Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-11
CODE AT WEST POINT
Cadets Detail the Honor Rules at the
Academy.
UNPOPULAR MEN HAVE HARD ROW
Upper Class Men Pass on Young
ster's Right in Army
MIR. RIGGS QUE TION

WEST POINT, n. Y, January 1.-THE
congressional committee which has been in
vestigating hazing of West Point cadets
resumed its labors at $50 O'Clock today.
Cadet George r. Spalding of Michigan, who
acted timekeeper AT the keller-Booz
fight. the first witness called, and
after having been sworn was examined by
Representative Wanger. He said he was an
ex-officio member of the "scrapping COM
mittee." being vice president of his class.
rs that a standing committee?''
Yes, sir but there Is not much use
for it now there was some time ago.
did you know Cadet BooZ?"
Yes. sir
You We're timekeeper at the Kel!er-Booz
fght?"
will you kindly tell us all about that
fight
Il went to Fort Putnam on the after
noon of the fight before the principals got
there and looked over the ground. When
the men faced each other Booz had the adj
vantage of the higher ground and was ag
gressive in the opening round
He then told In detail the manner In
which the fight progressed, and said that
BoOz was not knocked out, but lay down,
and said that ne would give the nSNl 10
Keller. as he was the better man. Booz's
seconds asked him to continue, but he
would not.
In reply to Colonel Clayton the witness
said he was at one time cadet corporal
in his company and such had frequently
reported other cadets for deinquenctes. He
was in honor bound to report offenses
against the regulations. but where he could
use discretion he always gave the offender
the benefit of Ii. If q cadet officer kept re-
porting a man every time he could 1t would
certainly be noticed by the authorities and
an investigation would be made.
Dismissals for Dement'S.
These reports would add to the cadets
demerits?"
Yes sir
I'm your time here how many men have
you known to be dismissed on account of
demerits?
Mr. Harlee of my own class and think
Mr.. Huetzler of the class of 1902
Was Mr.. Huetzler a popular man.
He was not very popular, sir
Suppose you went to the hospital with
black eyes from fight and the surgeon
should ask you how you got them, what
would you Say?'
Il would probably tell him that I would
rather not answer. 1 think we would both
feel that he was going outside of his line
OF duty" added the witness
Judge Smith was the next queStioner.
Does any fourth-class man ever incur
the hostility of all the upper class mem"
"A great many men come here every year,
and out of the number there may be one
two who are not thought fit by the
upper classmen 10 stay in the academy.
Now. in regard to reporting offenses.
when they are slight and unintentional
cadet officers are inclined to ignore them
and not report them except in cases of
unpopular men, are they not?
That is very probably the fact, sir. Most
of the cadets wish to be impartial, but a
limos
berg fair
Why Not Fight With PistOlsP
Why don't you use the army sixshooter
in settling these affairs Of honor among
cadets?' asked Congressman briggs.
The witness did not reply Immediately,
and Mr.. briggs said Would not that be
fairer than fighting with fists?"
1T would not be fair to the fourth-class
man"
"Whyo"
Well, perhaps the fourth-cass man
might never have handled a revolver and
ne might be nervous
Don't You think the upper class man
might he a bit nervous alSo?'
He ought not to be-.
Well place the six feet apart,
then"
That would be perfectly fair sir
The witness said that physically a fourth
class man was not the equal of an upper
class man. particularly at the beginning OF
the fOurth-class year.
You feve acted as timekeeper?"
Did you ever know upper class man
acting as timekeeper to give the upper class
man the advantage of a few seconds in a
count out?''
No, sir: there would be trouble in the
corps II such a thing occurred"
Then there Is no sentiment in favor OF
an upper class man on the part of the
t,mekeeper?"
No. sir; the timekeeper has no sentiment
when he is the field
Did you ever know a referee to stop a
fight before a knockout?'
Once, sir, when he was afraid that
reveille would come before the fight could
be finished 1 also know of a case where
the referee stopped fight because the
fourth-class man had broken his hand"
Having In the Hospital.
Did you ever know of a case of haz,ng
I'm the hosp!tal?'
II have heard of some thing going on
there. Sometimes cadets are asked ques-
tons, but i never knew of a man being
required to exert himself There may have
been some funny formations. l never heard
OF any one being punished by the authori-
ties for hazing in the hospital
Gen Dick then took the witness in hand
and asked him about haZing.
Why were not all the things which come
under the term hazing abolished by the
Class agreement 10 dDOilSH lie
asked.
Exercising was specifically attacked"
the reply.
But fighting was retained"
AS a necessary evil"
Then the cadets did not think that fight
ing had anything to do with the agitation
in Congress and the country over hazing
eh?''
yes the cadet resolution regarded this
agitation the ground for their action
against haZing.
Did you ever know man to faint OF
have commissions through being exercised:
Il have heard SO. sir but have no per.
sonal knowledge of such a case. L woulC
like TO state, though that in summer drills
many cadets fall out of ranks and faint
One night last summer thirteen men faint
ed parade
The chairman then read some extract:
from a letter written by Booz to his sister
in which he complained of heart failure a:
a result of his fight with Keller.
Are you in a position to contradict
that?' asked the representative.
Il am not. sir: do not like to contradict
anything he might say but 1 do not thnl
that he was badly bruised"
The witness said that the charges mad'
by Booz were probably true when he wrot,
that the fellows here had talked terribly t