The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-11
BARE KNUCKLE FIGHTS
PUGILIsM AS PRACTICED AT WEST
POINT MILITARY ACADEMY.
Cadet Bettison's Testimony Before
the Congressional Investiga- 2
tiOn Committee.

WEST POINT, N. Y, Jan. 10.-Before the
MEMBERS of the congressional investigating
committee resumed their inquiries to-day
into the charges of hazing at the Military
Academy they visited the camp grounds Mt
Fort Clinton, where many fights between
cadets nave occurred. Colonel Clayton.
who is a graduate of the AGA ie:ny, ex-
| planned the arrangement of the tents in
the summer ncampment to his brother
| committeeman, and when thev visited The
rink in the rear of the camp the '.st-etch-
ing process, by which several cadets were
hazed, was discovered.
Cadet William R. Bettison. Of kentucky.
was the first witness. He testified that
Cadet BIeth was his classmate. and that
Cadet Bocz was a fourth classmal, while
he (witness) was a third classman. He
| neve, knew of Breth being hazed. Witness
sail he knew OF five fights between cadets
during his first year. and was present at
two of them. Witness said there weie nine
fights during the year 1S99-19O). and seven
Gur;lg the present year. Bettison described
the fights rs ~tare-knuckle contests under
Marquis Of Qus ensbury rules, excepI that
the rounds were two minutes each. He
said they were nearly all finish fights.
linen you here hold fights OF q brutal
the forty-ive States of the Union have pro-
hibited by law?' said Mr.. briggs.
BettiSon made no reply.
Mr.. briggs then inquired If hazing or
assisting at fights of cadets was violating
the oath administered on his entering the
| academy. After some evasion the witness
said that violation of the academy reguia-
tons were not considered by the cadets as
violations of the articles of war and were
not looked on as military disobediencc.
Cadet Bettison was on the stand for over
five hours, and prior to being excused
Chairman Dick asked him If he had any,
thing further TO say. He replied: II want
to say, sir, that the difference between the
haZing of a man here and at colleges is
that in colleges freshmen are hazed by
sophomores in a spirit of mischief. and
| sometimes hands are laid on him brutally.
Here we never lay hands on a man exceD.
iE Tie case of a fight. Our hazing is spe-
officially for the purpose of making a fourth
classman realize the necessity of prompt
and unqUestioned obedience"
| Cadet William +. Ennis, of Colorado, a
cadet-at-large who stands fourteenth in
the present first class. was next called.
Congressman Wanger of Pennsylvania, ex-
amined the witness. who knew very little
about former Cadet Booz. In reply to Con-
gresham Smith the witness said that most
OF the fights at the post took place on
Saturday or Sunday afternoon.
The witness had rather a bad quarter of
an hour with Mr.. briggs, who questioned
him in regard to former Cadets Albert and
Huetzler. Ennis acknowledged that he said
1t would be a good thing TO give these
men a SUFFICIENT number of dement's to
force them out of the academy. Both of
them are now out of the academy, Huetz-
Ter on account of dement's and Albert for
deficiency in studies. Ennis made no secret
of the fact that he felt that the men should
be got rid of and reiterated this sentiment
very distinctly on the stand in reply TO
Congressman briggs, Wanger and Clayton.
He was in a position as corporal of the
company to report infractions on the part
of Albert, and did so on every occasion,
H,rf t1axrnr q ~ tnf.ra4l - IL.
ness, in reply to Congressman Smith, made
similar statements, much to the surprise of
many who heard him. General Dick asked
Colonel Clayton If he had any more ques-
lions to ask the witness and the colonel
said: 1T have nothing more to ask, but I
would advise this young man to revise his
ideas If he intends TO remain in the army
Chairman Dick then took the witness i'm
forms of exercising. The general called of
all the well-known exercises from a list
new one which is called swimming TO
Newburg.' This exercise consists of a man
lying on his stomach while he goes thro1gh
vers last until the hazers think he has
gone far enough. The witness in detail
told ca shs eo oua1iteS IN the .] PgSeeas by .n Which IN
''prunes' as well as other commodities in
the mess hall.
Cadet Frank Keller, of Missouri. was
next called. Chairman Dick turned the
witness over to Congressman Smith for ex-
animation. The Judge" as he was famil-
iarly called by his associates on the COM
mittee, asked Keller If he was not the
man who fought Booz. After the witness
had replied in the affirmative, Mr.. Smith
asked him to tell in his own way every
detail Of the fight. Keller told the story
of the fight and did not deviate I'm any way
from the description which he gave OF
the contest before the military court of In
quiry two weeks ago. In telling of the end
of the fight. Keller said: The fight lasted
about a round and a half and L hit Booz
a blow over the stomach. 1t was not a hard
blow and did not knock him Town. Booz
went to the ground. but had Sufficient wind
70 say: THE wind is knocked out OF me-"
To Mr.. briggs he said he had been knocked