Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-01-15
TAKE A MEAN ADVANTAGE
BRUTAL PRACTICE OF PUTTING
EXPERIENCED MAN AGAINST
GREEN NEWCOMER.
BREAK THEIR MILITARY OATHS.
No Athletic Club on Earth Would Tols
crate This Cowardly Practice
In Hazing.

West Point, Jan. 15.-Cadet Joseph b..
Parnes, Of the District of Columbia, who
was one of Cadet Kellers seconds. and
who seems to have more knowledge of
the code of corps in regard to fistic ar
guments than any other cadet at the
West Point academy, continued his tes-
timony before the congressional investi-
eating committee when the hearing was
resumed today.
Last night Barnes was sworn and eX-
amned by Judge Smith, the congress-
man from Council Bluffs, Iowa. and the
young man had quite a trying time.
Mr.. Smith did not mince his words
when he endeavored to show the wit
ness. who is practically on the eve of
graduation, that the first-class men
were arrogant, ignorant and conceited
when they, as a class, commended the
West Point system of fighting against
the better Judgment of the military Off
GERS of the academy, and in violation
of all rules and regulations governing
the institution.
Mr. briggs, of Brooklyn. took the wit
| ness in hand today and asked him min
utely about the Keller-BooZ fight While
listening to Barnes knowledge of the
affair, the Brooklyn congressman inter-
rupted the witness and asked him:
Under your infamous and unmanly
code of fighting. is it not understood
that an upper-class man is selected es-
pecially for the purpose of administer
ing sound drubbing to the fourth class
| man who is called out?"
Yes, sir; it is understood that when
fourth-class man is called out he is
to be whipped
ooh, that's the code' said Mr.
witness, while he arose from his seat
beside the chairman. Then leaning to-
wards the witness he shouted
| Young man, this dishonorable prac-
tice you have described would not be
tolerated in any athletic club in the
world. The upper classman who is a
party to the calling out of a fourth class
man for this purpose of having him
thrashed is coward and the fourth
| class man who is beaten is nothing else
but hero. This morning l received four
| letters, from Kansas, Mass. New York
and Brooklyn. in all of which the mode
of fighting and hazing here is called
brutal bullyism. That is too mild de-
scription. l call it brutal cowardice.'
BY Mr.. Wagner
Suppose that an oath We're adminis-
tered to a cadet when he received his
|
| the provisions of which prohibited fight
ing, do you think it would stop the prac-
| tice?"
"Yes, sir, l presume 1t would, as I 10
not believe any man would break his
OATH but for myself I will say that if
| | had to go back to the time of my ap-
pointment and an oath was about to be
| administered to me which would pro-
| hibt me from resenting an insult
would unhesitatingly refuse to take it
and content myself in some civil occupa-
tion," replied the witness.
You expect to become an officer verv
soon do you not?" inquired Colonel
Clayton.
"Yes, SIR
Then after you have become an Off
Ger, would you in violation of your oath
accept or send challenge to a duel,
fistic or otherwise"
"If the prOvocation occurred in we'll
defined terms l would not violate my
oath, but would resign and send or az
cept a challenge in the event that [
could not meet and shoot my man on
sight"
Speaking of hazing, Mr.. Wagner adj
dressed the witness saying: DO YOU
know that one William Mckinley. now
president of the United States. when
member of congress said that he would
favor the abolition of the West Point
military academy in case hazing could
not be stopped there?"
Yes sir
And the late James G. Blaine had
the same IDEAS" said Mr.. briggs.
And SO also did Zackariah Taylor
added Judge Smith.