The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-02-02
"FOUND IN MATH."
But Cadet Sullivan Was All Right
with His Fists.
From the New York Press

From the New York Press.
The hazers at West Point ran up
against hard proposition" when they
encountered John Patrick Sullivan OF
Louisiana. He is the youth of muscle
~ cadets of the "yearling' class and
every cadet of the first class who called
him out lie was so busy with fights that
sometimes he had as many as four in one
day, and he never lost a battle. He was
the best "scrapper'' the Military Acad-
envy ever saw, and, as a plebe, used 10
whip upper class men as fast as they APP
peared before him. When the committee
of Congress asked if a 'plebe" was not
always called out to be clicked" and
asked further if that was not always his
fate, the statement that a former 'plebe'
had whipped every man with whom he
had fought was testimony that astonish-
ed the investigators and injured the case
against the academy.
Sullivan was found in math' in jan
uary 1897. Found in math'' means
found deficient in mathematics" He
therefore left the Academy, but the re-
membrance of his prowess still remains
there. In his "plebe camp" Sullivan was
challenged by every yearling who was of
equal weight with him and whipped them
all, sometimes meeting as many as four.
Then the first class was weighed in and
met the rapid plebe." one by one Sui
livan won all the fights and kept the
doctors at the hospital busy. Scarcely a
DAY but some man reported at the hospi-
tai with a disfigured face which he had
received by running into a tree" Be
fore July was over Sullivan was no long
er the rapid plebe," but the terrible
plebe'
Hailed From Louisiana.
He was a raw-boned youth from Lou
isiana, and eminently built for fighting.
He was not quarrelsome fellow. by any
means, but his name and his prowess
caused him a lot of trouble. 1t was a
case of fight with him as soon as he
went into barracks as beast" Several
yearlings paid Sullivan the customary
visits and asked usual questions. When
the festive yearlings found that his name
was Sullivan they asked, Are you John
L. SULLIVAN"
mo" replied the candidate, 81 am John
p. Sullivan"
After the usual Instructions about the
use of Sir and Mister the yearlings
asked, "Can you fight, Mr.. Sullivan
II don't want to fight, SIR was the re-
ply.
But don't you know that you have got
to fight to keep up the reputation of your
name?'
Sullivan said he would fight if obliged
to do so. and as soon as he had passed
his preliminary examination and was in
"plebe camp" This fighting days began.
The first man who had "deviled" him on
his first day in barracks was the first
one he whipped 1t can be ina gined that
H.. GrrI.k nj
a good heart. After that 1t was a mat
ter of duty with him, and he knocked
OUT thirty OF the yearliug class before
he tackled the first class. After Sulli-
van had beaten all Corners he was not
"deviled' by the upper class men, and in
the fall was the only man of his class TO
whom was given a place on the football
team.
Took Having Pleasantly.
Sullivan got his share of hazing at first,
and took it without a murmur. Once
they told him to stand at the door of his
tent and whistle for rain. He did so
cheerfully, and whistled long and loud.
He never resented any of the usual tests
which were applied to cadets, but the
readiness with which he accepted a chal-
lenge and the rapidity with which he
put his opponents out OF commission were
rather wary of deviIing with him. The
youth from Louisiana was respected at
the Point for his physical qualities, even
IL the Academic Board had doubts as TO
his mathematical ability. Perhaps he
would have done better in 'math" If he
had not had so much fighting to do. 1t
is rather difficult to bone math" and
whip four upper class men a day. Sui
llvan's name is one which will long be
a consoling remembrance among the
fourth class men at the academy FOR
though the days of fighting are over the
class feeling is very strong "a the Point,
and il is always a Consolation to plebes
to be able to tell tales OF the physical
proves of another plebe. even though
he has fallen from the ranks Many Off
GERS now in the service also are proud
OF the fighting ability of John Patrick
Sullivan.
Well Built for the Business.
PIebe Sullivan was tail. muscular aud
well built. with not an ounce of useless