Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-01-13
SUPERINTENDENT MILLS
IS OPPOSED TO FIGHTING,
AND SAYS HE has ALWAYS USED
HIS BEST EFFORTS TO BREAK
1T Up
AMONG WEST POINT CADETS.
DECLARES THAT 1T Is NOT ONE OF
THE ACADEMY's TRADITIONAL
INSTITUTIONS.

Col W. L. Mills, superintendent of the
United States military academy at
West Point, occupied the witness
stand during the morning and after
| noon session OF the Congressional in
| vestigating committee, with the excep-
ton of few minutes during which
| Horace c. Booz testified that the evil
dence given by him before the military
court on December rs was correctly
reported on the record Col. Mills oc-
| cupied the attention of the committee
at the night session. He made an ex-
haustiVe and comprehensive state
ment of his administration as super
| intendent of the academy since 1898,
and went into details upon every point
| upon which the committee wished to be
! enlightened
| Several times during the day several
Congressman comprising the commit
| tee expressed themselves as being
pleased with the efforts he was making
to stamp out hazing at the academy.
Once he showed some feeling when
\
that the officers of the West Point
academy We're so much imbued with
| the fighting traditions of the academy
that they did not care to stop it.
The colonel put himself on record as
being opposed TO fighting, and said it
was not traditional institution at the
academy. He said every officer at the
academy was against it and it was no
part Of the training OF the cadets.
The committee will resume it's in
vestigation on Monday morning, and
| will hold three sessions daily during
the greater part of next week.
Col. Mills said he graduated from
| West Point in June, 1873. During his
experience as a cadet, he said, fourth
| class men were required to be obedient
and respectful to the upper class men,
| but not in the same measure which
| they would be obliged to recognize the
authority of an academy officer. The
same dement, system which now exists
| was then in vogue.
Did they nave class scrapping com
| mittees them asked Judge Smith.
They did not"
''Did they have fist fights to a finish,
with referees, seconds and time-keep-
ers?"
Not that can recall. think there
were only three fights during my aca-
| demic term. These were of an i'm
! promptu nature, and think the con-
testants were all first class men"
Judge Smith then asked a number
| Of questions bearing on the surYeil-
lance of the movements of cadets at
| night and ELECTED the information that
| no officer is supposed TO be awake all
| night in order to see that the cadets
do not get outside Of the post reserya-
4 ton.
General Dick asked the witness
many questions bearing on the sum
mary expulsion from the academy Of
| former Cadets Bender and Lane in
February, 1899. The men had been
| guilty of breaking into the executive
building, where they falsifed the rec
ords of dement's. They took off de-
merits from the records OF thirteen
cadets, inclading their own, but did
not add dement's to the records Of any
others. Lane confessed his part in the
affair and also owned up to his hay-
ing assisted in barglarizing the cadet
| commissaTy. This confession was made
to Supt. Mills, who dismissed the men
! at once.
Judge Smith then asked the superin-
tendent about the action OF the au-
| thorities to suppress fighting or pun
| ish those persons who took part in
| these affairs. Col Mills said that de-
| spite the vigilance OF the academic
| authorities these fights were kept sole
ly within the knowledge OF the cadets
themselves. He said that only two
fights had come 10 his knowledge. and
| these were made known through the
fact that two cadets had TO 20 to the
hospital.
Col. Mills told the committee that
cadets who had been fighting did not
usually show marks OF punishment
that might attract attention Of the Of
fcers.
Col. Mills said he believed that
| fighting would soon cease in the acad-
envy and he felt confident that the best
| method Of abolishing fighting and haz-
| ing would be the creation OF a senti-
ment among the cadets against such
practices and ne stated that he vas
| striving TO stir up such sentiment
The superintendent Informed the
| committee that up 70 about a year ago
there was great difficulty in securing
/ evidence from men who were hazed
as the regulation made haZers and
hazed subject TO punishment As the
/ regulation had been revised so that
it Is no longer q punishable orfense TO
be hazed, the colonel said that the
/ fourth class men could now CON plain
, without discriminating themselves.
This in a great measure. he said
| would tend 70 make the fourth class
men resist any attempts al hazing.
The witness then stated that there
was a decided change for the better
in regard To the exercising during last
| summers encampmenL
What would you think Of scheme
Of administering an oath against haz-
| ing 10 a cadet when he gets his a2-
pointemnt?" asked Mr.. briggs.
Il should not think it wise. There
is a difiuetly in defining hazing. chat
fng and Quizzing new cadets Is not
hazing," replied the colonel
In reply to another question the wit
| ness said:
While do not regard fighting at
the academy &C triding ofenEe,
Contfnued On Tenth Pare