The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-05-14


been taken without permission; that
the offence was serious one ana
ought to be condemned by the students
themselves; that no student had ever
before been detected in taking appa-
ratus without permission
Dr.. Bracket; also made the follow
ing explanation as to how the offence
was committed:
He was standing at his table sur
rounded by cadets with their note
books or reports within two feet OF
the case lust behind him, in which the
test tubes and other apparatus were
stored, when happening. by acclaenG,
to turn around, he found Caoes
Thornwell reaching into the case. he
asked him what he was doing there.
The cadet turned with the tubes IN
his hand and replied that he was get
ting some test tubes. DR.. Brackett
then asked him, "Don'tsyou think
that you ought to get them through
me?'; In reply to which the cadet
mumbled something that was not un-
derstood. He then asked Cadet
Thornyell how many tubes he wanted,
and he said four, which were then
issued to him, and the usual memo
randum made II, order that they might
be properly charged to him. AS he
walked off DR.. .Brackett said to him,
ssDo you realize the seriousness OF the
offence that you have committed
His reply was again not understood.
DR.. Braekett further stated that
.f+or La called Cadet ThornwelI'S at
tention to the seriousness OF the
offence he waited a whole day for any
explanation that the cadet might wish
to make before entering the report
against him. On the morning OF
April % he sent for Cadet Thornwei
and asked him If he had any explana--
ton to make. Cadet ThornWell said
that he had not come to explain, be-
cause he had thought he had a right
to take things without permission,
and that the majority of his class were
of the same opinion, and further that
he thought punishment would oe
awarded in the same manner as when
cadets are found with mess hall prop
erty in their pessession-an oHence
which he stated was usually punlsneo
with abou ten demerits. - !.
Dr.. Bracket said to the faculty that
he was very mcuh surprised at the
cadets Statement; that the majority OF
his class were laboring under any such
misapprehension, and that on retiec-
ton he had later sequested the cadet
to bring statement signed by the
members of his class who believed
they had a right to take apparatus
from stock without permission In re-
gard to the statement signed by ol
members of the class and presented 20
faculty by the adet. DR.. Brackett
expressed it .s IS opinion that wnlle
probably int er deel to cover the point
at issue, It '-,lly was not applicable
to the case. &c
the charge again. Cadet ThornweH
for taking, without permission, test
tubes from stock in the chemical
laboratory, was sustained.
During the discussion as TO the ma
5ure of the punishment that should
be administered there was no dlspo.
sition on the part of any member OF
the faculty to regard the case lightly
or to dismiss it without punishment.
4 motion that a public reprimand be
administered was almost unanimously
defeated. It was then resolved by a
majority vote on roll-call that Cadet,
3. A. ThornweH be suspended till the
and Of the present session.
DR.. Bracket was put through
long and severe cross examination by
DR.. Thornwen ard members of the
board. He stated that, while he had
reported the case to the faculty. he
had voted against ThornwelFs suspen-
sion.
He said that so far as he knew no
specific rule had ever been issued
against the taking Of test tubes from
the laboratory stock without permls-
SION, but that he Elad'repeatedly warn
ed the members of the class against it.
After Prof. Brackett got through
President Hartzog was sworn. He
testified that he took no actual part in
the suspension of Cadet Thornwell;
that he merely presided over the
faculty meeting and saw that an I'M
partial hearing wa:; given the case.
The witness WAS questioned very
closely by Dr.. Thornwell in regard TO
certain letters that had passed be-
tween them Immediately after the
bows sus pension. 1t was brought out
that DR.. Thornwell had written Presi-
dent Hartzog, appealing to him to re
verse the faculty's decision or to carry
the appeal up to the trustees, and that
President Hartzog had not answered
the letter. His excuse was that the
matter had gone 50 far that it was
going to be investigated by the
trustees anyhow, and he did not want
to prejudice himself OF commit him
self by giving out anything or giving
a transcript Of the testimony upon
which the faculty based It's action.
The taking Of the testimony was
very slow and tedious and was very
minute on all particulars Finally, at
u 80 a. m.. it was; agreed to take an
adjournment until 9 O'Clock. when an
other start would be made. 1t is
probable that the board viii not get
through before Saturday night.
Mr.. Walter McIver, OF Charleston.
is here representing a committee. OF
parents of students Of the College liv-
ing in the vicinity Of Charleston, and
,,oso~ol o+bar loading citizens from