsions or Involuntary twitching
of the muscles of the body subjected to
excessive strain. In the preceding year,
fourth class men were also subjected to
performing all sorts of ridiculous acts,
but at no time wero violent hands laid
upon them by the upper class men during
any form of hazing.
Personal services of new cadets were
required to the same extent as in the
previous year. In both years the authori-
ties lsbored assiduously to combat the
cruel evil of hazing and rIgidly sought to
enforce the regulations designed to pun
ishments inflicted upon upper class men
were submitted by the commsndant of
cadets and Superintendent OF the Mill
tary Academy. covering all classes of
hsZing detected by the authorities.
''All of this shows the earnestness of
their endeavors to suppress the vicious
practice. But the lower class men sub
tected TO hazing always defeated justice
by conceaiing the names of their perse-
cutors and the latter shielded themselves
by a regulation then in existence which
permitted them to remain silent when en-
quiry was made, whenever they believed
the answers sought would incriminate
them. Finally. however, through the ef-
forts OF Colonel Mills. the Superintendent
of the Military Academy. the cadets in
the upper classes realized that certain
forms of hazing were highly injurious to
the good reputation of the academy and
they concluded to take class action, the
members Of each of the upper classes
pledged themselves to abstain from all
haZing in the form Of physical exer-
cisSs.'"
Referring to measures which had been
taken to suppress hazing at the Military
Academy, the board mentions:
"Exacting continual vigilance on the
part of officers on duty in the department
OF tactics, under whose immediate super
vision cadets live, to detect and report
violations OF the regula ations covering
hazing.
Strong and persistent personal efforts
to create moral sentiment among cadets
against the practice.
Severe summary punishment awarded
in every case established and In any hav-
ing bearing on hazing, including sum