The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-01-16
He Asked a Question Rejecting
Upon Truthfulness of Young
Soldier Witness.
"fIRST.ClASS MEN C0WARDS."
That Term Applied to Them Dur
ing Progress of Yesterdays In
vestigation-Fourth-C Class
Men Styled Heroes.

West Point. y. Y. Jan. 15.-Congressman
briggs OF Brooklyn. a member OF the con-
mittee investigating hazing at West Point
Military Academy. was hissed to-day when
he asked Cadet Deem II his failure to recall
the name OF any third or fourth class man
| other than Cadet Sheridan-whom he had
hazed, was not a case OF convenient mem
ory"
The imputation against the truthfulness
OF the witness before the committee aroused
the ire OF the officers. as well as the cadets.
and when Mr.. Driggs's demand that the
courtroom be cleared was not honored by
General Dick he. briggs. expressed his ir-
dignation so that all could he-r him and
the session apjourned amid considerable
disorder and excitement.
More than once during the day the exam
ination took a sensational hue. Cadet Jo-
seph +. Barnes OF the District OF Columbia,
who was informed last night by Judge
Smith that the first-class men were arro-
giant. ignorant and conceited. was taken in
hand by Mr.. briggs and given another turn
on the Goals
tpper-Ciass Men Are Cowartls.
Under your iunfamous and unmanly code
or lighting is II not understood that an
upper-class man Is selected especially for
the purpose OF administering sound drub-
bing TO the fourth-class man who Is called
out?' asked Mr.. briggs.
Yes. sir: IL IL understood when a fourth
class man is called out he is to be whipped
oh so that's the code?" said Mr. briggs.
he shook his finger at the witness. while
he arose from his seat beside the chair
man, then leaning toward the witness. he
shouted:
Young man. this dishonorable practice
you have described would not be tolerated
in any athletic club in the world. The up
per-class man who is a party TO the calling
out of n fourth-class man for the purpose
OF having him thrashed is a coward. and
the fourth-class man who is beaten Is moth
ing else but a hero"
sharp Questtons to Cadet Deem.
Cadet Fred l.. Deem of Texas, who. when
testifying before the military court, SAID:
Il hszed Booz Just j,. to ma make swonn him @ feel
amined by Judge Smith. Deem said he re-
How much iabasso sauce did you pre-
Il don't remember. but when | sat at
his table I probably did give him some.
Were YOU not the chief exponent OF the
efficacy of this sauce in making the gun
ner' attend 10 his duties at the table?'
Il don't think was the only one.
DO you use II now?' asked Judge
mo. sir: 1 stopped II some months ago
Now, don't YOU know that you only
stopped when Booz died and his death was
practically laid at your door,?
His death was never laid at my door"
The witness said that he had done $40
wooden Willies himself in an hour and a
half. and Mr.. briggs said:
You are the most remarkable man 1
He handed a list OF second and third
class men TO Deem and asked him to name
all of those whom he had exercised.
Deem mentioned the name of Cadet
Sheridan the only one he could re-
member. az
Question Called Forth HIsses.
why Is II that you remember Mr.. Sheri-
dan and don't remember about any one
elseg' asked Mr.. briggs.
II don't know, sir: just remember about
Mr.. Sheridan" replied Dean
What is II? Is IL a case OF convenient
memory?"
mo. sir"
This answer was drowned in a storm OF
Kisses which began in the northwest cor
ner of the room. IL ran around the room,
which was filled with women and officers.
The kissing was particularly strong from
the seats behind the reporters, where
score OF officers were sitting.
Mr. briggs. addressing. General Dick.
said:
''I ask that the courtroom be cleared"
tion. and said: THE COMMITTEES will adjourn
at 3 O'Clock"
Judge Smith said. SO that every one could
hear him:
II think anybody who Kisses should be
elected from the room. no matter who he
is"
As the officers and men left the room,
Mr. Driggs came In for n full share OF con-
demnaton in asking a question that tended
to cast a doubt on the trouthfulneSs Of the
witness.