New-York tribune., 1901-02-10
TO SUPPRESS HAZING.
REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF
THE WEST POINT INVESTIGAT-
ING COMMITTEE.

sentatives to-day by the chairman. Representative
Dick together with bill making stringent regula-
tions against hazing. fighting and all brutal prac-
tices.
The report is an exhaustive review of the prac-
tice Of hazing in all its forms and while moderate
in tone. is nevertheless stinging arraignment OF
the many alleged brutal practices enumerated IL
specifies more than one hundred distinct methods
Of annoying and harassing fourth class men, and
describes them In detail One of the funny forrna-
tons described is that practised on PhiIp H.
Sheridan, jr, who compelled TO ride brooin-
stick n mockery Of his illustrious fathers achieve
at Winchester" The report says that sys-
TEN of fighting has grown up which is shocking IN
IT'S character. The fights described and the COM
mitee says that the West Point code is more vicious
than the Queensberry code. The committee holds
that fighting is the worst form Of hazng. and says
that such fighting that at West Point is a
felony according to the statutes in many or the
States and the time has come when Congress must
decide whether fights which high crimes else
where shall continue at West Point.
The committee finds that Cadets Macarthur.
Breth and Burton were hazed into commissions.
others were hazed until they tainted. while others
were hazed until they sick. The hazins OF
3ooz and Breth is elaboraely treated but the COM
mittee does attribute their deaths directly to
hazing. The report adds:
But while We cannot fix upon hazing the respon.
6ty for these two deaths the Rosst6My ny tnq. dIbsr
wise fair and glorious fame of the Academy its
atness in this new century urge the adoption
reasonable, yet We believe effective measures tot
its eradication and the promotion OF discipline at
the Academy.
The bill submitted contains eleven sections and
provides for the detection and punishment OF
hazers. Dismissal is provided for taking part IN a
fight a challenge. directly or indireetIy or ZOE
any form Of annoying. harassins or ,hs bTaGhns 90. 0r
appontment 10 the ArmV Navy or Marine Corps
Provision is made for courts or inquiry, courts
cadets and other for effecually stopping the
practice Of hazing.
PRACTICES AT THE ACADEMY.
The report first discusses the class distinctions
between the upper class men and the beasts and
'ple5es," the new arrivals and under class men
called, and says:
The upper class have gradually evolved an
entire code OF unwritten laws governing their Eea
ourse 6f co1dutt Which Should be pursued by the
between R u6Per 6S eIa Class no mem and he ower
men; they have no social intercourse or h
fore entering the Academy the upper class man
ger and an Inferior The fourth class man has no
right 10 speak socially 10 the upper class man. and
m hen m he 10 or h on Fourth he cass
P as a aTe bur or T01 5 k eye when az in on
presence, and FAILURE 70 do SO Ia punishable Of
After the fourth class men go into camp each is
as srea I' T and 70 =. such must dis
charge the duties OF body and tent servant. He
1 Ms s 1Sq aE3lS{ b ss uAB5 o5 m and cbe
trimming guns. bayonets and swords: clean and
care for his clothes. taking dirty collars and
to the laundry End bring clean ones back make out
h9P cards ards coy reports and dsoharge -,,I Other Sm
doubt by what they have learned from their pre-
yy. have resorted TO more than one hundred dis
cas TbT ah des an ir tbT
First-Thlngs done professedly for the good Of
fourth class men or OF the service.
second-Thngs done u punish fourth class
Third-Thngs done aprarentis without purpose.
upper class men.
The committee then described IN detail 'bracing"
"eagling." wooden wlying." "choo-choong"
dipping" sitting nayonet eating quinne
standing head in bathtub nllei with water and
many other forms of hazing. Continuing. the
port says:
AS this system grew and became more and more
oppressive II became necessary TO have some ef
demand system Of rb.Ing Y has ana no meet this
upper classes has a regular fighting committee
president Of the third class that some fourth class
man has refused 10 obey any OF the unlawful and
other important respect violated the upper class
code all Of which 1t must be borne in mind is in
the Academy. the president calls his hghting com
64e 6s o4 ana ca Il man n n es6 t9e oa shaE @ II
the man who is to whip him
THE FIGHTS DESCRIBED.
The committee describe the fights at length. and
says:
: A A fight Ugh to a finish h has a more vicious meaning
clearly whipped his seconds may throw up the
Tight The record shows however. but one instance
pal was the upper class man in the fight. and re-
fused 10 abide by his seconds advice To show his
grit and courage the defeated party although help
less so far as hghtinG is concerned, must nomi-
nally go long by any possibility he can
come back to the ring. and even though he is In
Many of the Witnesses say he must fsht until
knocked insensl5e. others say that. OF course. he
would be excused when physically incapable OF com
TEN Of lighting has been destroyed the worst form
Of hazing must die with IT, Such fights as these
gone for years at West Point and no one has
been punished during the period covered by in
now arrived when Congress must decide whether
the fights. substantially everywhere else treated
military reservation at West Point
NO PROOF OF DEATHS FROM HAzING.
1t is. Of course. impossible to determine with
mathematical accuracy just what has been the
treatment upon fourth class men. We do know
that several, notably Cadets Macarthur BTeth and
more. including Cadets Hascan KensaI McGinnis
and Pegram, were haZed until they tainted Cadet
until sick. Cadets Booz and Breth were both
treated with great severity. and were never well
young manhood before the graduation of his class
but cannot affrmatively find that their death
vas caused by their treatment.
CASES OF BOOz AND BRETH
Taking up the Booz the committee says
that his conduct at the Academy strictly cor
rect although under the offensive class despotism
II was viewed as meriting chastisement The
circumstances OF his being called out his fight and
the system of annoyance practised on him are
mlnutely related The committee adds:
Whether injuries in the fight disturbance OF the
stomach, irritation of the throat mortihcation of