Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-01-20
WILL Be No MORE HAI|NG
At WEST POINT ACADEMY.
THE FOUR CLASSES AGREE At A
JOINT MEETING TO DISCON-
TINUE THE PRACTICE
IN ALL IT'S VARIOUS FORMS.
C o \ e II f SION A l. COMMITTEE
GREATLY PLEASED By TURN
AFFAIRS HAVE TAKEN

WEST POINT, n. Y, January 49,
The Congressional investigation of the
West Point military academy has borne
fruit rather unexpectedly
Tonight when the congressman We're
hurrying their inquiries to a termina-
ton the cadtts of all four classes held
a meeting in Grant hall and unani-
mously decided to abolish exercising
and hazing of every form as well as the
practice of calling out" fourth class
men.
This is exactly what Gen. Dick and
the other members of the Congress
sional committee have been trying to
impress on the cadets who have testi-
fed before them, as the only course
open to them if they desired to see the
fair name of the United States mill
tary academy unsullied and above re-
proach.
The communication was addressed
to Supt. A. L. Mills, who only got back
from Washington this morning, and he
quickly brought it to Gen. Dick.
The committeeman are delighted
with the action OF the cadets and Gen.
OANh, Al q lew nOlQo. Sdlu IAdl lHSN
would all go back to the House of Rep
resentatives with the firm belief that
in spirit and letter the agreement
would be steadfastly adhered to by the
cadets, who made it voluntarily.
The document, whereby the cadets
pledge themselves to more seemly be-
havior is as follows:
WEST POINT, n. Y, Jan. 10, 1901.
"To the Superintendent of the L. S.
Military Academy:
'Sir:-Having become cognizant of
the manner in which the system OF
hazing, as practiced at the Military
Academy is regarded by the people OF
the United States, we, the cadets of the
United States Military Academy, while
maintaining that We have pursued our
system from the best motives, yet real
izing that the deliberate judgement OF
the people should, in a country like
ours, be above all other considerations,
do reaffirm our former action abolish
ing the exercising of fourth classmen,
and DO further agree to discontinue
hazing. the requiring of fourth class
men to eat anything against their de-
sire anu lAC pl dIIlSC VI Nulith5 ONN
fourth class men by class action, and
that we will not devise other similar
practices to replace those abandoned.
Respectfully submitted
For the first class,
wv. X. BETTISON,
president Class 1901.
For the second class,
"B. O. MAHAFFEY,
President Glass 1902.
For the Third Glass,
QUINN GRAY,
Persistent Class 1903.
For the Fourth Glass,
JOSEPH A. ATKINS.
Representing Glass 1904"
After reading the communication,
Gen. Dick said:
This voluntary act CT the corps has
impressed the committee that they
have every reason to believe that in
spirit and letter it will be carried out
by those cadets who are now at the
military academy. This action of the
men is greatly commended by the COM
mittee and will be read by the country
with feelings CT merited appreciation.
Cadets Bettison, Mahafey, Gray and
Atkins, the president and represen-
tatives of the four classes, were called
before the committee and addressed
by Gen. Dick, who thanked them for
their action in abolishing hazing at
the academy and said that Congress
would recognize and approve what they
had done.
He also thanked Col Mills for the
kindness and courtesy shown the COM
mittee since they came here. He also
said that the committee would go back
TO Congress with the klniest feelings
and best wishes for the academy and
all connected with It.
The committee then adjourned 70
meet again in Washington at 10 o'clock
on Monday morning
The first witness examined this
morning was Cadet Paul D. Bunker, OF
Massachusetts,, who is member OF
the present third class. Last night
some Of the "plebes' told the commit
tee that Bunker had braced them and
given them tabasco sauce during the
encampment last summer.
Bunker. who said he weighed about
200 pounds, and measured feet liz
inches, only remembered having hazed
two men who were his equal in ply
sique. The other plebes whom he
haZed were small men.
Judge Smith, during his examina-
ton of Cadet Burnett, said:
will you tell us II you desired TO
help fourth class man, why it would
not be better to abolish all social dis
tinction between the classes and by
thus associating with the fourth class
impress on its memories the sense Of
honor and the moral principles which
actuate the CORPSE" asked the judge.
las army officers can teach their men