New-York tribune., 1901-01-05
A SECOND BOOZ INQUIRY.
CONGRESS- COMMITTEE HEARS WHAT
MEMBERS OF FAMILY HAVE TO
SAY OF ALLEGED HAZING OF
WEST POINT CADET.
snTTEE HEARS WHAT


Bristol. Penn. Jan. 4-The House Committee of
eve Congressman appointed investigate the case
NJ oscar L. Booz, formerly a West Point cadet
vho Il is alleged, died from injuries received from
being hazed by the upper classnaen there two
,ears ago. began .ts inquiry here to-day. Chair
nan Dick called the session to order William FL
sooz father Of the dead cadet. the first wit
ness He went over the story he told before
,ha War Department inquiry several weeks ago
re said oscar did not complain OF "eag agling" but
enose more Of the fight he in, and the tabasco
ssuee he said he was forced to take Oscar re
Iuctantly told his father that the hot sauce had
,esn poured down his throat three times The
hov the father said tried hide the condition a.
MS throat after he left the Academy and never
cave the name OF any Of his tornentors Oscar
had told him 1t not manly TO do So Mr. Booz
declared that the boy told him physical force was
used when he took the sauce while IN camp.
DO you believe that your son died as q result OF
hszing at West Point?" Mr.. Booz was asked
'T firmly do" the reply
Then why did you make official complain? ?"
ct did not wish TO have any publicity
why did you not citizen make complaint,
Il did not know at that time the seriousness or
the case. and also did not know there was any
redress"
you are satisfied your boy did not receive fair
play?'
yes. sir. All my boys can stand hazing. but not
brutality.
Mrs Sarah E. Booz said her son was in rugged
health when he went TO the Academy but when
he left IL was broken down in health and never
was in good physical condition afterward He
complained much OF pains IN the stomach He
never needed medical attention until he returned
from West Point
She said Oscar sent letter home each week. In
the fourth letter Oscar began TO complain of I'll
treatment. Mrs. Booz said she sent the letters
10 her Horace, in Buffalo. in the hope that
he would go the Academy and try TO get better
treatment for Oscar. She said that Horace de-
stroyed these letters. After Oscar had written
home for permission TO resign Mr.. and Mrs Booz
visited him IN effort TO induce him 10 remain
at West Point. He resigned, she said. because of
his I'll treatment, but in his resignation paper he
Tor his quitting the Academy.
Miss Nellie BoOz. a sister Of Oscar, gave her YER
sion OF Oscars appointment to West Point his
treatment there, as shown in letters he Wrote TO
gnafon 3 Ehs tod Row aSe Rad attenpted a9 m to
get the names Of his alleged prosecutors. She
offer. saying he would not disgrace the Academy.
The sister said she saw in a newspaper year ago
that cadets, named Lane and Bender.
expelled from the Academy for tampering with the
Academy was well rid of them, as they had held
his hands on a gaiyanic battery
Miss BOoz submitted several letters and extracts
Of letters sent 70 members Of the family from from
~ Vifbhois the letters from the public until ii
could consider them in executive session This was
some personal matters which no way related to
the Investigation; The sister said Oscar had told
her he would not again undergo the treatment he
had received at West Point for 100000
Howard Z.
said that his brother did not care much about play
ing games with other boys Oscar. Howard said,
he played basketball he seemed to tire soon. Oscar
had tod him n Re & had been h1ng m oy the hands ian Sm @
Howard knew, il had no Ill effects Oscar also
Point he would come back in a coffin. Howard
testified that he tried TO draw out of Oscar how
from Oscars reply that the sauce was forced down
his throat while in camp and that when the cadets
were in barracks he was ordered TO take it, which
returned from the Academy treated him for throat
trouble He was practically d cured OF that ailmsnt
for tuberculosis Of the throat .,s -, 49,.
caused by tabasco sauce being forced down per-
+I2believs St car, only be produced by the in
sauce leave good ground for the Judgement Of
tuberculosis germs?'
would the condition OF Oscars throat as It
was before he went to West Point, have become
II think & would The throat was not in a
10 West POINT AT WHICH time if1r freted S him for a.
rheumatic sore throat"
tended young Booz for several days In the absence
Of his brother. Dr.. Charles Abbott. This was less
in an advanced stage OF tuberculosis He found a
lungs II was his opinion that oscar Booz had,
primarily. tuberculosis. with secondary exten-
tabasco sauce could not AFFECT the lungs
Dr.. Charles Abbott testified that he found Oscar
lungs. and advised the family TO continue the
treatment he receiving from Philadelphia
throat specialist.
Are you also OF the opinion that the throat
trouble a secondary Affection
Yes. sir"
He did NOT regard the swallowing of the tabasco
sauce as the cause OF Oscars throat trouble.
Or Willis p. Weaver. the family physician, told
the story how he came TO treat Oscar Booz. He
differed in opinion from the previous witness as
10 where the boys affection started He Of the
belief that 81 started in the throat He also be-
Ieved that the abuse humiliation and fear he was
subjected were sufficient 90 lower the vitality OF
the bog. Oscar never told him that he swallowed
aasco sauce II he did. II would e1coriate his
throat Ga resisting tts swallowing, which would
create vulnerable spot for the Judgement OF g.
colony OF tuberculosis becilD.