The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-01-08

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 7-According
to the testimony adduced before the con-
gressional investigating committee which
is inQuiring into the charges of haZing
at the West Point military academy,
Oscar L. Booz, of Bristol, Pa, and John
Z. Breth, of Altoona, Pa, had a rough
time of it during their 'pleb' year at
that institution. The star witness of
the day was Cadet Anthony ]. Burnam
Jr., son of Judge Burnam, of the court
of appeals of the state of Kentucky,
who was Booz's tent mate while in
camp. The committee also heard for the
first time testimony in regard to the eX-
peIiences of Breth from the lips of his
father. brothers and sisters.
Tomorrow the Preth family will sub
nit further evidence in the way Of let
ters from the cadet while he was at
West Point.
The committee got into a legal tangIe
with Mr.. Alexander, secretary of the
board of examiners for the admission of
law students to the bar. The committee
wanted to learn what sort of an average
Booz made in his examination, but Mr..
Alexander refused to state except en- an
order from the courts of this city, believ-
ins that under a rule of the courts he
would be under contempt for making
such information public. He persisted
in his refusal, although he said he would
Cheerfully give the information if the
court would permit him and the COM
mittee allowed him until 10 o'clock to-
morrow morning to choose whether to
be in contempt of the courts of Phila-
delphia or the United States house of
representatives.
ne committee will probably conclude
its work here tomorrow morning and
begin the taking of the testimony of the
cadets at West Point on Wednesday.
BCOZS TENT MATE.
Burnam was the first witness called.
He was told to state in his own way
what he knew Of the matter under con-
sideration. Burnam said he went to
West Point in June 1888. He asked
Booz 10 become his tent mate when they
went into camp in July of that year.
oscar Booz, he said, was a nice sort of
young man and up TO the standard of
other cadets. The older cadets had a
Let of fun with Booz On account of his
name. The upper classmen and cadet
named Bettison, in particular, Burnam
said ordered new cadets to 90 various
things to see if the new men would obey
them. BOoz did some things asked of
him, but finally refused to do so, be,
lieVing the third class men were only
trying to harass him. He was ordered
out TO fight by the lighting committee
Burnam did not know any members of
this committee. After the contest Bur-
nam saw Booz lying in his tent. He
looked detected ana Lad been crying.
BoOz told him he had been "called OUT
and that he had received a blow in the
stomach which rendered him absolutely
helpless. Burnam said other cadets said
that B0oz had Laid down." The upper
classmen kept taunting him, saying he
would make no soldier This was kept
up until he resigned.
Burnam said Booz, like all other class
men, was always tired out by the severe
routine of camp. Keller, his opponent in
the fight, was expert with his fists, Bur-
nam said, and was a gymnast. Booz
studied very little on account of his eyes
hurting him. On this account he stood
low ir his class. Oscar also told Bur
nam how upper claSsmen told him (Boc y
to take tabasco sauce. BooZ, said Bur-
nam, was given a small bottle of tabasco
sauce and told to take all of it before he
left the table. He took it by the spoon
full On one occasion Booz told him that
he put lot of the sauce on a piece of
steak intending not to eat it. An upper
classman noticed this and ordered Booz
to eat the steak. Oscar told Burnam
the stuff was running mis- stomach.
Burnam said he had taken tabasco
sauce, but never more than a drop at a
time. He did not know that physical
violence had ever been used to induce
Booz to take it,
Col. Dick asked:
IL q complaint mad been made do VOIl
think Booz would have been treated bet
ter?"
CADET sENTRIEs.
'Booz was very unpopular, and if he
had made a complaint he would have
been treated still worse"
Do not the officers of the academy
try to prevent hazing?"
They do, but the officers are not al
ways around when the hazing is goine
on When any hazing was in progress a
number of cadets were usually on dutv
10 watch for the officers and warn the
AaZers If one should come aIony.'
WhIIe Burnam was in the fourth class
period of about twelve months. there
We're about ten men called out 10 figh+
All OF the contests We're Severe. and tbe
1ourth-cIass men Were usually badly hat
tered up. Fighting was prohibited at the
academy, and although every contest
ahts faoe showed much evidence. of his
having been in fight, yet no action wa
taken by the academy officers to punish
any one. as far as Burnam knew. When
1ouTth-class man. battered I'D came
through the camp street from a fight
me upper classmen always called ouf ali
ule plebS to witness the mans rniser.
able condition --'e-
bdrham knew little about the member
snip oil the hghting committees. AS far
as ne knew they were appointed nv the
eiass president, and were not elected nv
the classmen "S
burnam said he was discharged from
NeSI Folnt Tor deficiency in studies
especially drawing and mathematics IT.