Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-01-18
CADET PRENTICE WAS
COMPELLED TO HEDGE
WHEN THE SEARCHING QUESTIONS
OF THE CONGRESSMAN WERE
FIRED AT HIM.
HAD SAID BOOB READ NOVELS
AND PAPER BACKED FRENCH ONES,
TOO, BEHIND HIS BIBLE.

WEST POINT, N. Y, January IL
Cadet James Prentice, of New York,
was called this morning. Prentice is
the cadet who is responsible for the re-
port that former Cadet Booz had Sc
creted a novel inside of an open Bible
and was reading ii, while to all ap-
pearances he was reading the Holy
Book.
General Dick questioned the witness
closely in reference to this assertion.
The witness said that the book was a
paper covered French novel, but later
on the General made him admit that
he could not swear positively that it
was. He also had to acknowledge that
it might have possibly been a lesson
leaf or supplement to the Bible.
Under Judge smiths questioning the
witness became confused in descrio-
ing the difference between the spoken
lie and the acted lie, in reference to
dead beating to avoid hazing, and
dead beating" through alleged devo-
tional reading or exercise. The wit
ness was forced to admit that the book
he saw in Boozs Bible might have
been
Religious Publication.
Before dismissing the witness Gen.
Dick said:
Now turning back to your own ex-
perience as a fourth class man, don't
you think that a kindly hand and an
encouraging word from an upper class
man to fourth class man would have
more beneficial effect on the plebe
than the rude, rough and cruel hazing
to which he is subjected"
yes, sir; l believe it would" said
the cadet.
Congressman Wanger congratulated
the witness for the considerable man
ner in which he had treated Booz in
not reporting him at times when he
had an opportunity and particularly
when he did not complain of Booz to
his class committee on one occasion
when his doing so would have result
ed in Boozs being called out.
Cadet Douglas Macarthur followed
Prentice. Mr.. briggs addressing him
said:
Macarthur, we have had mass of
testimony here regarding the fact Of
your having been hazed so violently
that you had commissions The com
mittee is DESTROYS of having you tell
in your own way the manner in which
you were hazed, the forms of hazing,
the names of the men who hazed you
and the consequences"
Macarthur replied:
Il had been about a month in the
summer camp of 1899 as 'plebe when
the hazing. an account Of which / have
read in the papers, occurred. Like
most reports OF the kind it was a small
affair
Greatly Exaggerated Afterwards.
My treatment was no more severe than
that given to others and was in no
way calculated to place me in a severe
physical condition.
Fl had no commissions; that report
is entirely erroneous. I had what you
might call aggravated cramps and lost
control of my muscles ! most en-
phatically deny that / was seized with
commissions. | was not delirious nor
out of my mind.
The hazing took place in "A COM
pany street. 1t was not my own
tent, there were other men there, Far
mum, Haskill and Cunningham, my
tent mates There was a soiree and
several Of my classmates were hazed
on that occasion. The soiree lasted
about an hour. ! got about $50 eagles
hung on the stretcher for two min
utes at a time and did some dips. 1t
was a very warm night and | had
been feeling under the weather all
day and was rather weak 1t was
dark when the soiree began and
perspired profusely but by taps /
was all right again
did you consider the treatment
you received cruel at the timer ask
ed Mr.. briggs, who read the defini-
lions of the word from a dictionary.
Yes SIR
do you still regard it as cruel?"
Yes sir"
Now, tell us the names OF the men
who were hazing you"
Cadets Dockery and Barry"
Mr.. briggs tried to get Macarthur
to admit
That He was Seriously Upset
by the violent exercises he was re-
quired to go through. but the witness
would not. He maintained that he had
cramps in his muscles and had lost
control of them. He denied that cot
ton had been stuffed in his mouth
Macarthur was very positive in his
denials and the committeeman look
ed to be very much surprised at the
stand he was taking.
AT 1 o'clock the committee adjourn
ed.
AGAINST HAZING.