Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-16
PUSHING THE PROBE
West Point Investigation Continued by
Congressional Committee.
KISSING INCIDENT A CLOSED ISSUE
Representatives Did Not Believe
Officers Shared in 1t.
r ESTIMON OF CADE Z S

WEST POINT. N Y, January 16.-When
the congressional committee met at the
Military Academy today, and before any
witnesses were called, Congressman Wan
ger of Pennsylvania addressed the other
committeeman. He referred to the publish
ed reports of the kissing incident at the
close of the afternoon session yesterday.
Mr.. Wanger said that in at least two news
papers army officers were charged with
taking part in the kissing. He desired, how
ever to express his firm belief that no eX
preston of disapprobation was made by
any army officer present at the time. He
was pleased to hear that Col. Helm, acting
superintendent of the academy, had insti-
tuted a thorough inquiry regarding the
matter. Mr.. Wanger said the committee
men had been treated with the utmost
courtesy by all the officers, and he would
be sorry should any erroneous impression
become prevalent throughout the country.
General Dick and all the committeeman
concurred with the views of the Pennsyl-
vania representative, and the matter was
then dropped.
Cadet Birchie o. Mahaffy of Texas. who
was a classmate of former Cadet Booz,
was called and sworn.
Judge Smith examined the witness, and
after perusing Mahaffy's testimony, he said
morning was in way different from that
on The military courts records.
Tainted From severe Exercising.
Mr. Clayton examined the witness, and
asked him If he ever saw tabascO sauce
given to Cadet BooZ.
"No, sir replied Mahaffey. Il never saw
it given to any man in my class
The witness went on to say that there
was feeling of contempt for Booz among
his own class on account of his not resent
ing an insult He had heard of the haZng
of Macarthur and Brinton, who tainted
from severe exercising. In reply to Mr.
briggs. the witness mentioned several ca
diets who might be able to give some in
formation about these haZinss. Among
these were Cadets Dockery, Boswell, Lin
ton. Shannon. Stewart, Mcclellan, W. c.
Russell, Bell, Carpenter and Tyler.
Worst of Hazers Named.
while you were q fourth class man who
were the worst hazcrs in the upper class?'
Cadets Bender and Lane, who were dis
missed and Cadets Bettison and Meyer of
the present first Glass;
The witness said that he had been in the
habit of hazing men himself, but had no
particular form of exercising.
How long after meals would you give
these exercises to the men,
About ten minutes.
Don't you know that it is extremely
dangerous to give vigorous exercise SO soon
after meals?''
NO, sir
Whipping Was the Object.
The witness admitted that the purpose of
calling out fourth class man was to have
him whipped. He had never heard of a
fourth class man winning in a fist fight
with higher class man, but had known
of two such fights that were called draws.
Chairman Dick handed the. witness the
list containing forty-seven forms of haZng
and asked him If he could add to it. Ma
haffey read 1t carefully and added three
more. These were pillow fights 'chang-
ing posts in mess hail. and sammy
races
In reply to Mr.. Dick the witness said
that by the class agreement physical eXer-
else was the only form of hazing abolished.
Bracing, funny formations and other lighter
forms We're practiced at the last summer
enc anpment. There were foolish things
which men were required TO do for the
amusement of upper class men.
Cadet Albert B. Dockery of Mississippi, of
the present second class, on being sworn,
said he did not know BooZ, and could not
remember ever having seen him.
"Who was reported among your fellow
fourth class men as being the worst
haZed?"
Il think Cadet Berry, sir. He had
never been required to take tabasco sauce,
and did not any others taking it.
The Macarthur Case.
The witness said he had seen Cadet Has
kell In bed the morning after he had been
made i'll from exercising. He, the witness,
did not think Haskell was sick. He ac-
knowledged that he had exercised young
Macarthur, who was with five six other
fourth class men.
What was the rcson for haZing Mac
Arthur"
For not bracing hard enough replied
Dockery.
WAS it disinclination on his part to
brace hard?"
Did you hear that Macarthur said. when
he had been attacked with convulsions, that
the cotton was put into his mouth?'
No sir. l only heard of that when the
investigation was started"
The witness said that he knew of no cadet
who exceeded the proper limits intention
ally while exercising fourth class man.
The Kissing Incident.
An unlooked-for incident occurred at the
close of the afternoon session yesterday.
There was very large attendance of army
officers, with their wives and daughters,
present When Representative briggs ask
ed Cadet Deem If 1t was through having
Convenient memory" that he could only
remember Cadet Sheridans name out of all
the men he had exercised, there was
storm of Misses, which ran around the room.
The women well as the men took part
In it, and 1t was evident that they con-
sidered the question as one impugnng the
credbility of the witness.
The kissing was particularly strong from
the seats behind the reporters, where
score of officers We're sitting.
Judge Smith said so that every one could
hear him: II think anybody who Kisses
should be elected from the room, no matter
who it is.
The code of honor at West Point ac-
cording to the testimony adduced during
this investigation we'll as the military
inquiry, does not admit of untruthfulness,
and the people living at the post resent
anything suggestive of a doubt on this
point.
Representative briggs Immediately asked
that the court room be cleared, but Chair
man Dick declared recess of an hour
and half without recognizing the request
Several officers did not try to conceal
their displeasure at the question put by the
Brooklyn representative. They also said
that Judge Smith, another member of the
committee, had no right to say in his ex-
animation of Deem that 'the death of Booz